You may prefer beer over other alcoholic beverages for its lightness, but what it does to your calorie count may not be as light as you think! Learn more about this chilling drink and how many calories are contained within its amber-colored content.
“Beer is a living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” – Benjamin Franklin
Beer, its fizz, its aroma, and its taste makes you want more of it especially on a hot sunny afternoon. However, hav you ever wondered about how many calories it contains? This is a hop-flavored alcoholic drink (which I don’t think I need to mention – if you’re reading this!) made by brewing and fermenting starches (like barley, rice), malt, water, sugar, and yeast. Hop is the flower of the hop-vine and it acts as a natural preservative. It is added to the beer for its bitter taste and preservative properties. Yeast is added to ferment it. The water-content is about 90%. The percentage of alcohol normally ranges from 4% to 6% and from 1% to 20% in rare cases.
Types of Beer
There are several varieties of beer. The types usually depend on the place where they originate. The type also depends on its taste, color, alcohol content, and the yeast used in fermenting it.
- Ale: Ale is brewed from malted barley using the top fermenting yeast, which gives it a sweet and fruity taste. Usually it is brown or dark brown in color and the alcohol percentage ranges from 3-5%. Ale comes in varieties like Brown Ale, Scotch Ale, Mild Ale, Old Ale, and Belgian Ale.
- Bitter: Bitter is a British term for pale ale. Usually, the alcohol percentage ranges from 3% in mild bitter ales to 7% in the strongest ones. The color could range anywhere from golden brown to dark brown.
- Stout: Stout is a dark beer made by brewing roasted barley or malt, water, hop, and yeast. Stout used to be a generic term for describing the strongest varieties of beer.The alcohol percentage is about: 7-8%. Stout comes in different varieties like Irish Stout, Imperial Stout, Porter Stout, Milk stout, Oatmeal Stout, Chocolate Stout, Coffee Stout and Oyster Stout.
- Lager:Lager comes from the German word “Lagem” which means “to store”. Lager is a cool fermenting beer that is served chilled only after storing it for three weeks. Lager has its origin in Central Europe and pale lager is the most commonly consumed beer in the world. The alcohol content ranges between 4-6%. Lager comes in varieties like Pilsner, Export, and Marzen.
- Wheat: Wheat beer is brewed with large quantities of wheat. Malted barley is also used in this variety. The flavor depends on its style and is usually available in weissbier, witbier, and other sour varieties, such as lambic.
- Hybrid: Hybrids are the ones which are top fermented before cold conditioning. They are then lagered for consumption. Hybrids can also be bottom-fermented with a special yeast that ferments the beer at warmer temperatures.
- Draft: Draft is also called “tap beer”. Often the term, draft beer is misunderstood. Draft is basically a beer that is served from a bigger container like a keg or a cask through a tap.
- Non-Alcoholic: Beers containing less than 0.5% alcohol are called non-alcoholic beers according to the now-defunct Volstead Act.
Besides these, any type is available in two versions:
- Strong (Regular)
- Light (Mild)
Nutritional Value
You will be surprised to know that beer has some nutritional value. It contains sodium, carbohydrates, proteins, and even vitamins B2 and B6. Low-alcoholic varieties are also used in medicines for cancer patients.
| Beer Type | Calories Per Pint (16-ounce serving) | Carbohydrates(gm) | Proteins(gm) | Fat(gm) | Alcohol Content |
| Regular Beer | 150 | 13 | 1.5 | 0 | 5.0% |
| Light Beer | 100 | 6 | Less than 1 | 0 | 3.1% |
Eye-opening Facts about Beer
- Beer is a fat-free and cholesterol-free alcoholic beverage.
- It is the most popular drink in the world after tea and coffee.
- It also has a relaxing effect on the body thereby reducing stress and improving your sleep. However, you should not forget that it contains alcohol that may harm your liver, if consumed excessively.
- It helps prevent heart diseases and improves blood circulation, only if taken in moderate quantities.
- Beer acts as the best softening-conditioner for hair care.
Calories in Beer Comparison Chart
| Beer Type | Calories (Pint-16 ounce) |
| Lager | 150 |
| Stout | 195 |
| Pale Ale | 147 |
| Wheat Beer | 165 |
| Draft Beer | 126 |
| Porter Beer | 200 |
The above chart is based on a serving of 16 ounces per serving, which is commonly served in a pint. The calories within a glass may vary depending upon the size and dimension of a beer mug. To know how many calories are contained within each bottle, you should multiply the calorie count of a pint (16 ounces) by 2.
Calorie Chart of Popular Brands
| Brand | Alcohol Content (%) | Calories | Carbohydrates(gm) |
| Budweiser | 5.0 | 145 | 10.6 |
| Bud Light | 4.1 | 110 | 6.5 |
| Heineken Lager | 5.0 | 150 | 11.5 |
| Corona Extra | 4.6 | 148 | 13.99 |
| Foster’s Lager | 5.1 | 156 | 11.0 |
The above chart is for a 16 ounce serving. Again, to find out how many calories are contained per bottle (750 ml) of each of these brands, multiply the calorie-count by 2.
Beers With the Highest Calorie Count
- Sierra Nevada Bigfoot: 330 calories
- Samuel Adams Boston Lager: 180 calories
Beers With the Lowest Calorie Count
- Beck’s Premier Light: 64 calories (Lowest!)
- Amstel Light: 95 calories
I hope all the beer lovers who are reading this will now take care of their calorie intake. There is nothing wrong in drinking beer as long as you know the limits and hazards of excessive drinking. So, the next time you have an old school reunion with clinking beer mugs in your hands, and memories being cherished, don’t forget the calories you are consuming with each memory! For all those who cannot remember the calorie counts I have composed the conclusion in the following verse.
So, drink the pint;
‘Cause it’s one of its kind’
But don’t lose your mind,
‘Else your belly will unwind!
Cheers folks!