Low-carb and low-calorie beer: Finding the right one for you in 2026

The world of low-carb and low-calorie beer has gotten a lot more interesting. A decade ago, most lower-calorie options were light lagers. Today you’ll also find craft IPAs, session beers, and nonalcoholic beers that deliver much more flavor while keeping calories relatively low. 

The non-alcoholic beer category in particular has gotten interesting in the last few years, with options so good that plenty of people reach for them even when they’re not trying to limit alcohol. Whether you’re someone who loves a crisp lager, craves something hoppy, or wants to skip the alcohol altogether, there’s a good option waiting for you.

The key is knowing what to look for. Not all “light” beers are actually that low in calories, and not all low-calorie beers are light beers. And the number on the label that matters most isn’t always the one you’d expect—more on that below. 

We broke down every category, from lowest carb beers to the lowest calorie beers with the highest ABV, so you can find the right beer for you.

What is a low-calorie beer?

There’s no regulated definition for “low-calorie beer”—no lower limit a brand has to stay under to put that on the label. Nutritional labeling isn’t required, and current laws make including serving info on malt beverage labels voluntary. In practice, the term “low-calorie beer” generally refers to beers under about 100 calories per 12-ounce serving, though you’ll find some guides drawing the line at 110 or even 120. For this article, the core lists focus on beers at or under 100 calories, with a few exceptions noted where the extra flavor justifies the extra few calories.

What’s the difference between light beer and low-calorie beer?

In the U.S., “light” (or “lite”) is an industry category with a specific meaning: a beer that’s reduced in calories and/or alcohol relative to the brand’s full-strength flagship beer. Beers labeled “light” must have a statement of average analysis on the container that includes the contents per serving for calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein. For example. Bud Light is lighter than Budweiser; Miller Lite is lighter than Miller High Life. But “light” doesn’t automatically mean ultra-low-calorie.

Bud Light has 110 calories per 12-ounce can, which is lower than regular Budweiser’s 145 but hardly in the same league as a 55-calorie option. Meanwhile, some of the most flavorful low-calorie beers—craft IPAs and some non-alcoholic options—never use the word “light” at all. The two categories overlap significantly but aren’t the same thing.

What gives beer its calories?

Three things give beer its calories: alcohol, residual carbohydrates from unfermented sugars, and protein. They don’t contribute equally—alcohol is typically the biggest contributor, and it’s the main reason ABV is the first thing to check when you’re trying to keep calories down.

• Alcohol, technically ethanol, contains 7 calories per gram—more than carbohydrates (4 cal/g) and nearly as much as fat (9 cal/g). This is why ABV is the first number to look at when you’re trying to minimize calories: a 7% IPA is almost always going to be significantly higher than a 4% lager, regardless of what else is in it. Why? The alcohol alone in a 7% beer accounts for around 165 calories—before a single carb is counted. Compare that to a 4% lager, where the alcohol contributes about 94 calories. That’s a difference of 70+ calories just from ABV, before anything else in the beer is factored in.
• Residual carbohydrates from unfermented malt sugars are the second factor. The more sugars left over after fermentation, the more calories and carbs in the final beer. Brewers can extend fermentation time or add specific enzymes to break down more of those sugars, resulting in a lower-calorie beer.
• Protein from grain contributes a small number of calories but isn’t a meaningful source in most beers.

The bottom line: if you want fewer calories, lower ABV is your most reliable gauge—with one exception: non-alcoholic beers, where calories come almost entirely from residual carbohydrates, which we’ll talk more about below. 

Are low-calorie beers good for weight loss?

Beer isn’t a weight loss tool, and no one should expect it to be. But if you’re going to drink, being aware of how many calories you are drinking is a good way to manage your overall intake. Choosing a 95-calorie beer instead of a 200-calorie craft IPA over the course of a summer of social drinking adds up. Noom’s approach is about understanding your options so you can make choices that fit your goals.

What makes a low-calorie beer actually taste good?

