Olde English 800īack to the basics of 40 royalty, Olde English 800 is another one of the most popular names in the game. The beer pours straw yellow with a white head, but honestly, there’s no use getting that fancy - just drink the damn thing. Colt 45 is one of the top two most popular malt liquors ever made - thanks, Afroman - and packs an ABV of 5.6%.

Pick up a Colt 45 for your throwback evening (Edward 40 Hands anyone?) if you’re looking for a grainy and tart beer that doesn’t have a bold flavor. Sweet and silky with a hint of lemon, a Colt 45 is not for hardcore IPA drinkers but those who enjoy a light Kolsch or Saison.

The overall taste is smooth and never bitter. But you have to drink it cold, otherwise, the corn heaviness is just too heavy. Indeed it is a “fine” malt liquor as its bottle says, and the judges at the GABF and World Beer Cup agree, it’s a standout brew for being, well, a malt. Made by Miller Brewing Co., this malt liquor has 5.6% alcohol by volume and is crisp and generally light for malt liquor. Most beer experts agree if they’re going to drink any 40, it’s going to be a Mickey’s. In the words of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: “Bless da 40 Oz.” Best Malt Liquor Mickey’s Below you’ll find the top forties to try out (or to reminisce about) follow by a couple of non-malt liquor forties. However, I can’t imagine a day where I don’t see a 40 in the cooler of the liquor store, and in the spirit of keeping that poor, rebellious kid alive, we’re grabbing the best 40s off the shelf to enjoy after work. That said, a 2013 article in Punch by Besha Rodell explains that the insane success of the 40 was short-lived once “rappers moved on to cognac and Cristal.” Some states even banned the sale of forties. Heavy and sweet without much bitterness, drinking a 40 is less about the taste as it is the attitude of being strong, cheap, and rebellious. In other words, it’s not liquor in the sense that rum or vodka are liquors. Malt liquor, it needs to be noted, is at its simplest, strong beer that has been made stronger by the use of adjuncts such as sugar or corn that help bump the alcohol percentage up a few ticks. A forty is a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor. If you’re wondering what exactly a forty is, the name gets at half of the full definition. Sure, the quality of the booze may not be the best, but again, these are trying times and sacrifices must be made. Workhorses of the drinking world, forties offer not only a ton of alcohol for less than the price of a Frappuccino, but after making it through one, you’ll have a good buzz to boot.

That being said, we need to find comfort where we can and one of the places that we can find comfort is in a forty-ounce bottle of booze. Call it an understatement, but these are trying times.

Cobra pack a punch