Malta India
Cervecería Vegana S.A.

Malta IndiaMalta India
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From:
Cervecería Vegana S.A.
 
Dominican Republic
Style:
Low-Alcohol Beer
ABV:
0.5%
Score:
73
Avg:
2.83 | pDev: 39.22%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
20
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 22, 2019
Added:
Jan 06, 2004
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  1
Malta India es una bebida dulce, no alcohólica, nutritiva y refrescante.

Es una bebida apta y preferida por niños, jóvenes y adultos que desean disfrutar de un producto que los alimente a la vez que lo refresca.
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Ratings by jreid53:
Photo of jreid53
Reviewed by jreid53 from Alabama

1.03/5  rDev -63.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Tried this at lunch at a Cuban restaurant on a recent visit to South Florida. Had never heard of it, but saw it on the menu & decided to try it. Should have known better when the waitress brought out a glass of ice with it & poured it over the ice. Managed to drink about 3/4 of it (along with liberal sips of water). Strange slightly sweet taste that lasted the rest of the day. Absolutely horrid.
Jan 06, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.88 by smithj4 from New York

Dec 22, 2019
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A: Pours a clear, almost opaque very dark cola brown in color with light to moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and moderate chestnut brown + dark garnet red colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall soapy sudsy tan head that quickly reduces to a medium sized patch of slightly mottled very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of unfermented wort from the brewing process with lots of brown + caramel + crystal malts. Very light aromas of earthy + spicy hops.

T: Upfront there are moderate to strong flavors of unfermented brown + crystal + caramel malts with moderate to strong amounts of molasses + brown sugar sweetness. Very light amounts of spicy + earthy hops which contribute minimal amounts of bitterness. Moderate amounts of lingering brown sugar + molasses sweetness.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Not my cup of tea but not horrible, the smell reminds me of the aroma of unfermented wort when brewing and it tastes much too sweet for me. Interesting but I think I would skip it if I came across it again in the future.
Dec 06, 2019
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

2.73/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
A: The beer is black when viewed from afar, but when held up to a bright light there are traces of reddish hues near the edges of the glass. It poured with a light tan collar of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of malts are present in the smell - it is very similar to the smell that you get when you are boiling wort.
T: The taste follows the smell and seems to be similar to what you would get if you drank some of the wort in the boil, except that there is added sweetness.
M: It feels light to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I didn't think that this beer would taste that good based on its smell, but the sweet flavors actually make it drinkable. In any event, it makes for an interesting drinking experience.

Serving type: can
Dec 06, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by OzmanBey from Massachusetts

Oct 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by DangerDawg from Ohio

Nov 12, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by Ezra-Poundit from Ohio

Jul 22, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by Worstplace from Illinois

May 09, 2014
Photo of TimpanogosSlim
Reviewed by TimpanogosSlim from Utah

3.2/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
It's not beer. Yet.

If you have ever homebrewed or taken a brewery tour, you should know that this is pretty much exactly what a brown ale tastes like before it's fermented.

Yes they added some molasses and other sugars but it still pretty much tastes like lightly hopped wort made with some brown and crystal malts in the mix.

Like most soft drinks from tropical, low-income regions it is intended to be served in a warm bottle and poured over ice, resulting in a beverage that is sort of a really earthy cheerwine or tab sort of drink. Root beer without the spices maybe. If you drink it straight up it's too strong.

It's not bad at all. If you wanted it to be beer, you'd have to add yeast and wait a few weeks.

The flavor has a similarity to roasted barley beverages such as postum, cafix, etc. For reasons that should be obvious.
Aug 01, 2013
Photo of JohnnyChicago
Reviewed by JohnnyChicago from Illinois

1.54/5  rDev -45.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1
Picked this up from a bodega in Spanish Harlem. I wanted to taste this strange beverage that all the Dominicans in my neighborhood seemed to love. Poured in a shaker.

A: Pours a deep, dark brown with a mocha head. Looks somewhat like an underattentuated stout.

S: Smells like the sticky saccharine scents I assume would come out of a powder sugar factory. Sweet, sticky and altogether unpleasant.

