Talk:High-gravity beer

High class?
The "high-gravity lager" that most people know of is stuff like 211 and Olde English High Gravity, which are hardly "more expensive" than other lagers. The popular etymology has arisen that they're called "high-gravity" lagers because they get you dead-drunk, so that the Earth's gravitational pull is heightened so you fall on your ass. I've come across Elephant High-Gravity (which complies with labeling requirements) that sells for $8 for a six-pack. This really is exclusive and "more expensive," but the typical experience is for a $2.29 forty of 211. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.169.195.207 (talk) 22:51, 24 October 2010 (UTC)

Sure they can be, like Barley Wine. The marketers at some domestic large scale breweries have latched onto what was once an obscure technical term known mostly to brewers and home brewers, that of specific gravity, and slapped it on the cans of some mediocre tasting, high strength beers a.k.a. malt liquor. Popular etymologies are often dead wrong fanciful creations, sometimes doubly so when the people making them up have had a few too many. To make matters worse, in some cities in the US imported or craft beers with more than 5-6 percent alcohol have to be sold labeled as "malt liquor" even if no one would ever mistake them for a dubious skid row product. Cheers. Whitebox (talk) 12:52, 24 September 2011 (UTC)