7 best low-carb beers that are also big on flavor, according to new ranking
Brewers are tapping into a renewed thirst for light beers, which were once marketed mostly toward women and lacking the complex flavors that connoisseurs crave.
A rise in health-conscious behavior, especially among millennials and Gen Z, is driving the shift, said Michael Vollmer, assistant director of food and beverage at Chicago's Kimpton Gray Hotel.
"People want to enjoy social moments without compromising on health goals," he told Fox News Digital.
Michelob Ultra, a pioneer in the space, saw sales grow over 3% in June compared to the same period last year, even as broader beer sales declined, The Wall Street Journal reported in July.
Producing full-bodied, low-carb beers can be difficult, but the challenge has inspired innovation, Katherine Benecke, a cicerone at Treadwell Park in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
"Brewers are moving beyond the old 'light' stereotype to craft bold, flavorful brews that keep carbs and glycemic impact low," she said.
"They help reduce blood sugar spikes so you can maintain more sustainable energy levels."
When made well, low-carb beers can be good for anyone, Benecke added, regardless of health needs.
"They help reduce blood sugar spikes so you can maintain more sustainable energy levels, can aid in digestion and are just generally easier on the gut and on the palate."
While many beers, like IPAs, ales and stouts, can have as much as 20 grams of carbs – equal to half a cup of white rice – there are plenty of lighter varieties on the shelves.
Men's Health features editor Matt Allyn, a certified beer judge, and editor Ryan Brower, a certified beer server, recently ranked the seven best low-carb options.
With 95 calories, 3.6 grams of carbohydrates and 4% alcohol by volume (ABV), the hoppy Dogfish Head's 30 Minute Light IPA combines classic notes of citrus peel with juicy mango and pineapple, the judges said.
The judges called Blue Moon's light offering a "unique and impressive" low-carb beer that blends herbal citrus flavors with creamy and bready malts at only 95 calories, 3.6 grams of carbs and a 4% ABV.
A step up from Garage Beer's standard option, the citrus in its lime version helps round out the light beer, which has 95 calories, 3 grams of carbs and a 4% ABV.
Partake's non-alcoholic IPA has no carbs, only 10 calories and a malty taste that competing 0% ABV hop seltzers lack.
The Lagunitas Daytime IPA packs a full aroma and flavor into a crisp and thirst-quenching beer, clocking in at 98 calories, 3 grams of carbs and 4% ABV.
The judges dubbed Michelob Ultra – at 95 calories, 2.6 grams of carbs and a 4.2% ABV – the "true king" of light lagers.
Heineken Silver – and even its no-alcohol counterpart, Heineken 0.0 – manage to taste like the "real deal," according to the writers.
With only 95 calories, 2.9 grams of carbs and a 4% ABV, it delivers the lager's familiar sweet, bready malt notes.
The panel included some honorable mentions: Miller Lite, Miller 64 Extra Light, Kona Light Blonde Ale and Budweiser Select 55.
Vollmer said he believes lagers lend themselves best to low-carb brewing and named Yuengling's Light Lager as a personal favorite.
Benecke suggested Ommegang Brut IPA, a carb-friendly choice.
She said it has an "elegant dryness and Champagne-like effervescence" — as well as sour beers like Berliner Weisse and Gose, which can be naturally lower in carbs.
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