This is how to determine calories in beer...

Paolinat
Paolinat Posts: 81 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
BEER CALORIE CHEATSHEET

fl. oz. *ABV(Alcohol By Volume) = potency / 60 = beers * 150 C = Estimated Calories.

With an average beer (indicated as beers below) at 5% in a 12 fl oz size coming out to about 150 calories on average, applying this formula to a standard brew (e.g. a Budweiser) works like this:

A 12 fl. oz. Budweiser * 5% ABV = 60 (potency)/ 60 = 1 beers * 150 Calories = 150 estimated Calories

Based very much on the idea that we know grams of alcohol are specifically increasing along with ABV, even though grams of carbs/fat/protein if any may be staying the same or becoming less per volume in order to make room for the alcohol grams, we can gather that calories are increasing along with ABV. You might not have known but calories per gram of alcohol are similar to fat grams, and here’s some nutritional science on that:

Calculating calories per gram of carbohydrates, fat or protein is easy. All you need to remember is that:

* 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
* 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
* 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
* 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories
Address : http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/how-count-calories-per-gram.html

So with this in mind, we can derive a scale with which we can fairly accurately guess at the caloric content of beers according to the ABV rating, which is usually able to be determined via thebottle or web site.

12*5% = 60 / 60 = 1.0 * 150 = 150C (e.g. Budweiser American Ale)
12*6% = 72 / 60 = 1.2 * 150 = 180C (e.g. half a Rogue Shakespeare Stout)
12*7% = 84 / 60 = 1.4 * 150 = 210C (e.g. Sierra Nevada Torpedo)
12*8% = 96 / 60 = 1.6 * 150 = 240C (e.g. Russian River Pliny the Elder)
12*9% = 108 / 60 = 1.8 * 150 = 270C (e.g. half a Brooklyn’s Local 2)
12*10% = 120 / 60 = 2.0 * 150 = 300C (e.g. half a Brooklyn Black Ops)
12*11% = 132 / 60 = 2.2 * 150 = 330C (e.g. Rochefort Trappistes 10 Ale)
12*12% = 144 / 60 = 2.4 * 150 = 360C (e.g. Dogfish Head Santo Palo Marron)
12*13% = 156 / 60 = 2.6 * 150 = 390C
12*14% = 168 / 60 = 2.8 * 150 = 410C
12*15% = 180 / 60 = 3.0 * 150 = 440C
12*16% = 192 / 60 = 3.2 * 150 = 470C
12*17% = 210 / 60 = 3.4 * 150 = 500C (e.g. Mikkeller 黑)
12*18% = 222 / 60 = 3.6 * 150 = 530C (e.g. half a Dogfish Head World Wide Stout)
12*19% = 234/ 60 = 3.8 * 150 = 560C
12*20% = 246 / 60 = 4.0 * 150 = 590C
12*21% = 258/ 60 = 4.2 * 150 = 620C (e.g. Dogfish Head’s 120 Minute IPA)

Of course if you are drinking from pint classes, that 12 turns into a 16, etc...

With this, we can deduct that a 12 fl oz Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (at a whopping 21% ABV) is a bit less than 2x our caloric rating for a 12 fl oz at 11% ABV (660C) or 12% ABV (720C). No matter, one bottle is about a third of a 2000 calorie daily diet.

Replies

  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
    Holy crap! That's complicated. Thanks for all the info, but I'll just read the label on the bottle. :wink:
  • bump
  • carrieliz81
    carrieliz81 Posts: 489 Member
    Wow, that's a lot of math. :)
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    Good info since when I drink beer it is mostly draft (and I don't have a bottle label to refer to).
  • I really appreciate this information!! And that it's not that difficult to remember!!
  • crobinson53
    crobinson53 Posts: 164
    Thanks for posting this!!!
  • dleithaus
    dleithaus Posts: 107 Member
    I really appreciate this.

    I generally just assume the beer I drink has 180-200 calories per bottle, and this current math proves this out. I was surprise that a number of higher gravity (gravity = alcohol content for those not in the brewing world), were already present on MFP. Running your quick math puts it within 10% of what is reported by the brewer, and more than often spot on....

    Where did you run across this current calculation??
  • jmtp
    jmtp Posts: 26 Member
    bump
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    I love beer, it tastes good and i have no intention of having to become a biochemist to tell me that LOL.
  • dleithaus
    dleithaus Posts: 107 Member
    Anyone know if there is an app on Android for this....?
    Made it into a simple excel sheet, but would like some fancy buttons...
  • bmvaughn206
    bmvaughn206 Posts: 8 Member
    Easiest way..

    Size * Alcohol% * 200 = Calories

    So in a pint of 6.6% beer,
    16 * 6.6% * 200 = 211 calories

    I've seen the coefficient of 200 above quoted anywhere between 200 and 250 (notice the original post has it as 250).

    I believe it's closer to 200 myself (since there are 28.3g to the ounce, and 7 calories per gram, or 198 calories per ounce of alcohol). Then just figure out how much pure alcohol in the beverage - though there could be some additional caloric content not from alcohol, so perhaps using a number closer to 225 would be a good compromise.
  • FYI: A lot of really strong beers come in 8oz serving sizes, so they are high in cal, but smaller serving size. A pint of 21% beer will probably inhibit your ability to drive home!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    bumpity bump
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