The 11 Best Light Beers
The craft beer revolution has finally come to light beer and we love the results. Here are our favorite IPAs, wheat beers, and lagers, all clocking around 100 calories.
The summer of craft light beer is here. We honestly never thought we'd be excited over light beers. But after decades of decrying the style as bland and watery, craft beer has decided to make it something worth celebrating. Instead of brewers watering down already watery beers (with admittedly impressive precision), they're designing versions of craft's favorite styles with lower alcohol and fewer residual carbs—both up the calorie count. It's a two-fold problem of creating a beer that feels pleasant to sip—not too dry, thin, or astringent—while providing big flavors with fewer calories to rely on. But these 11 beers achieve that. And in this expert opinion, it's a damn miracle of brewing science.
Related: 500 Beers of Summer
When beer shopping, note the balance between calories and ABV. It's not an absolute rule, but our testing confirmed that you'll typically get a little more to taste in the lower-alcohol light options that have a few more carbs to work with. Here are our favorites.
Southern Tier Swipe Light
The most refreshing pale ale we've ever tasted. Unlike an IPA, there's a balance between the toasty barley flavors and the bright citrus hops. And the flavor is big enough to deliver that post-workout reward and satisfaction. Calories: 110, ABV: 4.0%
Sixpoint Jammer
Jammer was the most fun beer we tasted. WTF does fun beer taste like? Pleasantly surprising. Over a backbone of wheat was a bright, fruity, and sour character, but you weren't sure what you'd taste next. Try the 15-can Jammer Session Pack, which also includes berry, citrus, ruby, and tropical variations. Calories: 125, ABV: 4.0%
Session Light
Dang, this is refreshing. True to Full Sail Brewing's Session line, which provides craft beer takes on classic lagers and easy-drinking beers, Session Light indeed tastes like a light American beer—but improved. There's a clean, barley malt flavor, and none of the odd off-flavors that punish you if you let your typical light beer warm up. Calories: 100, ABV: 3.6%
New Belgium Mural
Produced in collaboration with Mexican craft brewer, Primus Cerveceria, this is an alcoholic take on the sweetened fruit drinks known as agua fresca. Mural uses a blend of agave, hibiscus, lime, and watermelon. On a hot day, serve it over ice. Calories: 110, ABV: 4.0%
26.2 Brew
It's hard not to be flattered when a brewery designs a beer for your favorite pastime, but 26.2 is great on its own merit. This thirst-quenching wheat ale gets a flavor fortification via Himalayan sea salt and coriander, for a smooth brew with a crisp finish. Calories: 120, ABV: 4.0%
Harpoon Rec League
This hazy pale ale has the soft bitterness and juicy hops of the opaque New England IPAs that are twice its strength (and at least twice the calories). The hops tend toward tropical flavors and the finish is lightly sweet. Calories: 120, ABV: 3.8%
Firestone Walker Easy Jack
Easy Jack isn't new. In fact, it's a longtime favorite session IPA. But recently, Firestone Walker retooled the recipe to dial down the alcohol and calories. It still packs bright floral and fruit hops we love. Now it's just a little healthier for us. Calories: 120, ABV: 4.0%
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty IPA
A funny thing happened every time we tried to take notes on Slightly Mighty IPA: The can was empty before we were ready for it to be gone. So naturally we opened another can of this hop-centric IPA with a touch of monk fruit (a natural sweetener) and tried it again, and again. Calories: 95, ABV: 3.6%
Boulevard Easy Sport
This blonde ale tastes more like a wheat beer thanks to the salt and tangerine peel additions, and low bitterness. A touch of hops with an orange-like aroma add to the fruity yet dry character. Calories: 99, ABV: 4.1%
Ballast Point Lager
This lager tastes like a simple American beer, but it's made with classic craft beer ingredients: all barley (no corn or rice) and grapefruit-tinged Apollo hops. There are subtle fruit notes, a touch of that grapefruit, and a boat-load of refreshment. Calories: 99, ABV: 4.2%
Avery Pacer IPA
With a mild orange and tangerine hop character, Pacer is on the lighter side of the hoppy brews we tried. But it's by no means watery, thanks to a helping of wheat and oats that provide body. Calories: 100, ABV: 4.5%
Matt Allyn is the features director for Bicycling and Runner's World magazines. He's run nine marathons and come heartbreakingly close to BQing three times. In addition to running and cycling, he's also covered beer for more than a decade and is a certified beer judge.
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