Beer of the Week special: What's the difference between beer and malt liquor?

The term "Malt liquor" began as a legal term in the United States for beers with an alcohol content of 5 percent or more. However, since malt liquor was first introduced in the 1940s, the social and marketing definition of this drink has come to refer to beer made with malted barley and has an alcohol content of 5 percent or higher.

However, different states today have various definitions of what products can be labeled as "malt liquors," though must are close to the definition above.

So, what is the difference between beer and malt liquor? It's really more of a social defining. Malt liquors are generally considered to be of low quality and to have a low price, thus they have a reputation for being common alcoholic beverages of the poor and lower classes in the U.S.

That being said, there are plenty of beers in the U.S. and in other countries which contain more than the 5 percent of alcohol and are made with malted barley, but are not considered malt liquors.

Beers with high alcohol content, especially in Europe, are often the opposite of malt liquor concerning quality and price. For these beers, it really comes down to the brewer and marketing and, though this is subjective, to general expected quality. These specialty beers usually come with a high price tag and are said by brewing experts to have quality taste and texture. Malt liquors, on the other hand, are usually said by beer experts to have lower levels of quality in taste and texture. Also, malt liquors are usually made with what are considered less desirable filler products for beer, such as rice or corn.

The first beverage called a malt liquor was Clix, first brewed by the Grand Valley Brewing Company of Ionia, Michigan, in 1937.