Why do some light beers taste watery? Because many of the compounds that give beer its body and flavor are reduced when brewing a lighter beer. Much of a beer’s richness comes from malted barley—the main grain used to make beer—which contributes sugars, proteins, and complex flavors. To lower calories and carbs, Brewers encourage more of those sugars to ferment into alcohol, leaving behind fewer residual sugars and a lighter body.

Some brewers also use additional grains like corn or rice, known as adjunct grains, to create a cleaner, crisper flavor rather than the richer taste of an all-malt beer. The result is a beer that’s light and refreshing, but often with a thinner body and less pronounced malt flavor. That’s a trade-off, and for plenty of people, crispness and drinkability are exactly what they want from a summer beer.

How do craft brewers make flavorful, low-calorie beer?

Craft brewers often take a different approach than traditional light beers. Instead of simply cutting back on malt, many use techniques that help preserve flavor while keeping calories in check.

• More hops: Hops add bold aromas and bitterness with virtually no calories. That’s why many low-calorie IPAs have more flavor than a typical light lager, even with similar calorie counts.
• Smarter brewing: Some brewers ferment the beer longer or use specialized brewing techniques to reduce residual sugars while maintaining a satisfying mouthfeel.
• Creative ingredients: Some brands experiment with ingredients that boost flavor without adding many calories. For example, Dogfish Head’s Slightly Mighty IPA uses monk fruit to help create a fuller-tasting beer while reducing the amount of malt needed.

The result is a new generation of low-calorie beers—like Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty and Lagunitas DayTime—that deliver more flavor than many traditional light beers without adding many extra calories.

What are the lowest-calorie beers that are widely available?

Here’s the full ranked list, from lightest to least light (still reasonable) of the beers you’ll likely find in your area:

Beer	Calories (12 oz)	Carbs	ABV
Budweiser Select 55	55	1.9g	2.4%
Miller 64	64	2.4g	2.8%
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold	85	2.5g	3.8%
Corona Premier	90	2.6g	4.0%
Natural Light	95	3.2g	4.2%
Busch Light	95	3.2g	4.1%
Michelob Ultra	95	2.6g	4.2%
Amstel Light	95	5g	3.5%
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty (IPA)	95	3.6g	4.0%
Miller Lite	96	3.2g	4.2%
Lagunitas DayTime IPA	98	3g	4.0%
Heineken Light	99	6.8g	3.3%

A few things to notice:

• Many of these beers fall in the 95- to 100-calorie range. That’s because many mainstream light lagers aim for a similar balance of lower calories, drinkability, and an alcohol content around 4% ABV.
• Low-calorie beer is no longer limited to light lagers. Beers like Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty and Lagunitas DayTime IPA show that hop-forward IPAs can also come in under 100 calories. We’ll take a closer look at how brewers pull that off below.

What’s the difference between low-carb and low-calorie beer?

Calories and carbs track closely in beer, but aren’t the same thing. A beer can be relatively low in carbs while still having significant calories from alcohol—and vice versa. Calories matter most if you’re trying to lose weight. Carbs matter most if you’re following a low-carb or ketogenic eating pattern.

It’s also worth noting that because regulations don’t require nutrients to be on the label for alcoholic beverages, some carb figures come from voluntary disclosure or third-party testing rather than a regulated label. Always consider specific carb numbers close approximations.

What are the lowest calorie low-carb beers?

For the strictest low-carb goals, Budweiser Select 55 and Miller 64 stand out with fewer than 2.5 grams of carbs per serving. Michelob Ultra Pure Gold, Corona Premier, and Michelob Ultra offer a little more alcohol while still keeping carbs under 3 grams, making them popular choices for people who want a balance of flavor, calories, and carbs.

Beer	Calories (12 oz)	Carbs	ABV
Budweiser Select 55	55	1.9g	2.4%
Miller 64 (MGD 64)	64	2.4g	2.8%
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold	85	2.5g	3.8%
Corona Premier	90	2.6g	4.0%
Michelob Ultra	95	2.6g	4.2%

If you prefer craft beer, Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty IPA (95 calories, 3.6 g carbs) and Lagunitas DayTime IPA (98 calories, 3 g carbs) are among the better low-carb IPA options, though they contain slightly more carbs than the light lagers above in exchange for a hoppier flavor.

