Craft Beer While "Dieting"

TheSlorax

If you’re like me, you love beer. And if you’re like me, possibly the worst part about cutting calories is not being able to have craft beer without going significantly over your calorie goal.

But actually, that’s not quite the case. In my quest for finding craft beer that fits easily into my day, I have made up the following list of beer that is under 200 calories per 12 oz. Some of you with higher daily goals may be able to have beer slightly higher in calories, but for those of you can't and also for those who would like to have more than one or two delightful craft beers after work, under 200 calories is pretty amazing. I’ve broken it up into categories by type of beer so you can drink your favorite type to your heart’s content. In the interest of brevity, I’ve only included IPA, stout, porter, lager, and ale varieties, with honorable mentions to some decent commercial beers.

*** Please note that some of these may be local to me and not available in your area. If that’s the case, I recommend using RateBeer.com to find the calorie content on any craft beers you may be considering. This list is, of course, not all inclusive, so if I missed one of your lower calorie favorites, feel free to add it in reply. I also realize that a couple of these may not technically be craft beer, but they’re still pretty decent and I like them so they made it to the list.

***** Please also note that if you suggest MGD 64, Coors Light, Corona Light, or especially Natty Light I will report your post.

IPA

Lagunitas IPA – 186 cal, 6.2% ABV
Full Sail IPA – 180 cal, 6% ABV
Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA - 195 cal, 6.5% ABV
Nectar Ales Nectar IPA - 201 cal, 6.7% ABV
Bridgeport IPA – 165 cal, 5.5% ABV
Deschutes ChainBreaker White IPA – 168 cal, 5.6% ABV
Big Sky IPA – 186 cal, 6.2% ABV
Alaskan IPA – 186 cal, 6.2% ABV

Stout

Deschutes Obsidian Stout - 178 cal, 6.4% ABV
Alaskan Stout – 171 cal, 5.7% ABV
Sierra Nevada Stout – 175 cal, 5.8% ABV
Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout – 195 cal, 6.5% ABV
Shipyard Blue Fin Stout – 141 cal, 4.7% ABV
Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout – 162 cal, 5.4% ABV
Rogue Chocolate Stout – 189 cal, 6.3% ABV
Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout – 171 cal, 5.7% ABV
Bison Organic Chocolate Stout – 183 cal, 6.1% ABV

Porter

Deschutes Black Butte Porter – 156 cal, 5.2% ABV
Anchor Porter – 168 cal, 5.6% ABV
Sierra Nevada Porter – 168 cal, 5.6% ABV
Butte Creek Organic Porter – 177 cal, 5.9% ABV
Eel River Porter – 174 cal, 5.8% ABV

Lager

Full Sail Session Premium Lager – 153 cal, 5.1% ABV
Full Sail Session Black Lager – 162 cal, 5.4% ABV
LandShark Lager – 141 cal, 4.7% ABV
Anchor California Lager – 147 cal, 4.9% ABV
Kona Longboard Lager – 138 cal, 4.6% ABV
New Belgium Shift Pale Lager – 150 cal, 5% ABV
Omission Gluten Free Lager – 138 cal, 4.6% ABV
Third Shift Amber Lager – 159 cal, 5.3% ABV

Ale

Firestone Double Barrel Ale – 150 cal, 5% ABV
Lagunitas Censored – 202 cal, 6.75% ABV
HeBrew Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale – 168 cal, 5.6% ABV
Big Sky Montana Trout Slayer Ale – 150 cal, 5% ABV
Speakeasy Prohibiton Ale – 183 cal, 6.1% ABV

Decent Commercial Beers

Sam Adams Boston Lager – 141 cal, 4.8% ABV
Blue Moon Belgian White Ale – 162 cal, 5.4% ABV
Shock Top Belgian White – 156 cal, 5.2% ABV
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – 150 cal, 5% ABV
Guinness Draught - 123 cal, 4.1% ABV

charlieibeling

good post. thank you.

wheird

Brb, need new pants

kill3rtofu

awesome thanks@

LeahFerri

Beautiful.

As a side note, how does alcoholic beverage nutrition information make its way into the world? It's not like it's ever on the container...

jenbob555

I LOVE YOU. Craft beer is my weakness and it's so hard for me to not have a beer or two with dinner with my husband. I'm more partial to wheat beers but there's a lot of other good ones on here!

