Originally Posted by
phedre
My understanding was that, in the US, "Malt Liquor" applied to any beer that had an alcohol content above 5% regardless of what market it was aimed towards.
The term malt liquor definitely has connotations of cheap, poorly made beverages consumed only for the effect of the alcohol, but I've had many high quality beers that technically fit the malt liquor label.
Feel free to correct me on my above assumptions, I'll admit I'm not 100% clear on US liquor laws
In the U.S. alcohol regulations are set on the state level. That's actually in the U.S. Constitution as part of the 21st Amendment that ended prohibition. Some states do require beers above a certain alcohol content to be called "malt liquor" but there's no single national rule or standard.
With the growth of craft brewing and high octane beers, several states have relaxed or eliminated the naming requirement.