Light beers often have fewer calories and carbs than darker ones.

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In This Article

    Beck's
  
    Blue Moon
  
    Budweiser
  
    Busch
  
    Coors Light
  
    Corona
  
    Golden Monkey
  
    Heineken
  
    Hoegaarden
  
    Kingfisher
  
    Natural Light
  
    Newcastle Brown Ale
  
    Red Stripe
  
    Samuel Adams
  
    Shiner Bock
  
    Stella Artois
  
    Tecate
  
    Weiss
  Alcohol contains calories while offering little to no nutritional value — after all, when you drink a brew, you're really only getting calories from carbs and alcohol. So how many calories are in a beer? Ultimately, the amount of calories in beer depends on the type, brand and how much alcohol the beer contains.

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 The typical beer serving size is 12 ounces, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — and most brands offer both cans and bottles in this size.

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  How Many Calories Are in Beer? It Depends...

While a 12-ounce light beer can be a low-cal choice with about 103 calories, regular beer can be significantly higher, at 153 calories — and high-alcohol and craft beer can clock in at up to 350 calories per serving, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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 Before cracking open a cold one, check out this guide to the carbs and calories in beer.

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Beck’s​ 146 10.4 g, 3% Daily Value (DV) 5% Alcohol By Volume (ABV) ​Blue Moon​ 170 14 g, 5% DV 5.4% ABV ​Budweiser​ 145 10.6 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Busch​ 114 6.9 g, 3% DV 4.3% ABV ​Coors Light​ 102 5 g, 2% DV 4.2% ABV ​Corona​ 148 13.9 g, 5% DV 4.6% ABV ​Golden Monkey​ 274 21.9 g, 8% DV 9.5% ABV ​Heineken​ 142 11 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Hoegaarden​ 159 11.7 g, 4% DV 4.9% ABV ​Kingfisher​ 141 11.3 g, 3% DV 4.8% ABV ​Natural Light​ 95 3.2 g, 1% DV 4.2% ABV ​Newcastle Brown Ale​ 142 12 g, 4% DV 4.7% ABV ​Red Stripe​ 139 12 g, 4% DV 4.7% ABV ​Samuel Adams​ 175 18 g, 6% DV 4.9% ABV ​Shiner Bock​ 141 12.4 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Stella Artois​ 141 10.9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Tecate​ 85 12 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Weiss​ 156 9 g, 3% DV 5.3% ABV Beck’s A Pilsner, Beck’s beer was first brewed in the 1870s by Heinrich Beck in the Bremer Kaiser brewery in Germany, according to the brand website. Even today, Beck’s brews its beer according to the German Reinheitsgebot (or purity law), which limits brewers to four ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water.

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  ​Per 12 oz.​

Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Beck’s Original​ 146 10.4 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Beck’s Premier Light​ 64 3.9 g, 1% DV 2.3% ABV ​Beck’s NA​ 57 11 g, 4% DV 0.05% ABV ​Beck’s Oktoberfest​ 151 10.8 g, 4% DV 5.2% ABV Blue Moon Blue Moon is a Belgian-style white beer that contains coriander, orange peel, oat and wheat, which lends the brew a fruity taste that’s refreshing for summer. The brand recommends garnishing the ale with an orange slice to heighten the citrus notes and flavors.

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  ​Per 12 oz.​

Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Blue Moon Belgian White Ale​ 170 14 g, 5% DV 5.4% ABV ​Mango Wheat​ 175 15.7 g, 6% DV 5.4% ABV ​Blue Moon Light Sky​ 95 3.6 g, 1% DV 4% ABV Budweiser Budweiser, brewed by Anheuser-Busch in multiple locations across the U.S., is one of the top-selling beers in the country, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights. Budweiser is a medium-bodied, American-style lager that’s brewed with barley malt, hops and rice. Both a can and a bottle of Bud Light are 12 ounces. You’ll get about 147 calories in a pint of Bud Light (16 ounces).