Lowest calorie IPAs: Can you have low calories, low carbs, and flavor?

Why is it hard to make a low-calorie, low-carb IPA? Because the things that make an IPA an IPA work against low-calorie, low-carb brewing.

Traditional IPAs rely on plenty of malted barley, which provides the sugars that ferment into alcohol as well as the body and slight sweetness that balance the bitterness of hops. As the founder of Dogfish Head explains, cutting back on malt lowers calories and carbs, but it can also leave the beer tasting thin and overly bitter. 

Bell’s Brewery encountered the same challenge when developing Light Hearted Ale, with brewers describing early versions that lacked enough malt character to balance the hops. Combined with the style’s typically higher alcohol content—most IPAs start around 6% to 7% ABV and go up from there—a traditional IPA often contains more than 200 calories per 12-ounce serving. Here are a few that have managed to create low-calorie IPAs that are still flavorful and well balanced.

Best low-calorie IPAs

Beer	Calories (12 oz)	Carbs	ABV
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty	95	3.6g	4.0%
Dogfish Head 30 Minute IPA	95	3.6g	4.0%
Lagunitas DayTime IPA	98	3g	4.0%
Bell’s Light Hearted Ale	110	9g	3.7%
Harpoon Rec. League	120	10g	4.0%
Athletic Free Wave	70	16g	<0.5%

For years, choosing a low-calorie beer often meant settling for a light lager. That’s changed. Brewers have figured out how to create IPAs that deliver much of the hop flavor and aroma people expect from the style while keeping calories and sometimes carbs surprisingly low. They achieve it in different ways—from adjusting the brewing process to experimenting with ingredients—but the result is the same: more flavor for fewer calories.

Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty helped pioneer the category, while newer options like Dogfish Head 30 Minute IPA, Lagunitas DayTime IPA, and Bell’s Light Hearted Ale show that there are now several ways to enjoy a hop-forward beer without the calorie count of a traditional IPA.

How can you tell if a craft IPA is lower in calories?

Two things are worth checking when you’re at a brewery or trying an unfamiliar beer: the nutrition information, if it’s available, and the ABV. Together, they’ll give you a good idea of how the beer fits your goals.

Check for a nutrition label first. As covered above, nutrition labeling is voluntary for most beers, but many craft breweries now publish calorie and carb counts on the can or their website. If you don’t see it on the label, check the brewery’s product page.

If there’s no nutrition information, look at the ABV. It’s one of the best clues to how many calories a beer contains. As beer company Allagash notes, the simplest way to estimate calories is by looking at the beer’s alcohol content and serving size—with ABV doing most of the heavy lifting. Their rule of thumb is to multiply the ABV by 2.5, then multiply by the number of ounces. For example, a 12-ounce beer at 6% ABV works out to about 180 calories.

As a quick guide:

• Around 4% ABV: Usually 90 to 120 calories per 12-ounce serving
• Around 5% ABV: Typically 120 to 150 calories
• 6% to 7% ABV: Often 170 to 220 calories
• 8% ABV or higher: Frequently 220+ calories

If you’re scanning a tap list, you’ll also have better luck with session IPAs or beers specifically labeled light or low calorie than with traditional or double IPAs, which tend to be higher in both alcohol and calories.

What are session IPAs, and are they lower in calories?

Session IPAs are brewed with a lower alcohol content—typically around 3% to 5% ABV—while preserving as much of the hop-forward flavor and aroma of a traditional IPA as possible. Because alcohol contributes a significant share of beer’s calories, the lower ABV usually means fewer calories, too.

The trade-off is that session IPAs often have a lighter body and a little less bitterness than a full-strength IPA. Even so, they generally offer much more hop flavor than a typical light lager.

