50 of the Best Low-Calorie Beers - fitness diet

If you are counting calories, there are delicious, low calorie beer options. From lagers to stouts, there’s something for almost every preference.

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Though beer is foamy, flavorful, and refreshing, it can be tricky to find ones that meet your needs if you’re on a low calorie diet.

That’s because alcoholic beverages tend to be high in calories. On its own, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram (1, 2, 3).

Yet, the beer scene has diversified in recent years, so increasing numbers of scrumptious brews don’t pack too many calories.

Here are 50 of the best low calorie beers.

1–20. Lagers

Lagers are the most popular type of beer (4).

Most commonly described as a crisp beer, they’re known for their light, clean taste — although pilsners, a type of lager, are slightly bitterer. They come in three main colors — pale, amber, and dark (4).

Low calorie lagers – 12 ounces (354 ml)

Here’s a list of low calorie lagers along with their alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage.

Budweiser Select (2.4% ABV): 55 calories

Molson Ultra (3% ABV): 70 calories

Moosehead Cracked Canoe (3.5% ABV): 90 calories

Sleeman Light (4% ABV): 90 calories

Busch Light (4.1% ABV): 91 calories

Labatt Premier (4% ABV): 92 calories

Amstel Light (4% ABV): 95 calories

Anheuser-Busch Natural Light (4.2% ABV): 95 calories

Miller Light (4.2% ABV): 96 calories

Heineken Light (4.2% ABV): 97 calories

Bud Select (2.4% ABV): 99 calories

Corona Light (3.7% ABV): 99 calories

Yuengling Light Lager (3.8% ABV): 99 calories

Coors Light (4.2% ABV): 102 calories

Carlsberg Lite (4% ABV): 102 calories

Bud Light (4.2% ABV): 103 calories

Labatt Blue Light (4% ABV): 108 calories

Brava Light (4% ABV): 112 calories

Moosehead Light (4% ABV): 115 calories

Samuel Adams (4.3% ABV): 124 calories

21–35. Ales

Many people confuse lagers and ales due to their similar appearance.

However, ales are typically produced in northern, colder countries, such as Canada, Germany, and Belgium — and are commonly made by microbreweries. They’re brewed at higher temperatures and fermented using a different yeast strain (4).

Unlike lagers, ales tend to have a fruity taste and stronger, bitterer flavor. India pale ale (IPA) and saison are among the most popular varieties.

Low calorie ales – 12 ounces (354 ml)

Here are some popular low calorie ales.

Le Petit Prince (2.9% ABV): 75 calories

Dogfish Head Slighty Mighty (4% ABV): 95 calories

Lagunitas DayTime (4% ABV): 98 calories

Boulevard Brewing Easy Sport (4.1% ABV) 99 calories

Lakefront Eazy Teazy (3.4% ABV): 99 calories

Kona Kanaha Blonde Ale (4.2% ABV): 99 calories

Southern Tier Swipe Light (4% ABV): 110 calories

Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza (4% ABV): 110 calories

Harpoon Rec League (3.8% ABV): 120 calories

Boston Beer 26.2 Brew (4% ABV): 120 calories

Firestone Walker Easy Jack (4% ABV): 120 calories

River Trip Pale Ale (4.8% ABV): 128 calories

Oarsman Ale (4% ABV): 137 calories

Southern Tier 8 Days a Week Blonde Ale (4.8% ABV): 144 calories

Fat Tire Amber Ale (5.2% ABV): 160 calories

36–41. Stouts

Stouts are a type of ale that use roasted barley to create a rich, dark color (5).

While they’re known for being higher in calories, the roasting process generally affects the color of the beer rather than the calorie count. As such, you can enjoy a number of low calorie stouts (5).

Low calorie stouts – 12 ounces (354 ml)

Here are some great low-calorie stouts you can try.

Guinness Extra (5.6% ABV): 126 calories

Odell Brewing Cutthroat (5% ABV): 145 calories

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (5.2% ABV): 150 calories

Taddy Porter (5% ABV): 186 calories

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout (5% ABV): 190 calories

Murphy’s Irish Stout (4% ABV): 192 calories

42–45. Gluten-free beers

Since most beer is made from barley and wheat, it’s generally unsuitable for those following a gluten-free diet. However, gluten-free beer — made from grains like millet, sorghum, and rice — has recently surged in popularity (6).

This type of beer cannot be made with gluten-containing grains and must be under a gluten level of 20 ppm (6).

Alternatively, gluten-removed or -reduced beers use enzymes to break down gluten into smaller particles.

These beers may pose a lower risk to those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance but are still inappropriate for those with celiac disease or a gluten allergy (7, 8, 9).

Low calorie gluten-free beers – 12 ounces (354 ml)

These gluten-free beers are low in calories but excel in flavor.

Glutenberg Blonde (4.5% ABV): 160 calories

Green’s IPA (6% ABV): 160 calories

Holidaily Favorite Blonde (5% ABV): 161 calories

Coors Peak (4.7% ABV): 170 calories

46–50. Non-alcoholic beer

Non-alcoholic beer can be great for those who avoid or limit alcohol but still want to enjoy a cold beverage.

Because alcohol packs 7 calories per gram, non-alcoholic beer is usually much lower in calories than traditional brews (1, 2, 3).

Yet, in the United States, non-alcoholic beers can contain up to 0.5% alcohol. As such, they’re unsuitable if you’re pregnant or recovering from alcoholism (10).

Low calorie non-alcoholic beers – 12 ounces (354 ml)

With the rise of non-alcoholic beers, many companies have created delicious, low calorie options.

Coors Edge (0.5% ABV): 45 calories

Becks Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.0% ABV): 60 calories

Heineken 0.0 (0.0% ABV): 69 calories

Bavaria 0.0% Beer (0.0% ABV): 85 calories

Budweiser Prohibition Brew (0.0% ABV): 150 calories

A word of caution

Low calorie beer is not synonymous with low alcohol beer.

Excessive alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of liver disease, heart disease, early death, and certain types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer (11, 12).

Moreover, excess beer drinking may lead to unwanted hangover symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, and dehydration (13).

If you’re of legal drinking age, limit your intake to no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men (14).

Finally, avoid alcohol completely if you’re pregnant, as it can significantly increase the risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (15).

The bottom line

If you watch your calorie intake, you don’t have to give up beer. From lagers to stouts, there are delicious, low calorie options to suit any preference.

Keep in mind that low calorie beers may still be high in alcohol, so it’s best to stick to 1–2 drinks per day.