This week we have two lagers that are basically the same at their core, but head off in radically opposite directions. On one hand we have an American light lager: These typically have a high amount of cereal adjuncts, like rice or corn, which help lighten the beer as much as possible. They are very low in malt, with balancing hop flavor and a light, dry body.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have malt liquors. These have higher amounts of dextrose (fermentable sugars), along with the same adjuncts that are present in the light lagers (corn and rice), to create a much higher level of alcohol that you'd normally never find in your classic lagered beer. Our two beers this week rely mainly on corn to coax them into completely different places.

2 Row - House Party: We start with the big boy: a 9.2 percent malt liquor. This is a new beer from 2 Row Brewing, and it has a very classic appearance, pouring a clear filtered-looking golden color. The pure white head lacks much retention, and there are also a lot of small carbonation bubbles visible. It smells of sweet malt and something resembling corn flakes. There is a bit of booziness here, along with some fruitiness.

The taste sort of follows the nose, but there is more of a hop presence. It tastes mostly of sweet malts, and there's a bit of an alcohol presence. There is something else here as well that tastes a bit spicy, but I can't quite identify what it is. The finish is clean and a touch boozy. It has a medium body and medium carbonation, and while it's a bit sticky, it goes down quite easily. This is a good mouthfeel for the style, definitely better than other malt liquors I've had, with a very slight alcohol warmth in the finish.

Verdict: Great drinkability here. I really didn't expect much out of this beer, but it totally surprised me. It's not just great for a malt liquor, but it is a great beer without qualification. I really like the taste of House Party, and I could see this being a good transition beer for converting people into craft beer. Plus, it really shows that not all malt liquors have to be one-dimensional.

Fisher - Longevity Light Lager: Our other lager dials in at a mere 3.9 percent alcohol. It utilizes the corn mostly for the alcohol, so that a minimal amount of malt can keep this beer looking and feeling light.

The crystal-clear color is somewhere between golden copper and white gold—nicer to look at than a typical, hyper-pale light lager—with an average amount of carbonation. There's not much to speak of in the aroma department, but still above average for the style, with some hints of pale and amber grains, light aromas of bread and biscuits, and a faint suggestion of caramel sweetness.

There's just enough flavor to be interesting. It's reminiscent of their Fisher Beer, a more "traditional" lager. This has more subdued flavors that are slightly grainy, bready and lightly biscuity, with a low level of sweetness which finishes clean and dry. The light body showcases nice level of carbonation with high drinkability.

Verdict: Criticizing the light lager category is kind of like bullying the small kid: It's easy, but you're kind of a dick for doing it. For what it is, Longevity Light Lager is decidedly above average, as the hints of malt keep things interesting. I'd place this at the top of my list for craft light lagers, alongside Ogden Beer's Meanwhile in Ogden lager.

Cans of House Party are available at 2 Row in Midvale, while Longevity Light Lager is only on draft at Fisher.

As always, cheers!