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  ​Per 12 oz.​

Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Budweiser​ 145 10.6 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Bud Light​ 110 6.6 g, 2% DV 4.2% ABV ​Bud Light Orange​ 142 14.3 g, 5% DV 4.2% ABV ​Budweiser Nitro Gold​ 167 15.2 g, 5% DV 5% ABV ​Budweiser Select​ 99 3.1 g, 1% DV 4.3% ABV ​Budweiser Select 55​ 55 2 g, 1% DV 2.4% ABV ​Budweiser Chelada​ 151 15.6 g, 5% DV 4.2% ABV ​Budweiser Zero​ 50 11.5 g, 4% DV 0% ABV Busch Fun fact: Busch beer was the first that Anheuser-Busch released after Prohibition, in 1955. In those days, the brew was called Busch Bavarian — it wasn’t known as Busch beer until 1979. Busch beer is made from just four ingredients: water, barley, rice and hops. You’ll get 95 calories in a can of Busch Light.

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  ​Per 12 oz.​

Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Busch​ 114 6.9 g, 3% DV 4.3% ABV ​Busch Light​ 95 3.2 g, % DV 4.1% ABV ​Busch Ice​ 136 4.2 g, 1% DV 5.9% ABV ​Busch NA​ 60 12.9 g, % DV 0.4% ABV Coors Light Coors Light was introduced by the Coors Brewing Company in 1978 as a response to the nation’s growing interest in fitness and nutrition. Because the silver-toned can caught the eyes of many Americans, the brew soon earned the nickname “Silver Bullet.” A 12-ounce can of Coors Light contains:

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​Calories:​ 102 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 5 g, 2% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content:​ 4.2% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Coors Light — with the “Cold as the Rockies” tag line — is based in Colorado. Coors Light is made with water from Rocky Mountain springs, Moravian barley malt, hop extracts, lager yeast and corn syrup (not high-fructose corn syrup).

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 There's no sodium in Coors Light, per LIVESTRONG.com's MyPlate app. You'll get about 136 calories in a pint of Coors Light. Regular Coors has 149 calories per 12-ounce can, or about 198 calories per pint.

Corona Launched in Mexico in 1925, this popular brand, often served with lime, is one of the top imported beers in the U.S. Corona is brewed with barley malt, non-malted cereals and hops.

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  ​Per 12 oz.​

Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Corona Extra​ 148 13.9 g, 5% DV 4.6% ABV ​Corona Light​ 99 4.8 g, 2% DV 4% ABV ​Corona Premier​ 90 2.6 g, 1% DV 4% ABV ​Corona Familiar​ 156 14.6 g, 5% DV 4.8% ABV ​Corona Hard Seltzer​ 90 0 g 5% ABV ​Corona Hard Seltzer Limonada​ 100 3 g, 1% DV 4.5% ABV Corona also offers 12-ounce hard seltzers — in Pineapple, Strawberry, Raspberry and Passionfruit flavors — that contain 90 calories, 0 grams of carbs and 0 grams of sugar each. Their Corona Hard Seltzer Limonadas, inspired by the traditional Mexican Limonada, come in Lemon Line and Strawberry flavors and contain 100 calories as well as 3 grams of carbs and 3 grams of sugar. Golden Monkey Golden Monkey, produced by the Victory Brewing Company (a craft brewery) in Pennsylvania, is a Pilsner boasting notes of banana and clove, balanced with earthy hops. The Sour Monkey is more tart, with notes of citrus. ​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Golden Monkey​ 274 21.9 g, 8% DV 9.5% ABV ​Sour Monkey​ 280 24 g, 9% DV 9.5% ABV Heineken The iconic green bottle beer has been brewed since 1873 and is made with barley, hops, water and a unique yeast. About 25 million Heineken beers are served daily across 192 countries, per the brand website. According to LIVESTRONG.com’s MyPlate app, a 12-ounce bottle or can of Heineken Original contains:

​Calories:​ 142 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 11 g, 4% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 5% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

You’ll get about 197 calories in a pint of Heineken. Hoegaarden Hoegaarden (pronounced “WHO-garden”) beer hails from Belgium, where it was first brewed by monks from the Hoegaarden area around 1445, per the brand site. Legend has it that the monks added orange peels and coriander to their sour wheat beer, eventually developing the famous recipe that exists now.