Just don’t confuse session with light. A session IPA is designed to be lower in alcohol and easy to drink over a longer period, but it’s not necessarily a low-calorie beer. Many session IPAs contain 120 to 150 calories per 12-ounce serving, while beers specifically marketed as low calorie can come in under 100 calories.

Does drinking a light beer mean you can drink more without feeling the effects?

Not necessarily. While some light beers have a lower alcohol content (ABV), many contain about the same amount of alcohol as a regular beer.

For example, beers like Budweiser Select 55 (2.4% ABV) and Miller 64 (2.8% ABV) contain considerably less alcohol than a typical 5% beer. If you drink them at the same pace, you’ll generally consume alcohol more slowly. But that doesn’t mean you can drink twice as many without feeling the effects. How quickly alcohol affects you depends on many factors, including your body size, biological sex, whether you’ve eaten recently, medications (like GLP-1s), and how fast you’re drinking.

It’s also worth remembering that many popular light beers—including Michelob Ultra, Corona Premier, and several low-calorie craft IPAs—are around 4% ABV. That’s only slightly lower than many regular beers, so they should be enjoyed with the same care as any other alcoholic beverage.

A few tips for drinking more mindfully:

• Pace yourself. Sip your beer slowly rather than drinking it quickly.
• Alternate with water. Having a glass of water between beers can help you stay hydrated and naturally slow your drinking.
• Eat before or while you drink. Drinking on an empty stomach can cause alcohol to be absorbed more quickly.
• Watch the serving size. Many craft beers are poured as 16-ounce pints or sold in 16-ounce cans, so you’ll consume more alcohol and calories than the 12-ounce serving listed on the label.

If your goal is to reduce both calories and alcohol, nonalcoholic beer is another option. In the U.S., beers labeled nonalcoholic can still contain up to 0.5% ABV, while others are labeled 0.0% alcohol. For most adults, the trace amount of alcohol in a beer with less than 0.5% ABV isn’t enough to cause intoxication. However, if you’re pregnant, avoiding alcohol for medical reasons, or in recovery from alcohol use disorder, a 0.0% beer—or skipping alcohol altogether—is the safer choice.

Non-alcoholic beers: Calories and flavor

In the U.S., a beer can be labeled nonalcoholic if it contains less than 0.5% ABV. Some are completely alcohol-free (0.0%), while others contain trace amounts of alcohol.

You might expect all nonalcoholic beers to be very low in calories, but that’s not always the case. Removing the alcohol lowers the calorie count, but many NA beers retain more of the carbohydrates and malt sugars that give beer its body and flavor.

That’s why calorie counts can vary so much. For example, Heineken 0.0 contains 69 calories and 16 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving—more carbs than some full-strength light beers, including Michelob Ultra.

The good news is that brewers have gotten much better at making flavorful NA beers with fewer calories. If you’re looking for the lightest options, check both the calorie and carbohydrate counts rather than assuming all nonalcoholic beers are similar.

Low-calorie non-alcoholic beers

Here are some low-calorie non-alcoholic options that are sold nationally.

Beer	Calories (12 oz)	Carbs	ABV
Heineken 0.0 Ultimate	0	0 g	0.0%
Partake Brewing IPA	10	0 g	<0.5%
BrewDog Hazy AF	20	2.3 g	<0.5%
Athletic Brewing Athletic Lite	25	5 g	<0.5%
Coors Edge	41	8 g	<0.5%
Corona Non-Alcoholic	60	17.5 g	<0.5%
Heineken 0.0	69	16 g	0.0%
Guinness 0	70	16–17 g	0.0%

A few stand out:

• Heineken 0.0 Ultimate is one of the newest entries in the category and the first major-brand nonalcoholic beer with 0 calories, 0 sugar, and 0 carbs.  
• Partake Brewing IPA is remarkably low in both calories and carbohydrates while still delivering a recognizable IPA profile.
• Athletic Brewing Athletic Lite offers a balance of low calories, broad availability, and a more traditional light lager taste.
• Corona Non-Alcoholic is a good choice if you enjoy a crisp Mexican-style lager, though it contains considerably more carbohydrates than some lower-calorie competitors.  
• Guinness 0 is one of the few widely available nonalcoholic stouts, making it a great option if you prefer roasted malt flavors over lighter lagers—even though it isn’t among the lowest in carbs or calories.  

