Malta/Smalta

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated Fri, 21 Nov 2003 17:15:35 -0500,  Bapopik at AOL.COM
mutters:

>  MALTA/SMALTA--A non-alcoholic drink.  The Banks brewery here makes Malta.
> I'm told that Trinidad sells Smalta.  Who was first?  And why this name,
and
> not Corsica/Scorsica?...Shmalta would probably be the Yiddish drink.

Probably not the island/country of Malta, but rather, considering that the
beverage comes from a _brewery_, it is probably a malt beverage (that is, made
from grain that has been "malted" = steeped in water and allowed to germinate)
and therefore the name reflects the contents.

     - Jim Landau