Labatt Maximum Ice - Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.33/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Not bad for a Labatt's, tastes a little like beer, and other than that vodka. Some signs of bubbles, some taste. Not too drinkable, but I could get through more than a sip, and that's a complement for me for anything coming out of this national brewer.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2005 05:13:11 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Labatt Maximum Ice is the 'away' beer in today's Malt Likkapalooza, the thirteeth (and hopefully not last) knock-down-drag-out competition between... you guessed it... malt liquors. The black and sliver can graphics of this lager are preferable to the green and gold football motif of the Tundra Ice 'Monster Can'. But, as all homeboys know, what's inside the can matters almost as much.

The haystack gold hue is slightly less appealing, but the head on this bad boy is amazing. It's ivory in color, looks like it belongs on a Belgian ale (seriously!) and is plastering the glass with loads of gorgeous lace. How did they do that?

The nose is par for the style course, which translates to 'eh, nothing special'. It's grainy and boozy, but stops short of unpleasant. Let's hope the flavor has good brakes too or Tundra will take today's competition.

Max Ice is no prize heifer, but it brings the beef to this rodeo. The slightly higher alcohol content gives it a stronger punch and there's actually a quasi-crispness to the finish that is interesting. There's slightly more sweetness and slightly less muskiness, both of which help.

Better carbonation puts LMI ahead of TI in the mouthfeel battle. It's still nothing to write home about. Then again, after a few 40s, who really cares? I don't even care right now.

Congratulations to the Canadians for taking the Malt Likkapalooza XIII title. Labatt Max Ice did just enough to pull ahead of Tundra Ice and stay there. Is it worth your hard-earned money? No, but then your already knew that.

Serving type: can

05-27-2010 11:23:27 | More by BuckeyeNation

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.63/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

The dozenth entry into Swill Fest 2010's guestbook. It pours a familiarly clear jaundice topped by nearly a finger of white foam. The nose comprises dirty rice (real dirt, not the style of rice mix known as dirty), bad wheat, and light syrup. The taste is kinda heavy on the corn syrup, while the burnt wheat brings up the rear. The body is a heavy-ish light, with a light moderate carbonation and a steel-y finish. Not the worst thing consumed tonight, but definitely not the best, either.

Serving type: can

09-27-2010 21:42:41 | More by TMoney2591

emerge077

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev +29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

24 oz. can, brewed in Rochester NY. Can is dated: L07R1121:27.

Into a pint glass it pours a dark gold with a touch of orange. Visible carbonation trails and a fingers width of white foam, which leaves delicate webbed lacing inside the glass.

Smells clean, sweet apple and sweet sticky grains, corn possibly, slight alcohol as it warms up, but not when cold.

Feels fairly smooth and slightly creamy (corn) even. Medium carbonation, though it doesn't interfere too much. Low levels of astringency unless swigged.

Tastes like apple and sweet grains, wheat and corn. Bland indistinct grainy finish. Thankfully no off flavors or harshness.

Judged soley against other Malt Liquors, this really isn't bad. Alcohol seems a bit prevalent as it warms, but otherwise it's clean and bland like Steel Reserve.

Recommend serving ice cold, and with water on the side, as with all malt liquors.

Serving type: can

01-24-2012 01:37:03 | More by emerge077

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

2.2/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Slick looking silver and black 473 ml can. I thought my American Malt Liquor experience should be Canadian (or at least Belgian-Canadian, but I digress)...

This beer pours a clear medium yellow hue, with lots of foamy white head, which leaves fairly solid, erratic lace as it melts away. It smells of sweet corn/rice mash, and some acetic, cidery fruit notes. The taste is sweet white grain and alcohol, skunky at best, some medicinal phenols poke out their unwelcome heads as it warms. The carbonation is moderate, the body slick, cloying, and oily, and it finishes warm, metallic, and, well, evil.

Not as bad as I would have thought, but definitely more about the booze than the other underwhelming ingredients.

Serving type: can

09-05-2009 00:02:30 | More by biboergosum

WVbeergeek

Ohio

1.68/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

24 oz can says it's brewed in Rochester NY maybe at Genesee. Weighs in as a big American lager or a small malt liquor. Pours a deep yellow golden almost apple juice like tone with a bright white head forming thick and dwindling even quicker. Thin speckled lacing left behind, let's see how the rest goes. Aroma has a strong cooked veggies high adjunct ridden nose going on not much sweetness or malt or hop action served cold to protect my palate. Flavor has a dominant sweetness almost table sugar extreme sweetness, pretty much sickeningly corn syrup high fructose that should have been fermented out. Not to hot with alcohol just one rough sip that seems to never get better as you try to actually consume this creation. Absolutely horrible example of beer in general but the sad part is I can't even consider it to be a good malt liquor many a better cheap drunks out there. Pass on this one it was like a dollar with some change for this big can. Mouthfeel is harsh I don't know why but it's hard to take a sip, excessive CO2 medium to light body becomes cloying quickly after taking a few sips. Overall pure shite that really should avoid the beer market, why is there a need for this stuff.

