Tag: Beer vs malt liquor

While many people associate the term with beer, a surprising variety of beverages fall under the category of 'malt beverage'. The short answer to whether they contain alcohol is: some do, and some do not. The presence of alcohol depends on the specific product and its manufacturing process, ranging from zero-alcohol options to high-gravity malt liquor.

Contrary to popular belief, the brewing process for malt liquor often involves adding adjuncts like corn or rice to increase alcohol, which can lead to a higher residual sugar content than traditional beer. This raises the question: does malt liquor have more sugar?

With an average alcohol by volume (ABV) typically ranging from 6% to 9% or even higher, malt liquor is consistently stronger than the standard domestic beer, which usually falls in the 4% to 5% ABV range. This significant difference in alcohol concentration is rooted in the brewing techniques used to produce each beverage.