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 Today, about 90 percent of all the wheat beer in Belgium is from Hoegaarden, and the brand is sold across Europe, North America and Australia, as well as in Singapore and China.

A 12-ounce bottle of Hoegaarden contains:

​Calories:​ 159 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 11.7 g, 4% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 4.9% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Because it contains barley and wheat, Hoegaarden is not gluten-free (like most beers). Kingfisher The number one beer in India, Kingfisher was first brewed in 1857 by Castle Breweries in Mysore, according to the brand site. In the 1970s, the beer went international, and today, the brewing company is known as United Breweries. A 12-ounce bottle of Kingfisher beer contains:

​Calories:​ 141 calories ​Total carbohydrates:​ 11.3 g, 3% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 4.8% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

You’ll get 188 calories in a Kingfisher beer per liter (16 ounces). Natural Light Produced by Anheuser-Busch, Natural Light (also affectionately known as “Natty” Light) was introduced in 1977 as the company’s first reduced-calorie light beer, according to the brand site. To this day, it remains one of the best-selling light beer brands in the country, per American Craft Beer. A 12-ounce can of Natural Light contains:

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​Calories:​ 95 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 3.2 g, 1% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 4.2% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Newcastle Brown Ale Newcastle Brown Ale was first released in the 1920s in Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, where it quickly spread in popularity. Today, it’s the world’s leading brown ale, according to the manufacturer, Heineken. A 12-ounce bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale contains:

​Calories:​ 142 ​Total carbs:​ 12 g, 4% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 4.7% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Red Stripe Red Stripe is a lager-style beer brewed and bottled in Jamaica. Famous for its 11.2-ounce “stubby” bottles — with its characteristic diagonal red stripe — Red Stripe beer has grown in popularity throughout the world since it was first brewed in 1928. The beer is made from Pilsen malt, hops, cassava starch and water. An 11.2-ounce serving of Red Stripe contains:

​Calories:​ 139 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 12 g, 4% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 4.7% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Samuel Adams A favorite among American beer drinkers, Samuel Adams comes in both staple and seasonal varieties. The classic, though, is their Boston Lager, which debuted in 1984. ​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Sam Adams Boston Lager​ 175 18 g, 6% DV 4.9% ABV ​Samuel Adams Octoberfest​ 190 18.7 g, 7% DV 5.3% ABV ​Samuel Adams Winter Lager​ 193 20 g, 7% DV 5.6% ABV ​Samuel Adams Summer Ale​ 151 10.4 g, 3% DV 5.3% DV Shiner Bock Brewed in the town of Shiner, Texas (population: 2,069), Shiner beer has been available in the U.S. since 1909. The brewery offers many options, including black lager and blonde ale. Per 12 oz. Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Shiner Bock​ 141 12.4 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Shiner Bock Light Blonde​ 99 3.4 g, 1% DV 4% ABV Stella Artois Stella Artois beer has roots in the Den Hoorn brewery, which was founded in Leuven, Belgium in 1366. According to the brand’s history, the beer was first brewed as a gift to the townspeople (the name “Stella” means “star” in Latin ). Even today, the beer is brewed under the supervision of the brewmasters in Leuven, Belgium. ​Per 11.2 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Stella Artois​ 141 10.9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Stella Artois Solstice Lager​ 105 4.5 g, 2% DV 4.5% ABV ​Stella Artois Petite Lager​ 94 9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Stella Artois Cidre​ 180 22 g, 7% DV 4.5% ABV Tecate Tecate is a light beer that’s been brewed in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico for more than 60 years, according to the brand site. Today, the brand offers a number of beers, including Tecate Original (also referred to as Tecate red because the can is red), Tecate Michelada, Tecate Light and Tecate Alta. ​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content Tecate Original 141 12 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV Tecate Alta 85 2.4 g, 1% DV 4% ABV Tecate Light 110 7.9 g, 3% DV 3.9% ABV ​Tecate Michelada​ 170 19 g, 6% DV 4.1% ABV Weiss Erdinger Weissbier (translation: “white beer”) hails from Bavaria, Germany. A wheat beer, the brew blends spicy wheat aromas with slightly bitter hops and is left to mature in its bottle (the same way as Champagne) to help preserve it better. A 12-ounce bottle of Erdinger Weissbier contains:

