strong beer

alcoholic beverage

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

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Strong beer is an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content typically exceeding 4 percent by volume. Historically, in Britain, the first and strongest extract from a batch of malt produced the best-quality beer, known as strong beer. This contrasted with "small beer," made from a third extract, which was of poorer quality.12

In the 18th century, London brewers developed porter, a strong, dark, and highly hopped beer. Later, pale ales emerged, which were less strong, less bitter, and paler than porter. Stouts are stronger versions of mild ales, and some, like milk stouts, include lactose for sweetness. Beers with alcohol content well over 5 percent are produced in countries like the United Kingdom and Belgium.2

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beer
Types of beer
…gave the best-quality beer, called strong beer, and a third extract yielded the poorest-quality beer, called small beer. In the 18th century London brewers departed from this practice and produced porter. Made from a mixture of malt extracts, porter was a strong, dark-coloured, highly hopped beer consumed by the market…
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…gave the best-quality beer, called strong beer, and a third extract yielded the poorest-quality beer, called small beer. In the 18th century London brewers departed from this practice and produced porter. Made from a mixture of malt extracts, porter was a strong, dark-coloured, highly hopped beer consumed by the market…
Read More