If you’re a serious beer critic it’s hard to give any malt liquor a fair shake since you go into it with low expectations. I certainly was expecting the worst with Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor, but was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by how drinkable it was. Though far from a great beer, it’s definitely not an awful one.
Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor : Appearance
Beautiful dark gold/light copper hue. Crystal clear with massive carbonation visible, though it dies down rather quickly. It pours to a small, white, soapy head which mostly fizzles away but does leave some trace lacing.
Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor : Smell
While nothing about this nose is particularly pleasing, there’s nothing overtly offensive, either. It’s surprisingly neutral with a generic fizzy yellow beer scent (though some of the mainstream macros are actually worse).
Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor : Taste
While I am not a malt liquor connoisseur at all (and yes there are plenty of them out there), I’d have to rank Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor as one of the better examples of the style. Though obviously brewed in the traditional macro adjunct style, it’s actually less offensive than some of the world’s most popular adjunct macro lagers. Instead of tasting of metal, cardboard or creamed corn, this brew is more in the neutral range with just the slightest hint of sweetness. I’d be hard-pressed to name any specific flavors, though. What’s odd is there’s an almost peanut butter-like taste in the aftertaste, and even a dash of honey.
It’s certainly less watery tasting than the mainstream macro “light lagers,” and lacks the offensive off-flavors of some of the more notorious brands. The bottom line is: there’s not much here to taste but what you get isn’t horrible.
Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor : Drinkability
Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor does have some body and weight to it so it doesn’t feel like beer-flavored carbonated water in the mouth. And though fizzy at first it becomes rather tepid quickly which in turn creates for a surprisingly smooth drinking experience and almost no aftertaste. I could see this being quite refreshing on a hot summer day. Lastly, I am genuinely impressed by how well its 8.1% ABV is hidden. I’ve had craft beers of the same potency that didn’t mask their alcohol as well as this one does. I was actually able to finish the entire 24oz serving no problem.