​Calories:​ 156 ​Total carbohydrates:​ 9 g, 4% Daily Value (DV) ​Alcohol content​: 5.3% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)

Related Reading What Really Happens to Your Body When You Drink Beer Every Night

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  references
  
      U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Calorie Count – Alcoholic Beverages”
    
      Newcastle Brown Ale "Nutritional Values"
    
      Center for Science in the Public Interest: "Calories in Alcohol"
    
      Tecate: "Products"
    
      Erdinger Weissbier
    
      Red Stripe Lager Beer
    
      Shiner Bock
    
      Hoegaarden
    
      Budweiser
    
      Coors Light
    
      Calorie King: "Stella Artois"
    
      Corona
    
      Calorie King: "Samuel Adams Boston Lager"
    
      Natural Light
    
      Beck's
    
      Busch
    
      Bud Light
    
      Kingfisher
    
      Calorie King: "Blue Moon Belgian White Ale"
       




  references
  
      U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Calorie Count – Alcoholic Beverages”
    
      Newcastle Brown Ale "Nutritional Values"
    
      Center for Science in the Public Interest: "Calories in Alcohol"
    
      Tecate: "Products"
    
      Erdinger Weissbier
    
      Red Stripe Lager Beer
    
      Shiner Bock
    
      Hoegaarden
    
      Budweiser
    
      Coors Light
    
      Calorie King: "Stella Artois"
    
      Corona
    
      Calorie King: "Samuel Adams Boston Lager"
    
      Natural Light
    
      Beck's
    
      Busch
    
      Bud Light
    
      Kingfisher
    
      Calorie King: "Blue Moon Belgian White Ale"
    




Light beers often have fewer calories and carbs than darker ones.

Image Credit: andresr/iStock/GettyImages

Image Credit: andresr/iStock/GettyImages

  • Beck’s
  • Blue Moon
  • Budweiser
  • Busch
  • Coors Light
  • Corona
  • Golden Monkey
  • Heineken
  • Hoegaarden
  • Kingfisher
  • Natural Light
  • Newcastle Brown Ale
  • Red Stripe
  • Samuel Adams
  • Shiner Bock
  • Stella Artois
  • Tecate
  • Weiss

