In the US, there is none. "Malt Beverage" is the legal term for all "beer". From the TTB publication The Beverage Alcohol Manual (BAM) - A Practical Guide Basic Mandatory Labeling Information for MALT BEVERAGES Volume 3 Chapter 4
Very technically Beer is a taxable beverage fermented from grains and/or sugars. Under the Federal Alcoholic Administration Act, a malt beverage must contain fermented barley malt and some amount of hops. Most beers are malt beverages although a few such as gluten-free beers fermented from sorgham or molasses are not because they do not contain barley malt. They are still taxable as beer. Most malt beverages are taxable beers although many near-beers (O'Douls, Kaliber, the various N/A's) are not taxable because of the alcohol content under 0.5% ABV. State laws often use the terms beer, malt beverage, and malt liquor interchangeably. One state taxes and regulates "malt beverages" while another state taxes and regulates "beer."
I've always been confused why some bottles had a label and others didn't...there's all sorts of beer on the shelves that doesn't say anything, and then there'll be one that says "Malt beverage with flavors added." Makes it sound fake and cheap, I hate it. Why do some bottles have that very USDA-official-looking label, and others have nothing?
the labeling requirements of the state you're in. now if malt beverage refers to something like smirnoff ice beverages, that's NOT beer, that's malternatives. These are crappy sugar-water concoctions with flavoring, color, and alcohol added and aren't worthy of the shelf space they hold up.
Well, my lad. A malt beverage is a beverage made from malt. "Malt beverage", as a term, is meant to enclose all beer, ale, and porter (and everything in between), without having to distinguish between them. It's easier to tax beer and ale as one product than having two different sets of standards. That's my theory, at least.
Pointless FYI: Ovaltine is a malt beverage (except the blue packaging in the US ) "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine"
"When a malt beverage is made with the addition of spices, fruit, honey or natural flavors, it requires specific labeling to indicate the class designation. These malt beverages must be labeled with a statement of composition that reflects the base malt product and the added ingredients, unless otherwise known to the trade under a particular designation. Examples of statements of composition that you might see on malt beverage labels included 'Premium malt beverage with natural flavors' 'Ale fermented with spices' or 'Belgian-style Wheat Ale brewed with natural flavors'." Ha, ha... The ones brewed without barley malt are "beers" under the Internal Revenue Code, but they're not TTB regulated "malt beverages". Ditto for "beers" brewed without hops. Read all about it. * ("Aboot" - Bitterbill, I didn't realize you were Canadian ). Oh, they got a whole list of them now but it doesn't include all the approved "wholesome products" like Sunflower Lecithin Antifoaming Product, Dimethyl Dicarbonate, Calcium Pantothenate or polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) and polyvinylimadazole (PVI), which the TTB calls (contrary to the accepted industry definition of the term) "adjuncts".
