Icehouse by Miller

The 5% alcohol content makes it potent compared to others in its class, but you're right - if it ain't ice cold it tastes like crap. And my god, what a hangover you'll get from this beer.

Fortified? 5% alcohol by volume is not potent beer "in its class," it's well within normal range for its class (assuming "its class" is North American Industrial Lager, aka NAIL). Any liquid that can't get to 5% abv without fortification would have to be something other than beer.

I'll leave others to address whether any beer is worth drinking if it tastes like crap unless you numb your tastebuds with it.

-- Joel Plutchak Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots

"Resorting to personal harassment is a tactic of desperation."

Potent? Yeah, that extra half percent, at most, compared to standard Miller or Bud is really going to knock you back on your ass. Whooooo-whee!

That's because it *is* crap. HTH. The only reason it's tolerable when ice cold is that you've numbed your taste buds into submission.

-Steve

Fortified? OK so port and sherry are fortified wines right? I don't the point is necessarily to get drunk, they taste good. I'm not sure I'm aware of any fortified beers...?

Don't they use some sort of sugar adjuncts in malt liqours like Old English or St Ides? I find it hard to beleive that they would use malt to make a higher gravity beer. Seems it would be too expensive. And comparing port or sherry, unless it is cheap rotgut, is like comparing Old English to a Old Foghorn.

--Dan E

Corn syrup. We used to see rail cars full of it pull up next to Blitz-Weinhard for Old English.

--Jeff Frane

True, but I think the quibble here is with the word "fortified." Using sugars as a fermentable isn't what is normally meant by that word. Fortification, when talking about fermented beverages, generally denotes that alcohol is added post- (or during) fermentation.

That said, I'd be surprised if malt liquor wasn't brewed with additional adjuncts in the mash or kettle.

-- Joel Plutchak Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots

"Resorting to personal harassment is a tactic of desperation."

Yea but thats not fortified, its just high gravity. Fortified is when distilled spirits are added. Port and sherry are fortified. Malt liquors are fermented.

I always thought fortified meant adding more sugar in order to boost the fermentables and gain a higher alcohol level and thats' why cheap wine and malt liqours are so sweet. Guess I was wrong. BUt hey, I learned something new!!

--Dan E

If sugar is added for more fermentables and a higher percentage alcohol, you won't taste the sugar/sweetness-- it turns into alcohol.

-- Joel Plutchak Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots

"Resorting to personal harassment is a tactic of desperation."