T: Those scents I couldn't put a finger on come through in the taste. Damn! Tastes like molasses. Seriously. Straight-up molasses/maple syrup Cuvée cut with agave and sugarcane juice. Just ridiculously sweet and cloying.

D: Mouthfeel is full and creamy, but it just serves to make the experience a little nastier. Can't finish this. This belongs on top of ice cream, not in a glass.

Overall: It's not beer folks, it can't be. This tastes like the dark toxic runoff from Willy Wonka's factory. Useful for inducing immediate onset diabetes or keeping 7-year-olds awake for weeks...not really fit for consumption.
Jul 27, 2011
Photo of papat444
Reviewed by papat444 from Canada (QC)

3.33/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Had this with my lunch, a pepperoni & cheese sandwich.

Poured from a 355ml. bottle, best before 02/11.

Appearance: Am opaque cola body with 2 fingers of creamy foam that settles to a thin ring.

Smell: Very malty with strong caramel, molasses and a present but not overbearing sweetness.

Taste: More molasses than caramel with a bit of a harsh finish (herbs?).

Mouthfeel: Carbonation very low yet it manages to have enough life to it.

Drinkability: Sweetness not too strong so it makes it go down easy.

Overall: Take away the mild harsh finish and you're left with a decent malt.
Dec 10, 2010
Photo of pmcadamis
Reviewed by pmcadamis from Illinois

2.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Found an 8-pack of this stuff at the local Asian/World market. Never heard of this stuff, but it looks tasty!

A - Thick syrupy dark brown liquid with a nice little brown head. Looks very much like a good porter or stout in the glass. (note: after pouring this to get a look at it, I put a few ice cubes in the small glass since that's the traditional way of drinking this stuff).

S - Brown sugar, molasses, Malt-O-Meal hot cereal, and super-sugary milk chocolate.

T - Wow, thats RICH! Sugary as all hell (I guess that's what happens when the yeast is not allowed to metabolize the sugar into alcohol... you're left with just a bunch of sugar!) Really tastes very much like a jar of molasses with some brown sugar mixed in. Oatmeal served drowned in YooHoo and topped with about a pound of brown sugar.

M - Syrupy, rich, thick, and sugary. A small amount of carbonation and a little bit of a lactic twang help keep this from being ridiculously cloying, although it still fits squarely into that definition.

D - At first I was shocked and appalled at the super-sugary flavor, but then the more I sipped the more I started to enjoy this for what it is. This is a desert-like substance that is best enjoyed in very small sips and thoroughly iced down. The bottles that I bought are about 8oz and IMO that's just about enough. I actually ended up really enjoying this... stuff... whatever it is.
Jun 18, 2010
Photo of ktrillionaire
Reviewed by ktrillionaire from Florida

2.34/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
This porter-ish looking beverage smells like straight barley malt syrup. It has soapy soda bubbles clinging to the rim, but not soda carbonation.

It is very syrupy. And it redefines the term cloying.

Yuck. I imagine it is an acquired taste. When I was a kid I would've loved it. Since my sweet tooth fell out, not so much.

Anyway, hops or any other flavor are completely blanketed by malted barley.

This would make a very nice contribution to a marinade or stock base, used like mirin or sherry.
Feb 04, 2010
Photo of emsroth
Reviewed by emsroth from New York

1.56/5  rDev -44.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Approx 12oz bottle.

I had this in Puerto Rico. Drank it right out of the bottle so I gave it a neutral appearance rating.

It smelled much like a bag of brown sugar that had been fermented with barley malt. Much like sweet, yeasty bread.

Tasted like molasses with a malty kick. A bit of a yeasty twang.

Thick, sweet mouthfeel. About 1.5 times the body of root beer.

Not the most refreshing drink under the tropical sun.

A worthwhile cultural treat, but I couldn't finish it. Certainly not something I would readily try again.
Jun 01, 2009
Photo of bort11
Reviewed by bort11 from Missouri

2.38/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
I picked this up at an international grocery store. I had never heard of Malta and it sounded interesting.