If your goal is to cut back on both alcohol and calories, nonalcoholic beer can be a helpful option. Just remember that “nonalcoholic” doesn’t automatically mean “low calorie,” so it’s still worth checking the nutrition label.

Frequently asked questions about low-calorie and low-carb beer

What beer has the lowest calories?

Among widely available beers, Budweiser Select 55 has one of the lowest calorie counts at 55 calories per 12-ounce serving. Other low-calorie options include Miller 64 (64 calories), Michelob Ultra Pure Gold (85 calories).

Does low-calorie beer have less alcohol?

Usually, yes. Alcohol is the biggest contributor to calories in beer, so beers with a lower ABV tend to have fewer calories. That’s why many beers under 100 calories fall in the 2.5% to 4.2% ABV range. There are exceptions, but checking the ABV is one of the quickest ways to estimate whether a beer is likely to be lower in calories.

Is low-carb beer the same as low-calorie beer?

No. While many beers are both low in carbs and calories, they’re not the same thing. Calories come from both alcohol and carbohydrates, while carbs only measure the sugars left after fermentation. A beer can be relatively low in carbs but still higher in calories if it has a higher alcohol content.

Can you drink beer and still lose weight?

Yes. No single food or drink determines whether you lose weight—your overall eating pattern matters most. If beer is something you enjoy, choosing a lower-calorie option and being mindful of portion size can make it easier to fit into your calorie goals while still enjoying an occasional drink.

What’s the difference between low-ABV and non-alcoholic beer?

Non-alcoholic beer has a legal definition in the U.S.: it must contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to be labeled “non-alcoholic.” Low-ABV beer, on the other hand, isn’t a regulated category—it’s simply a descriptive term for beers with less alcohol than a typical full-strength beer, which is often around 4% to 6% ABV. Session beers, light lagers, and other lower-strength styles often fall into this group, though there’s no official cutoff. 

What is hop water?

Hop water is a nonalcoholic, zero-calorie sparkling water infused with hops—the flowers that give beer its signature bitter, citrusy, or piney flavor. Unlike beer, hop water isn’t brewed with grains or fermented, so it contains no alcohol or carbohydrates, and typically no calories.

If you’re looking for the taste and aroma of beer without the alcohol or calories, hop water can be a good alternative. Brands like Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher, Hoplark HopWater, Sierra Nevada Hop Splash, and Athletic Brewing DayPack have helped make the category much more widely available.

Just don’t expect it to taste exactly like beer. Without malt or fermentation, hop water has the crisp, bubbly mouthfeel of sparkling water with hop aromas rather than the fuller body of a lager or IPA. For many people, though, it’s a refreshing option when they want something beer-adjacent without the calories or alcohol.

The bottom line: If you’re looking for a low-calorie beer, you have options in 2026

If you’re looking for a lower-calorie beer, you have more choices than ever. The days of having to settle for a watery light lager are largely over—today there are flavorful craft IPAs, crisp light lagers, and even non-alcoholic beers that deliver a genuine beer experience.

The simplest way to narrow your options is to start with your priorities. If calories are your main concern, look for beers around 90 to 100 calories and check the ABV—lower alcohol usually means fewer calories. If you’re choosing a non-alcoholic beer, pay more attention to the calorie and carb counts, since those beers get most of their calories from leftover carbohydrates rather than alcohol.

Ultimately, the best low-calorie beer is the one you enjoy and can fit into your overall eating pattern. Whether that’s a 95-calorie lager, a session IPA, or a non-alcoholic brew, understanding what’s in your glass makes it easier to enjoy it without overthinking it.

If you want more tips on healthy eating and balancing all the foods you love, download Noom now on iOS or Android.