If you’re on the keto diet or want to consume fewer carbohydrates for health reasons, you can enjoy low-carb beers such as Corona Premier and Kona Light Blonde Ale. Many beers listed here have 5 grams or fewer of carbohydrates per serving.
Even if you drink a low carb beer, keep in mind that alcohol should be consumed in moderation—one drink per day for women and two for men. (1)
Here’s everything you need to know about keto-friendly beer and a list of the top 25 to sample.
What Is a Low Carb Beer?
Low carb beers typically contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per 100 milliliters (mL). (2) While individual tastes vary, there is a beer for almost everyone, whether a light wheat beer or a harsh India pale ale (IPA).
If you’re looking for low-carb beers, look for “light” options. They have consistently lower carbohydrate content than other beers. They may have less alcohol, as measured by the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV), than their ordinary counterparts, but not much. (3) However, some “light” beers contain more carbohydrates than others and have varying calorie counts.
“To be labeled as ‘light,’ the product needs to have one-third fewer calories compared to the full-calorie version,” Taylor C. Wallace, PhD, adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, told Health. Here are 25 low carb beers that contain fewer than 100 calories per 12-ounce bottle, can, or glass.
1. Amstel Light
Amstel Light, with 5g of carbs per serving, falls in the middle of this group. It’s also light on the palate and quite refreshing.
- 95 calories
- 5g carbs
- 3.5% ABV
2. Blue Moon LightSky
If you like a wheat beer, choose Blue Moon LightSky. This one is light and refreshing, with a strong tangerine undertone, “which will be very familiar to anyone who has had Blue Moon in the past,” says Steven Tsaparikos, RDN, a dietitian and certified health coach at Aligned Health Practice in Carmel, Ind.
- 95 calories
- 3.6g carbs
- 4% ABV
3. Budweiser Select 55
This beer has a toasted malt fragrance and delicate hops. It is the lowest in calories and carbohydrates. It’s even lighter than Bud Light, which exceeds our 100-calorie limit, and Budweiser Select, Anheuser-Busch’s 99-calorie option.
- 55 calories
- 1.9g carbs
- 2.4% ABV
4. Corona Premier
Corona Premier comes from Grupo Modelo in Mexico. It contains less calories and carbohydrates than Corona Light, which has 99 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates.
- 90 calories
- 2.6g carbs
- 4.0% ABV
5. Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty
Tsaparikos loved this low-calorie drink. “This is a great option for the IPA fans out there who want to work towards their goals and still enjoy a nice hoppy beer at the end of a long day,” the owner said.
- 95 calories
- 3.6g carbs
- 4% ABV
6. Lagunitas DayTime
Lagunitas Brewing Company provided a light IPA with low alcohol concentration. “You still get the characteristics of a traditional IPA but with much lower calories and carb content,” Tsaparikos explained.
- 98 calories
- 3g carbs
- 4% ABV
7. Michelob Ultra Pure Gold
Tsaparikos found that Ultra Pure Gold has a slightly better nutrition profile than standard Michelob Ultra—95 calories, 2.6g of carbohydrates, and 4.2% ABV—and looks to have a comparable flavor profile. If you want even fewer carbs and calories, try Michelob’s Ultra Pure Gold seven-ounce bottle, which includes only 55 calories and 1.5g of carbohydrates.
- 85 calories
- 2.5g carbs
- 3.8% ABV
8. Miller Lite
Pilsner, a beer with a pronounced hop flavor, was first made in 1975 and is known as the “original light beer.” You may also try Miller64, which contains just 64 calories and 2.4g of carbohydrates per serving.
- 96 calories
- 3.2g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
9. Yuengling Flight
Yuengling, a Pennsylvania-based brewery, established Yuengling Flight. This version of the lauger contains less than 3g of carbohydrates per 12 oz served instead of 12g.
- 95 calories
- 2.6g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
10. Beck’s Premier Light
Beck’s Brewery, established in the nineteenth century in northern Germany, produces some of the most incredible light beers for a hot summer day. Beck’s Premier Light has only 3.9g of carbs and has sweet and fruity tastes.
- 64 calories
- 3.9g carbs
- 2.3% ABV
11. Busch Light
Busch says their light beer tastes the same but has fewer calories and carbs than their standard brew.
- 95 calories
- 3.2g carbs
- 4.1% ABV
12. Natural Light
In 1977, Anheuser-Busch released its first light beer, which has fewer calories and carbs than its standard brew. According to Anheuser-Busch, Natural Light is ideal for any “easy-drinking character.”