Serving type: can

08-04-2011 06:45:50 | More by WVbeergeek

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

2.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a really pissy yellow golden, fluffy white head forms and disappears, some lacing. Smell is sweet, maybe some vanilla, malty, honey, grass, little bit of alcohol. Taste is sweet, citrus, almost a little skunky with some caramel and vanilla, little bit of iron in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation. Smooth, really not that bad, maybe drinking high strength beers has numbed my taste buds to alcohol, but I don't taste any in this, better than other malt liquors, no aftertaste.

Serving type: can

02-21-2006 05:07:38 | More by Viggo

DrJay

Massachusetts

2.17/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Clear gold with a short white cap of fine bubbles. Good head retention for the style, looks decent. The smell is a bit harsh, syrupy sweet, grainy, alcohol. Cloyingly sweet flavour, nearly no bitterness, boozy finish. A bit metallic in the finish, significant warmth but not hot. Medium bodied and dry, fizzy, not an appealing texture. I'm not a fan, even for the style.

Serving type: can

12-27-2010 02:05:00 | More by DrJay

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

1.9/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

CANadian beer in a CAN on an AmeriCAN holiday weekend (Memorial Day)! CAN you believe it?

Once again, these oversized CANs have screwed the pooch in terms of the placement of the opening. It was far enough back from the lip that short of a complete inversion of the CAN, beer was guaranteed to run down the sides of the CAN. Grrr. My pour gave me a finger of foamy, bone-white head with medium retention. Color was a golden-yellow with NE-quality clarity. Nose had the now-infamous smell of green apples. And plastics. What more could I ask for? Mouthfeel was medium with a sweetish apple-cereal quality on the tongue. How do they make this? The finish was really biting with an alcohol heat in the throat. This is not the way to go on a holiday weekend.

Serving type: can

05-30-2010 22:43:12 | More by woodychandler

Brad007

Vermont

3/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a pale yellow color with a very thin head. Aroma is of malt and slightly of cooked corn. Taste is very strong (alcohol-ish) with the taste of adjunct and corn at the back of the throat. Smooth and somewhat drinkable. Good if you like high alcohol macro lagers.

Serving type: can

11-26-2007 03:34:52 | More by Brad007

tone77

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to woodychandler for the trade. Poured from a 24 oz. can. Has a pale yellow color with a small head. Smell is mild, some malts. Taste is of alcohol, some mild malts, nothing special here. Feels light in the mouth and has good drinkability. Overall there is nothing to seperate this malt liquor from the pack.

Serving type: can

01-21-2011 14:34:27 | More by tone77

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

1.85/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

473ml Can - from the lcbo for 2$

Appearance - Clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for 3 or 4 minutes.

Smell - Bread, grains, corn, malts, alcohol

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation an I can taste corn and malts mixed with a harsh alcohol flavour. There is also a cooked vegetable taste mixed with a graininess. It ends with a boozy corn syrup flavour.

Overall - I figured 'how bad can it be?'. The answer is pretty bad. The taste is awful and this is something that will never drink again.

Serving type: can

03-05-2012 18:09:59 | More by spinrsx

armock

New York

2.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Bought this 24oz can from a gas station in Rochester NY in the name of BeerAdvocate science.

A - Poured a straw color with a white head that leaves spotty lacing behind

S - Is of grainy corny malt

T - Follows the nose with a sweet grainy taste

M - Has a medium body with higher carbonation to it

D - Well I can't say its a good beer but its fairly average for the style and its going to take some time to finish this monster of a can remember BA science needs you sometimes

Serving type: can

04-13-2009 22:56:48 | More by armock

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev +26.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

First off this is no eisbock....so judging it as such is a misdirection and ignores the purpose of modern ice processes which Labatt pioneered, and by my estimate, perfected.

So many "ice" beers are tasteless and don't deliver the smooth drinking qualities that the ice process is supposed to give the brew. This one does! The idea is that the finished brew is partially frozen.... water freezes first into small crystals taking with it dead yeasts and other unmellowed proteins which can be filtered off raising the alcohol level and mellowing the beer. Obviously Labatt started with a husky version of their pilsner to put through this ice process because this taste is mild and mellow.