12 oz bottle poured into a shaker pint. Thin tan head with no retention. Thin film of lace on the surface. Color is a dark caramel brown to almost black.

Smell is sweet and strong aroma of malted milk balls. Taste is pretty much the same. Personally I'm not used to something this sweet and it's a bit of a turn off, however people who enjoy sweets may really enjoy this. There is a mild hint of coffee bitterness.

Mouthfeel borders on syrupy and the carbonation is thin. Honestly, this is way too sweet for me and it started to upset my stomach after only a few sips. I tried it, I did not like it.
Feb 10, 2009
Photo of DaPeculierDane
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

2.02/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
I’m surprised to see this on this site. I like to recommend this soda to friends at Mexican restaurants and laugh at them when they turn green after the first sip. This is not a beer and doesn’t seem to fit with the low abv beer category. I believe the (up to) .5% abv is just a side affect of the process in which this is made, not the intention. I bought my first bottle when I was 17 or so and wasn’t carded as one would be if buying near beer. At any rate, this is a rather interesting beverage that I do not particularly care for but do respect for its uniqueness. I would describe the entire experience, from appearances, to aromas, to flavor as drinking watered down molasses. This is a hard one to down if you’re not used to it so it’s a good thing that it comes in a teeny tiny bottle. Some caramel and a general damp barley quality enter into play too but molasses dominates the day. Strange, strange brew.
May 21, 2007
Photo of prsaxman
Reviewed by prsaxman from Virginia

5/5  rDev +76.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
The drink pours black with plenty of head since it is traditionally poured over ice.

Room aroma is the epitome of full bodied lots of strong pungent aromas off set and perfectly balanced and preserved by an over abundance of sweetness. Same applies for the taste definitely one of those drinks where what you smell is what you taste.

Reflections: I'm originally from Puerto Rico and I grew up drinking this stuff. Definitely an acquired taste, the other reviews on this site are in line with what all my gringo friends have thought about this stuff too. But I must be the one to say it's great! I can't find a beer I like as much as I do Malta India. A special thanks to oggg and scobratec for taking the time to actually understand this drink.

-prsaxman
Mar 09, 2005
Photo of Kookiekwan
Reviewed by Kookiekwan from Florida

2.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This drink pours dark brown/black with a filmy head and little retention. The aroma is similar to homebrewing wort with hints of cereal grains and corn syrup. The taste is sickly sweet( I had this warm, I recommend drinking it very cold!) I could taste the barley malt, molasses and corn but not the hops the label claims.

Reflection: Many of the people I work with grew up drinking malty sodas and they recommened this one to me to try. It smells good but its way to sweet for my taste.
Nov 19, 2004
Photo of oggg
Reviewed by oggg from California

3.5/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Lots of harsh reviews on this malt beverage. I, too, have no idea why it is in here, but I'd like to give my two cents.

This is a non alcoholic malt soda.

It is not supposed to be anything like beer.

It pours dark, like a coke. It's highly carbonated like a coke. The smell is strong and is reminiscent of freshly milled Belgian aromatic malt (I know because I milled some the day before I drank some). For homebrewers like me who get intoxicated by the smell of cooking wort, this drink has a gorgeous aroma. No hop flavor or aroma. This drink is a thick, syrupy sweet soda with a huge caramel and malt flavor. No bitterness, because it's a soda. Thick. Easily a huge breakfast in the bottle.

I'm also tried several other of these malt sodas -- their names are so hard to remember. They vary a little, like coke and pepsi. My leading favorite is Malta Goya.

---
2/15/05 After trying 2 Munich dunkels, I'd have to say that Malta India is closest in style to a Munich dunkel.
Nov 05, 2004
Photo of Gruntlumber
Reviewed by Gruntlumber from Missouri

1/5  rDev -64.7%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Words can not explain the atrociousness of this drink. Pours like 10W30. Smells like the aftermath of a skunk vomit war. Tastes like barnyard dysentery discharge. I cannot feel my mouth now. Not drinkable. At all. I would rather drink a bucket of diarrhea.
Oct 14, 2004
Malta India from Cervecería Vegana S.A.
Beer rating: 73 out of 100 with 20 ratings