- 95 calories
- 3.2g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
13. Devils Backbone Bright Tangerine Ale
In 2016, Anheuser-Busch bought Devils Backbone Brewing Company, which operates a taproom in Lexington, Virginia. Under the new leadership, the firm manufactured and sold various beers, including Devil’s Backbone Bright Tangerine Ale. The light beer contains citrus tastes and only 2 grams of carbs.
- 90 calories
- 2g carbs
- 4% ABV
14. Shiner Ruby Redbird
The Per Spoetzl Brewery, which produces Shiner beers, was founded in Shiner, Texas 1909. It describes its low-carb beer as tasting like Texas ruby red grapefruit with ginger undertones.
- 85 calories
- 4.6g carbs
- 3.2% ABV
15. Surly Brewing Co. Rosé
If you don’t like beer, this pink beverage may be your go-to option. The rosé beer features aromas of currants and strawberries.
- 127 calories
- 2.25g carbs
- 5.2% ABV
16. Bud Light Next
According to Bud Light, Next is their first beer with no carbs while still giving a refreshing flavor.
- 80 calories
- 0g carbs
- 4% ABV
17. Milwaukee’s Best Light
Miller Brewing Company launched Milwaukee’s Best Light, a low-calorie pale lager, in 1986. According to the Drizly website, Milwaukee’s Best Light has a bitter, malty taste.
- 96 calories
- 3.5g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
18. Yuengling Light Lager 99
Yuengling describes its light beer as smelling of caramel malt and moderate hops. With only 3.2g of carbohydrates, this other low-calorie Yuengling alternative is tasty.
- 99 calories
- 3.2g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
19. Allagash Saison
Allagash Saison is on the upper end of the low-carb beer spectrum, with a higher ABV than others. It makes its light beer using dark Belgian candi sugar, malted rye, a barley mix, and oats to produce a wonderful citrus beverage.
- 140 calories
- 4.83g carbs
- 6.1% ABV
20. Ommegang Brut IPA
Ommegang, a Cooperstown, New York-based brewery, introduced a low-calorie IPA in 2018. Their Brut IPA is dry and bubbly with a hoppy flavor. Its similarity to champagne makes it ideal for New Year’s Eve and other occasions.
- 140 calories
- 3.9g carbs
- 6.3% ABV
21. Kona Light Blonde Ale
Kona Brewing Co. touts its low-calorie Light Blonde Ale as having a pale, caramel malt flavor that pairs well with shellfish.
- 99 calories
- 4g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
22. Deschutes Da Shootz! Pilsner
Deschutes da Schootz! Pilsner is frothy and toasted, with a citrusy flavor. Tettnang, Lemondrop, and Azacca hop contribute to its fruity and flowery flavor and aroma.
- 99 calories
- 4.2g carbs
- 4% ABV
23. Heineken Silver
Heineken Silver is another light beer worth considering. The original Heineken has 142 calories and 11 grams of carbohydrates per 12 ounces.
- 95 calories
- 2.9g carbs
- 4% ABV
24. Omission Ultimate Light Golden Ale
Omission Ultimate Light Golden Ale, a gluten-free beer made by the Oregon-based Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, is another fantastic low-carb alternative. Reviewers characterized it as having a sharp, somewhat bitter flavor.
- 99 calories
- 3g carbs
- 4.2% ABV
25. Keystone Light
In 1989, the Golden, Colorado-based Coors Brewing Company created Keystone Light, a triple-filtered beer with a crisp, smooth flavor.
- 120 calories
- 5g carbs
- 4.13% ABV
How To Choose a Low Carb Beer
You can find nutritional information in your beer package or online. Tsaparikos indicated that 5 g of carbohydrates is a good standard for persons watching their carb consumption as long as they drink sensibly and not excessively.
No reliable indicator—such as hop bitterness—can help you distinguish other low-carb beers. “Obviously, if the product tastes sweet, it likely has more sugar and carbs,” according to Dr. Wallace. “But in general, quantities can vary between even similar products.“
The Bottom Line
Several low carb beer varieties have fewer carbohydrates per serving. Some alternatives are Busch Light, Blue Moon LightSky, Omission Ultimate Light Golden Ale, and Corona Premier.
A low carb beer can only be identified by investigating its nutritional content and seeking beers with 5g or less carbohydrates. Whichever you select, remember to drink in moderation.
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