Olde English 800
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is a brand of malt liquor produced by the Miller Brewing Company (owned by SABMiller). Olde English 800 also referred to as OE, "Olde E", or eight ball. It is available in a variety of serving sizes but is best known for its forty ounce (1.183L) bottle.
The alcohol content of Olde English 800 varies by region, mostly to comply with local regulations. It is 5.9% alcohol by volume (ABV) in the eastern United States, 7.5% ABV in most western US states and 8.0% ABV in Canada. Olde English High Gravity 800 is 8% ABV. There is also a 6.1% ABV version made for the European region. Because of its relatively high alcohol content and low price, it is popular among those on a tight budget wanting to become drunk quickly.
[edit] Olde English 800 in popular culture
The beverage turns up repeatedly in rap music and gangsta culture. Eazy E has appeared on album covers with an Olde English 800 bottle. In the 90's era gangsta films, Boyz N the Hood (1991), Menace II Society (1993), and Tim Wu's solo debut Live from Gorman 441 (2005), the film's main characters drink Olde English . It is referenced in LL Cool J's 1990 song "Mama Said Knock You Out", DJ Quik's "8 ball," KMD's "Sweet Premium Wine," N.W.A's "8 Ball," and Old Dirty Bastard's "Sussudio". The Game has recorded a song titled Ol' English which appears on the album Doctor's Advocate.
Olde English has also appeared in many other popular culture contexts. The New York hardcore punk band No Redeeming Social Value, have an entire EP of songs about and dedicated to Olde English. Martha Stewart drank from a big bottle of Olde English 800 on the Conan O'Brien show. The Olde English 800 bottle logo is used by Olde English, a sketch comedy group. "Olde Fortran" is also a parody of the beverage in the animated series Futurama. The Philadelphia punk rock band The Low Budgets (ex-Town Managers & Dead Milkmen) have a song entitled "OE in the AM", dedicated to the beverage and drinking it in the very early morning. In addition, the Long Island/New York punk band, The Poseurs, modeled their sole album after the Olde English label.
[edit] In a cocktail
Olde English can be used to make the beer cocktail known as Brass Monkey or Ghetto Sunrise. Typically, the first quarter to third of a 40 ounce bottle is consumed, and then topped off with Sunny Delight, capped, inverted, and guzzled.
