Schlitz High Gravity VSL

Pabst Brewing Company
Brewed at Miller Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Style: Malt Liquor
Woodridge, Illinois USA

Serve in Lager glass, Paper Bag, Shaker

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One of the very worst I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried many malt liquors. It seems to be a bad sign every time there’s a noble image of a large, angry animal emblazened on the can. Tastes like the drain from the Burger King dumpster next to the Greyhound station in downtown Macon, Georgia after a brief July rainshower. Or the tap water in San Jose, California.

Oh, God. I agree with mansquito. This is some shit! Has a thick consistancy like syrup. Smells like rotting fruit. Has a VERY quick finish. Little alcohol burn, but an aftertaste of rotting fruits and vegitebles. I wouldn’t have drank this 30 years ago in college! Really quite bad. The PRUNO of beer! It’s too gross to be an effective alcohol delivery system. I paid $1.69 for a 24 ounce can, so it’s not as cheap as some others. Blech!!!!!!!

Is everyone rating this beer daft? This is perhaps the very worst malt liquor I have ever tried. It was not easy to drink and the after effects of it were catastrophic. It is because of beers like this that people should not be allowed to buy alcohol while intoxicated, because they, as I did, might think that buying this poop is a good idea. The hangover from this was worse than the one from 211.

At $1.09 for a 24 oz. can I was a little skeptical, and apprehensive, as most cheap malt liquors leave me feeling a little queasy. I was pleasantly surprised, though, with this one. There was little aroma but it poured with a dense white, creamy head. The flavor was sweetish, but not overly so, nor too bitter. The high alcohol content was not apparent on the palate. I have recently been partial to some strong lagers from eastern europe and this compares well with them. I found it to be very smooth and drinkable. If you really want to appreciate it - compare it next to a Steel Reserve.

24oz. can from Party Time Liquor. Light golden in color upon pouring. Sweet corn aroma. Some grains. Flavor is fairly grainy with a touch of malt. Not nearly as sweet as you typical malt liquor. Some alcohol in the finish. One of the better malts around. Not too hard to drink, and it’s not even ice cold.

24oz Can: Shimmering high class gold color with a fizzy head. The nose is corny with a pungent alcohol note along with some husk and some actual maltiness. The flavor is nice and malty, some body, some hops, oh my! What’s going on here?! Very smooth lager indeed, where’s Billy Dee when you need him?

UPDATED: MAY 22, 2008 I tried this just after trying St. Ide’s High Gravity and there is no contest - this is far superior in every way and suprisingly very enjoyable and interesting. It is bright, slightly deep gold with a very large white head that’s puffy and even leaves a tiny bit of weak lace. The aroma is meaty, musty fruit and grain with a hint of alcohol - like a high gravity malt liquor, but good and pleasant. The taste is actually very nice, sweetish but with a crispness, grain, fruity sweetness. The alcohol is noticeable but in a smooth, warming quality that adds to the bite at the end without being rough or unpleasant. It’s also slightly opily and soft. In the end, it is very smooth and drinkable, tasty, definitely near the very top of malt liquors and one of the very few that I actually would happily buy again.

Can. Head is initially small, fizzy/frothy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is clear medium yellow. Aroma is moderately malty (grain, cereal, husks), lightly hoppy (herbs), with notes of alcohol and metal. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, moderately bitter, slightly husky, slightly unclean. Medium body, watery texture, fizzy carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Aye, ’tis a simple adjuncty beer but hey, there’s hops in here, and it’s not nearly as filthy as a great many in this genre. If you want to swill on something cheap just to get wrecked, this would be a reasonable option.

Can. Pours a lively yellow with a nice white head and an aroma of corn flakes and wheat bread. Tastes like watery vegetable with a slight malt finish accompanied by stale corn syrup. Watery yet buttery-slippery mouthfeel. The alcohol is well-hidden. For a cheap malt liquor, it’s not bad.

Yellow straw color with a smallish off-white, bubbly head. Grainy aromas, with mostly corn, but I do detect some malt and a touch of floral hops. Hold the phone, this actually has some malt flavors. Sweet pale malt start, with a bit of corn syrup and touch of light melon in the middle that works its way to the finish. Light alcohol is noticed slightly in the middle and then after a while in the stomach. Touch of minty/herbal hops also come in late. Does seem to get a bit thick and cloying at times as I seem to be scraping my tongue. Linger is fairly light and a mild return of malt is unveiled. This is certainly one of the better high gravity/malt liquors I have had in some time. It strong, fairly sweet, but it does have some malt character and a backbone. I’d bag this and drink it on any street corner from time to time.