EDollah

Excellent list.

Just so you know, there's a group for craft beer fans here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/11910-craft-beer-and-home-brewing

I've been neglecting my favorite beers over the past few months but I'm one of the few people on the planet whose New Year's resolution included "drink more beer" as I aim to reintroduce it into my routine.

bajoyba

You can't see me, but I'm totally doing a happy dance right now.

I think we can go ahead and call this a Public Service Announcement.

:drinker:

phuckingbadasscutie

Love this post!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

jenbob555

Also, as an FYI, Third Shift is actually a MillerCoors beer...their attempt at making something that looks like a craft beer to cash in on how popular microbreweries are now.

TheSlorax

Also, as an FYI, Third Shift is actually a MillerCoors beer...their attempt at making something that looks like a craft beer to cash in on how popular microbreweries are now.

yeah, a couple are from bigger companies. like I said they're not technically "craft beer" but they're still fairly decent.

The_Enginerd

No mention of Guinness Draught? Only 125 calories per 12 oz. And feels like a meal.

TheSlorax

No mention of Guinness Draught? Only 125 calories per 12 oz. And feels like a meal.

what you mean the beer at the very bottom of my list?

I knew I had forgotten some really obvious ones... shhhh...

keysie1

I love you.

tempehforever

I love everything about this thread. Glad I am not the only one who refuses to give up good beer!

Beer, bagels, and bacon: three things I will always, always, always make room for in my diet.

rollbiz

Just wanted to say thank you SO MUCH for posting this list...! Good beer is always going to have a place in my diet and this has made my novice shopping experience much easier.

Cortelli

Great work! Thanks for this.

For those out drinking out keep in mind a pint is 1.33 of the 12oz amount.

Also - Slorax / Hayley - in your research did you come across a rational explanation for the reported calorie diff in Sierra Nevada Pale Ale draft versus bottle? I never did.

srslybritt

EddieHaskell97

As a fellow craft brewer, I thank you for this post! Nicely done!

kimmymayhall

Great list, thank you! My biggest problem is finding calories for local beers but ratebeer really does have a lot of good info.

jeffrodgers1

I think I just teared up a little...

Thanks!

TheSlorax

Great work! Thanks for this.

For those out drinking out keep in mind a pint is 1.33 of the 12oz amount.

Also - Slorax / Hayley - in your research did you come across a rational explanation for the reported calorie diff in Sierra Nevada Pale Ale draft versus bottle? I never did.

from what I understand, the draft version has less ABV. I think I actually messed up and posted the draft version's calorie count here rather than the bottled. my bad... the calorie count should be 168, not 150.

_errata_

The good news is that even on a strict diet of 1800 calories, that's at least 10-12 beers. Take a multivitamin and call it a day.


Pro Tip: Leave room for whisky. That's an important fact often overlooked by noobs.

hahaitsjessica

I'm in love with this post thank you!! You even posted a few from my town! Yay Deschutes!

morethanthis0

Thanks! I love beer, good list to have

eric_sg61

Thanks...........this needs stickied.

Heres for the domestic brahs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OaXo5wjSYc

TheSlorax

The good news is that even on a strict diet of 1800 calories, that's at least 10-12 beers. Take a multivitamin and call it a day.


Pro Tip: Leave room for whisky. That's an important fact often overlooked by noobs.

yes.

Slacker16

As a side note, how does alcoholic beverage nutrition information make its way into the world? It's not like it's ever on the container...

http://getdrunknotfat.com/

I can't vouch for the accuracy, but it has a pretty large database. TheSlorax already mentioned ratebeer.com. Some companies list nutritional info on their website.

P.S.

Pro Tip: Leave room for whisky. That's an important fact often overlooked by noobs.

No! Whisky mixes with cider, vodka mixes with beer (srs).

lebbyloses

Bumping for easy reference tonight.

Cre8veLifeR

I love beer! I also find that it's a great day-before-a-long-run carb fuel. :happy:

tracydr

Thanks! I love Guiness and also Four Peaks Hef. I'm excited to know that Guiness only has 125 calories. That's awesome! So much more satisfying than a glass of wine,too.