Olde English 800
American malt liquor with a history dating to 1964.
Olde English 800, a malt liquor brand now made by Miller Brewing Company, first hit the market in 1964. Its roots stretch back to the late 1940s as Ruff’s Olde English Stout from Peoples Brewing Company in Duluth, Minnesota. After being rebranded as Olde English 600, it passed through Bohemian Breweries in Spokane and then to Blitz-Weinhard in Portland, where it became Olde English 800. By the time Blitz-Weinhard sold to Pabst in 1979, this malt liquor had become their top seller. In 1999, Miller acquired the brand, boosting its share of the U.S. malt liquor market to 36 percent and shifting to a less controversial marketing strategy that included sponsoring minority business seminars by 2000.
The brand is known for a higher alcohol content than most beers. As of 2010, it came in several alcohol-by-volume versions. Originally sold in 12-ounce or 32-ounce cans and 22-, 45-, or 64-ounce glass bottles, it now comes in 16-ounce pint cans, 22-ounce glass bottles, 24-ounce tallboy cans, 40- or 42-ounce plastic bottles, and 40-ounce glass bottles. The 40-ounce glass bottle has been around since the late 1980s.
During the 1980s, Pabst targeted Olde English at the “urban contemporary market.” In August 1989, a coalition of 22 minority-focused public interest groups criticized this marketing, arguing it emphasized Black and Hispanic consumers. While still under Pabst, Olde English won gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival in the American Malt Liquor category in 1991, 1992, 1994, and 1995. In 1992, Pabst introduced Old English 800 Draft, a cold-filtered, unpasteurized version. The brand also took gold in the American Style Specialty Lager category in 1997. In 2010, RateBeer.com rated the 3.2% ABV version one of the worst beers in the world. The classic 8% ABV Olde English HG 800 in a 40-ounce glass bottle was discontinued in 2021, though it lingered on shelves in Western Canada until early or mid-2023.
Quick Facts
- Brewery
- Miller Brewing Company (since 1999)
- Style
- Malt Liquor
- Introduced
- 1964
- Abv
- 5.9-8.0
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Olde English 800 originated in the late 1940s as Ruff's Olde English Stout, brewed by Peoples Brewing Company of Duluth, Minnesota. It was rebranded as Olde English 600, then sold to Bohemian Breweries of Spokane, Washington, and later to Blitz-Weinhard of Portland, Oregon, where it became Olde English 800. By the time Blitz-Weinhard was sold to Pabst Brewing Company in 1979, Olde English Malt Liquor had become their top brand. In August 1989, when owned by Pabst and targeted toward the 'urban contemporary market,' a coalition of 22 public interest groups criticized the marketing for emphasizing Black and Hispanic consumers. In 1992, Pabst introduced Old English 800 Draft, a cold-filtered 'draft-style' malt liquor. The brand was acquired by Miller in 1999, which led to a less controversial marketing strategy, including sponsorship of minority business seminars by 2000. In 2021, Olde English HG 800, the classic 8% malt liquor in a 40 oz glass bottle, was discontinued, with remaining stock gone from shelves in Western Canada by early/mid 2023.
Reader's Guide
Olde English 800 holds a notable place in American brewing as a malt liquor brand that has been continuously produced since 1964. Its higher alcohol content compared to standard beers made it a target of controversy in the late 1980s, when public interest groups criticized its marketing toward Black and Hispanic consumers. The brand's acquisition by Miller in 1999 shifted its marketing strategy to a less controversial approach, including sponsorship of minority business seminars. Olde English 800 has received multiple gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival, including in the American Malt Liquor category in 1991, 1992, 1994, and 1995, and in the American Style Specialty Lager category in 1997. The brand is available in a wide range of serving sizes, from 16-ounce pint cans to 40-ounce glass and plastic bottles. In 2010, the 3.2% ABV version was rated one of 'the worst beer[s] in the world' by RateBeer.com. The discontinuation of the classic 8% ABV 40-ounce glass bottle version in 2021 marked the end of a long-standing product line, though other versions remain available.
Did You Know?
- Olde English 800 was originally introduced in 1964.
- The brand's marketing in 1989 was criticized by a coalition of 22 public interest groups for targeting Black and Hispanic consumers.
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