St. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor
Saint Ides Brewing Company

St. Ides High Gravity Malt LiquorSt. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor
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From:
Saint Ides Brewing Company
 
Texas, United States
Style:
Malt Liquor
Ranked #42
ABV:
8.2%
Score:
56
Ranked #28,556
Avg:
2.23 | pDev: 37.67%
Reviews:
90
Ratings:
220
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 28, 2023
Added:
Feb 04, 2002
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  38
St. Ides Premium Malt Liquor was renamed to St. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor.
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Ratings by TastyTaste:
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Reviewed by TastyTaste from Minnesota

1.65/5  rDev -26%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1
Clear 40 oz. bottle. Straw yellow in color, with lots of visible carbonation when opened. Smell is of Corny skunk and a large dose of alcohol. Taste is really dominated by the high amount of alcohol and the cheap ingredients that were used to brew this swill (That is actually kind of insulting to swine). A cheap buzz, for sure, but will leave you hungover without fail.
Jan 20, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.85 by Wilkolaczek94 from Connecticut

May 28, 2023
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Reviewed by JZH1000 from Colorado

2.62/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Poured from a clear 40 best by June 5th 2023

On a relatively hard pour, 2 fingers of dense sticky head form that becomes rocky and over time, surprisingly slowly fades. Body is a deep, verging on dark, golden yellow. Surprisingly decent lacing forms. Good head quality and retention.

Aroma is not quite present. Acetaldehyde green apple is very present, with a dry light graininess in the back. Maybe a bit skunky, but not quite as much as OE800. Smells like cheap beer that got warm.

Taste is a bit more smooth than the aroma with a touch of bready and biscuity malt, but only after the aforementioned acetaldehyde bitter/tart/off apple flavor passes. The flavor is not as sweet as Steel Reserve, and not as sweet as Hurricane, but the acetaldehyde is just a bit too much. Still drinkable.

Feel is actually quite decent, especially for the ABV. Not too heavy or syrupy, but the feel is obviously full bodied. There is a definite dryness and astringency that grows as you drink. Very drinkable if not quite refreshing. Definitely a laid back lazy day sorta beer.

Overall it's a decent high gravity lager, but I do slightly prefer Steel Reserve over this. Closing words, it's fine, but drink it cold.
Mar 29, 2023
 
Rated: 3.39 by morsa_95 from California

Mar 21, 2023
 
Rated: 2.52 by ronniebruner from Arizona

Sep 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.13 by DownyIsHungry from Minnesota

Aug 04, 2022
Photo of Broski1989
Reviewed by Broski1989 from Pennsylvania

3.57/5  rDev +60.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
For the malt liquor category St. Ides isn’t all too bad if drank ice cold. It will get you loopy real quick cause it hits you like a ton of bricks, but then again so does the hangover….

Anywho it’s worth a shot for anyone whose in a budget, or has a few extra bucks left over to just blow. Blow it in a 40oz of St. Ides. You look even more cool consuming it in a brown paper bag
May 08, 2022
 
Rated: 2.64 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 14, 2022
 
Rated: 1.99 by Gkruszewski from New York

Jan 03, 2022
 
Rated: 2.42 by Hazey92 from New York

Nov 10, 2021
Photo of cardfan212
Reviewed by cardfan212 from Minnesota

4.09/5  rDev +83.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Drank from a 40 ounce glass bottle. Scores are based on the style.

Look - That label is perfect. It's a flawless design, and I love it. Yes, it's dated, but that's even more reason to love it. Good colors, good font, good everything.

Smell - Not much of anything, just a slight corny sweetness.

Taste - Buttery shortbread cookies and refreshing malt flavor. No off-putting bitterness and surprisingly little alcohol taste for the high ABV. An easy drinker.

Feel - Smooth and silky. Just the right amount of carbonation. Goes down good.