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Beck’s​ 146 10.4 g, 3% Daily Value (DV) 5% Alcohol By Volume (ABV) ​Blue Moon​ 170 14 g, 5% DV 5.4% ABV ​Budweiser​ 145 10.6 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Busch​ 114 6.9 g, 3% DV 4.3% ABV ​Coors Light​ 102 5 g, 2% DV 4.2% ABV ​Corona​ 148 13.9 g, 5% DV 4.6% ABV ​Golden Monkey​ 274 21.9 g, 8% DV 9.5% ABV ​Heineken​ 142 11 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Hoegaarden​ 159 11.7 g, 4% DV 4.9% ABV ​Kingfisher​ 141 11.3 g, 3% DV 4.8% ABV ​Natural Light​ 95 3.2 g, 1% DV 4.2% ABV ​Newcastle Brown Ale​ 142 12 g, 4% DV 4.7% ABV ​Red Stripe​ 139 12 g, 4% DV 4.7% ABV ​Samuel Adams​ 175 18 g, 6% DV 4.9% ABV ​Shiner Bock​ 141 12.4 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Stella Artois​ 141 10.9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Tecate​ 85 12 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Weiss​ 156 9 g, 3% DV 5.3% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Beck’s Original​ 146 10.4 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Beck’s Premier Light​ 64 3.9 g, 1% DV 2.3% ABV ​Beck’s NA​ 57 11 g, 4% DV 0.05% ABV ​Beck’s Oktoberfest​ 151 10.8 g, 4% DV 5.2% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Blue Moon Belgian White Ale​ 170 14 g, 5% DV 5.4% ABV ​Mango Wheat​ 175 15.7 g, 6% DV 5.4% ABV ​Blue Moon Light Sky​ 95 3.6 g, 1% DV 4% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Budweiser​ 145 10.6 g, 4% DV 5% ABV ​Bud Light​ 110 6.6 g, 2% DV 4.2% ABV ​Bud Light Orange​ 142 14.3 g, 5% DV 4.2% ABV ​Budweiser Nitro Gold​ 167 15.2 g, 5% DV 5% ABV ​Budweiser Select​ 99 3.1 g, 1% DV 4.3% ABV ​Budweiser Select 55​ 55 2 g, 1% DV 2.4% ABV ​Budweiser Chelada​ 151 15.6 g, 5% DV 4.2% ABV ​Budweiser Zero​ 50 11.5 g, 4% DV 0% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Busch​ 114 6.9 g, 3% DV 4.3% ABV ​Busch Light​ 95 3.2 g, % DV 4.1% ABV ​Busch Ice​ 136 4.2 g, 1% DV 5.9% ABV ​Busch NA​ 60 12.9 g, % DV 0.4% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Corona Extra​ 148 13.9 g, 5% DV 4.6% ABV ​Corona Light​ 99 4.8 g, 2% DV 4% ABV ​Corona Premier​ 90 2.6 g, 1% DV 4% ABV ​Corona Familiar​ 156 14.6 g, 5% DV 4.8% ABV ​Corona Hard Seltzer​ 90 0 g 5% ABV ​Corona Hard Seltzer Limonada​ 100 3 g, 1% DV 4.5% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Golden Monkey​ 274 21.9 g, 8% DV 9.5% ABV ​Sour Monkey​ 280 24 g, 9% DV 9.5% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Sam Adams Boston Lager​ 175 18 g, 6% DV 4.9% ABV ​Samuel Adams Octoberfest​ 190 18.7 g, 7% DV 5.3% ABV ​Samuel Adams Winter Lager​ 193 20 g, 7% DV 5.6% ABV ​Samuel Adams Summer Ale​ 151 10.4 g, 3% DV 5.3% DV

Per 12 oz. Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Shiner Bock​ 141 12.4 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV ​Shiner Bock Light Blonde​ 99 3.4 g, 1% DV 4% ABV

​Per 11.2 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content ​Stella Artois​ 141 10.9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Stella Artois Solstice Lager​ 105 4.5 g, 2% DV 4.5% ABV ​Stella Artois Petite Lager​ 94 9 g, 3% DV 5% ABV ​Stella Artois Cidre​ 180 22 g, 7% DV 4.5% ABV

​Per 12 oz.​ Calories Carbohydrates Alcohol Content Tecate Original 141 12 g, 4% DV 4.5% ABV Tecate Alta 85 2.4 g, 1% DV 4% ABV Tecate Light 110 7.9 g, 3% DV 3.9% ABV ​Tecate Michelada​ 170 19 g, 6% DV 4.1% ABV

What Really Happens to Your Body When You Drink Beer Every Night

      U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Calorie Count – Alcoholic Beverages”
    
      Newcastle Brown Ale "Nutritional Values"
    
      Center for Science in the Public Interest: "Calories in Alcohol"
    
      Tecate: "Products"
    
      Erdinger Weissbier
    
      Red Stripe Lager Beer
    
      Shiner Bock
    
      Hoegaarden
    
      Budweiser
    
      Coors Light
    
      Calorie King: "Stella Artois"
    
      Corona
    
      Calorie King: "Samuel Adams Boston Lager"
    
      Natural Light
    
      Beck's
    
      Busch
    
      Bud Light
    
      Kingfisher
    
      Calorie King: "Blue Moon Belgian White Ale"