As a mainstream mega brew strong pilsner....this ones about the best if this is a genre that turns your crank...for me, I like it only in special circumstances.....like on a hot day right out of the ice chest when you only want 1 or 2 beers to cool and relax you. This one's the ticket for that

Pours a medium straw color....crystal clarity.....small pilsner-like head....that vanishes quickly....medium-low carbonation activity . Smells likeother Labatt mega pils...slight waft of grains and hop except almost over powered by carbonation and alcohol esters. Starts smooth (not at all sharp) builds to a very likeable lager type fullness with malty-grain tastes and finishes light with a strange lingering light banana like taste created between the malt sweetness and the alcohol.

All in all, good summer drink but watch your consumption the brew is so smooth you have a tendency to not realize how much you've had and it creeps upon you.

Serving type: can

08-11-2003 22:24:41 | More by pootz

Frozensoul327

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev +29.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A rather drinkable strong beer, Labatt Maximum Ice does have it's moments. Pours out to a medium golden color with a short lived white head of foam. No lace. Medium low carbonation. Aromas are quite sweet, and have notes of corn and grain leading the pack of otherwise normal smells of macro beer. Taste is very sweet and dense; strong notes of sweet alcohol esters, corn, thick malt. Not bad. Mouthfeel is boardering on sticky sweet and syrupy, but remained tolerable. Drinkability is average. Not bad for a higher ABV brew. Special thanks goes out to Derek for the sample.

Serving type: can

07-30-2006 18:26:42 | More by Frozensoul327

yesyouam

New York

1.5/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

"Labatt MAX ICE" is a dense and quite sparkling yellow beer with a small foamy white head. The aroma is of corn and alcohol and perhaps some chemicals. It has a foamy medium light body with a slightly gritty finish. It tastes like the aroma: corny and boozy. It has a peppery chemical aftertaste. It's riot beer. Warning: may cause disorderly conduct charges at sporting events.
(rated Jul 2, 2008)

Serving type: can

12-14-2008 16:23:47 | More by yesyouam

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.7/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from can into a pint glass

Appearance – Pours a medium amber color with a two finger pure white head. The head is rather thick and has a good level of retention, slowly fading to leave a moderate level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a corn and caramel sweet aroma. There is a light aroma of a biscuit smell as well as a very light citrus aroma as well.

Taste – The taste begins of a big bready flavor mixed with a caramel sweetness. A sweeter corn taste then starts to come to the tongue as the taste advances. More toward the end the sweeter flavors grow even stronger and mix with a light citrus hop flavor as well as a bit of a paper taste. Overall a sweet flavor is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The carbonation level of the brew is on the slightly lower side with a body that is on the slightly creamier side. Surprisingly, even at 7.1 % the alcohol flavor very familiar to many malts, is absent in this one.

Overall – In many ways a very standard malt. A little less boozy tasting with a bit more caramel instead of corn then the most. It’s not too bad for the price or the bang it gives.

Serving type: can

11-29-2012 01:45:58 | More by Darkmagus82

nlmartin

Ohio

1.68/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Sometimes I am convinced my wife hates me!... So she comes home from work with an evil glint of glee in her eyes. "Hey honey, I got a beer for you!" I look up oh hell no! Enter Labatt Max Ice in a can.

Yes I know a beer should always be served in a glass; however, malt liquor is best served directly from the original vessel in a paper bag and dam near frozen.

Appearance: Yes I poured it in my glass. The body of the beer is a bubbling pale yellow coloration. A sudsy white head stands up proudly.

Smell: Over cooked cereal and green apple aroma. Vague whiffs of something resembling industrial detergent.

Taste: The flavor closely mirrors the aroma. It is not gag inducing but this is a beer to drink for buzz worthyness.

Mouthfeel / Drinkability: The body of the beer is light for chugging. The alcohol isnt exactly rocket fuel but aint pleasant. As far as drinkability you got to be kidding. Not to be repeated unless you are broke and desperate.

Serving type: can

08-25-2010 13:56:55 | More by nlmartin

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

2.23/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a clear straw with a foamy, clingy head that manages to stick around a while. The aroma is sweetish and malty with light hints of alcohol. Mushy grains mixed with mushier veggies in the taste, some sweetness and a solvent like alcohol lies in the background. The finish is somewhat band-aidy phenolic and quite boozy for 7%.