Overall - One of my favorite malt liquors I've had. I will always stand by Mickey's, but this definitely gives it a run for its money.
Sep 25, 2021
 
Rated: 1.25 by TP2MSU from Michigan

Jul 25, 2021
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Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.53/5  rDev +58.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
40 ounce clear glass screw top bottle poured into vintage pub glass. Dated MAR0821 (2 weeks from now) 8.2% ABV and listing the corporation address in Milwaukee, WI. The beer pours bright light honey amber in color with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. The aroma is cooked grain, slightly vegetable. The taste is sweet, slick, corn sugary liquor. Minimal to zero bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a decidedly undry finish. Overall, ok malt liquor. The diacetyl is not overpowering and awful here. Also not the cleanest example and not one I would purchase again.
Feb 23, 2021
Photo of Ptrthrck
Reviewed by Ptrthrck from Indiana

4.85/5  rDev +117.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Shame this has such a low rating. Pansies.
Poured into a frosty mug out of a 40 oz bottle. Because... you can't get a good proper aroma in the 40. Sue me.
Anyhow.
Aroma: wonderful, malty, hint of movie popcorn with butter. Is that really that bad when there are beers out now intended on tasting like peanut butter or smelling like grapefruit? No. Not at all. Cry about it!
Appearance: Wonderful head, like my ex gave before she wrecked my life and married some other guy in 4 months. In all seriousness, beautiful appearance in a mug. Looks like a macro beer in an advertisement. Darker color than most AALs. Instagram worthy.
Taste: Ice cold? Smooth, crisp, hides the potency of the girthy liquid quite well. Warmed up a bit? Good. Yes. Good. Don't be a stereotypical snob. There are floral notes here, along with some hoppy characteristics. Tastes like it would cost you 3 times more with some crazy label touting independence from the big bad macro evil guys. Because it is hip to be square. Right?
Buzz: You need a buzz rating. If you don't do one, you're lying to yourself... if you consumed a beer of high ABV and posted a review on some godforsaken website. Like I did! 10/10. Increases luck with the ladies, much added confidence. Hey, it's how I met my ex mentioned earlier, one St Ides and I was in 3 hour sex romps and meeting a totally dysfunctional family from the seventh layer of hell before I knew it! Don't take my word for it. Get you a 40 oz of St Ides today, before Pabst kills off this legacy brand to help fight "racism" or some such trite shit. It is good. And it gets you feeling like you discovered liquid weed. Also helps you deal with an insane sociopath destroying your life with her delusions! Incredible brew.
Feb 18, 2021
Photo of JoKo
Reviewed by JoKo from Connecticut

3.59/5  rDev +61%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, dark yellow with minimal head that dissipated quickly, high carbonation. The smell is very malty, sweet aroma. The taste is malt forward as expected, caramel sweetness, some graininess, and a surprising slight hop bitterness, also boozy as the alcohol comes through with this one. Mouthfeel is crisp, easy drinkability, with a slight boozy warmness. Overall, dead on for the style of a malt liquor/strong lager. There is no pretense with this beer, it is exactly what you would expect.
Aug 16, 2020
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.66/5  rDev +64.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
40 ounce bottle into lager glass, best before 4/6/2020. Pours fairly crystal clear medium golden yellow color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey, wood, pepper, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Some fruity corn aromas, but not too overwhelming. Okay aromas with pale malt/grains and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with decent strength. Taste of cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey, wood, pepper, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey, wood, pepper, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of pale malt/grains and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Very clean on lager flavors, with minimal fruity/yeasty notes. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and fairly sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 5.9%. Overall this is a nice malt liquor. All around nice robustness and balance of pale malt/grains and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and pretty refreshing to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish. Very clean and nicely rich pils malt/grain showcase, with nice earthy hop presence/balance for the style. Not too overwhelming on adjuncts. A nicely enjoyable offering, and impressive style example as expected of Pabst.
Mar 04, 2020
 
Rated: 1 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Mar 13, 2019
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Rated by AZBeerDude72 from Arizona

2.35/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.25
Oh man do I have memories of this beer, lol good times.
Nov 29, 2018
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Reviewed by HelloImA7 from New York

3.1/5  rDev +39%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Purchased at some crummy gas station next to where my friend works. Drank straight from the 40.

This is pretty harsh stuff for the first few sips. It has a pronounced alcohol taste and it's pretty heavily carbonated compared to some of the other 40s I've tried.
Sep 01, 2018
 
Rated: 2.97 by anomalousclouds from New York

Apr 22, 2018
St. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor from Saint Ides Brewing Company
Beer rating: 56 out of 100 with 220 ratings