Pretty boozy even for a Malt Liquor. Passable if you like the style but not worth it if you drink beer for flavor.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 21:40:53 | More by CAMRAhardliner

Gehrig

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

There was a time, many moons ago, when I dared to venture toward the high-test Maximum Ice, and didn't mind. Now, thankfully, I mind. A headache in a bottle, as my good friend The Sage refers to it. That's not far off. It's not difficult to impress with the appearance, and Maximum Ice does OK, pouring a finger and a half of white cap on a light golden body; fair enough. The smell isn't bad, it's just absent. Sweet corn malt faintly arises with a little patience. After that, nada. The taste isn't all bad, emitting more hops than the smell, and moderate carbonation helps.

I would judge the drinkability higher, because it really is easy to have at least a couple of these. The problem is the penalty--the good chance of a headache afterward. By this I don't mean a hangover, the next-day physical blues from a good (or bad) eve of self-inflicted abuse. Rather, I mean an actual headache perhaps an hour or two after have a couple Maximum Ices. I've had plenty of high-test beer, some with far higher ABV than this, and have never encountered it. But sure enough, it's there, and The Sage, a beer connoisseur, has said the same.

Not too bad, but there is much better out there. Blue is actually a preferable alternative to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2008 20:10:28 | More by Gehrig

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.73/5  rDev +52.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I saw this on a store shelf while on a road trip in Florida- immediately bought it. Poured from a 24 oz. can, Labatt Max Ice has a very thick, quickly overflowing head and a clear, bubbly, golden appearance, with a good amount of lacing left behind. The aroma is a combination of grains, clean water, and a slight hop spiciness. Taste is the same, but with added light sweetness and a subtle alcohol burn. Mouthfeel is light and watery, and Labatt Max Ice finishes refreshing, crisp, and highly drinkable. After the second glass, I could really feel this one in my head (empty stomach). Overall, I did like its robust taste, and I would have it again.

RJT

Serving type: can

07-28-2011 15:48:20 | More by RonaldTheriot

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.4/5  rDev +38.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aww shit. 22oz can thanks to JamnesCameron, for this Maximum Ice malt liquor. Let's do it. 24oz into pint glass.

A- Pale gold, a little light but not bad. Big fizzy head slowly settles and actually laces pretty well.

S- Smell is mild grass and toasted grain, pretty low-key.

T- Apples, grass, bit of alcohol. Nothing's out of line. Nothing's impressive, either. This beer is meant to be pounded, I'd say..

M- Flavors ultimately work, the alcohol is noticeable, but drink pretty good, don't it?

O- Thumbs up for the malt liquor. Above average, although certainly not above rest.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 00:25:07 | More by ShogoKawada

buschbeer

Ohio

2.74/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

24 ounce can
Served in a pilsner glass

A - It is straw colored with a constant supply of bubbles rising from the etching in the bottom of the glass. An inch and a half of head settles to a thin layer on top.

S - There is not much of an aroma. I get a little grass, grain, and alcohol.

T - I taste some alcohol right off the bat. The alcohol masks the sweetness of the beer. It has a dry, clean finish.

M - Thin with biting carbonation

O - It is a little less flavorful, not that this is a flavorful style of beer, than other malt liquors. The dry finish is also unlike any malt liquors that I have had the privilege of sampling. I would have to say this is not a favorite in the style.

Serving type: can

03-10-2013 23:17:53 | More by buschbeer

generallee

New York

3/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: Poured from big 24oz can into a pint glass.

Appearance: It pours a clear golden color. The head is big, foamy and bright white in color, which quickly fades to thin ring around the top.

Smell: The aroma has a heavy malty character that is bready and biscuity. There is a strong milled corn scent as well.

Taste/Mouth feel: A thick sweet liquor taste and a grainy malt character drive its flavor. Hop flavors are light and add only a light grassy taste and some bitterness to the finish. The carbonation is fairly high but fades and becomes rather slick in texture and its light to medium bodied.

Notes: Its malty to the max and it will get you loaded quickly and cheaply. Overall it is a passable brew for some serious drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2008 21:13:31 | More by generallee

Shiloh

Ontario (Canada)

2.68/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The taste of alcohol is quite prominent here and is lingering. The appearance is really avarage, mid golden hue, limited head.
The body is not quite full but does not fall too short. The nose is crisp and clean.
Given that alcohol is so prominent in the taste, this brew is fairly well balanced.
Sampled from a 1.18 litre bottle, put this puppy in a brown paper bag and it will be acceptable.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2003 16:11:38 | More by Shiloh