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You are here: Home / Articles / Calories, carbohydrates and sugar in alcohol-free beer

Calories, carbohydrates and sugar in alcohol-free beer

By Tom Hallett on January 15, 2020

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Is non-alcoholic beer lower in calories, carbs and sugar?

Yes and no – one of the major benefits of alcohol-free and 0.5% beer versus standard ale and lager is that it contains fewer calories than its alcoholic equivalent.

This is because pure alcohol contains 56 calories per unit (7 calories per gram). So a pint of 4% ABV beer contains 129 calories from alcohol alone.

But, while alcohol-free beer is lower in calories than alcoholic beer, it’s not completely calorie-free.

Alcohol-free beers are also often higher in carbs and sugar.

In this article, we’ll look at what calories and carbs are and how an non-alcoholic beer’s ingredients affect how many calories it has and how much carbohydrates and sugar it contains.

Alcohol-free beer label showing calories

We’ll also look at the amount of calories, carbs and sugar in popular alcohol-free beers, ales and lagers and highlight the beers that are lowest in calories, carbs and sugar.

Contents

  • Calories in non-alcoholic beer
  • Carbs and sugar in non-alcoholic beer
  • Identifying the calories, carbs and sugar in non-alcoholic beer
  • Find non–alcoholic beers low in calories, carbs and sugar

Calories in non-alcoholic beer

What are calories?

Calories are a way of measuring the amount of energy in food and drink. When we consume more calories than we burn off, our bodies store this energy as fat.

Calories in food and drink come from four sources:

  1. Protein – 4 calories per gram
  2. Carbohydrates (including sugar) – 4 calories per gram
  3. Fat – 9 calories per gram
  4. Alcohol – 7 calories per gram (or 56 per unit of alcohol)

Calories in non-alcoholic beer vs alcoholic beer

There’s almost always no fat in beer, so the calories in it come from alcohol, carbohydrates and protein.

And, as there’s little to no alcohol in alcohol-free beer, it’s much lower in calories than an equivalent alcoholic beer.

For example, there’s:

  • 225 calories in a 500ml bottle of standard Adnam’s “Ghost Ship” (4.5%) vs 115 in a 500ml bottle of Adnam’s “Ghost Ship Alcohol-Free” (0.5%)
  • 139 calories in a 330ml bottle of standard Heineken (5%) vs 69 calories in a 330ml bottle of Heineken “0.0” (0%)
  • 122 calories in 330ml bottle of Carlsberg (3.8%) vs 73 calories in a 330ml bottle of Carlsberg “0.0” (0%)
  • 132 calories in a 330ml bottle of Bitburger Pils (4.8%) vs 73 calories in a 330ml bottle of Bitburger “Drive” (0%)

The amount of calories in alcohol-free beer varies depending the amount of carbohydrates and protein it has. This depends on its base ingredients and how it’s produced.

For instance, wheat beers tend to have more protein while beers that have been fully fermented before having the alcohol removed will likely have less carbohydrates (in the form of sugar) than beers that use a yeast that doesn’t ferment all available sugars.

  • New to Steady Drinker? Start here…
  • My top non-alcoholic beers
  • Why you can’t get drunk on 0.5% alcohol-free beer
  • Is 0.5% ABV alcohol-free?

Also, some alcohol-free beers contain up to 0.5% alcohol. This equates to about 15 calories per pint in addition to the calories provided by protein and carbohydrates.

Therefore, while alcohol-free beers are generally lower in calories than beers that contain alcohol, the actual amount of calories varies.

Calories in non-alcoholic beer vs non-alcoholic drinks

As well as being lower in calories than standard beer, alcohol-free beer has fewer calories than many alternative soft drinks.

For example, most alcohol-free beers have about 10 to 35 calories per 100ml. Meanwhile:

  • tonic water has about 21 calories per 100ml
  • skimmed milk has about 37 calories per 100ml
  • orange juice has about 46 calories per 100ml
  • Cola has about 42 calories per 100ml

So while you won’t get some of the nutritional benefits that come with drinks like fruit juice and milk when you drink alcohol-free beer, it’s still a handy low-calorie alternative if you choose a lower-calorie option.

Alcohol-free beer has nutritional benefits too.

Carbs and sugar in non-alcoholic beer

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are one of three ‘macronutrients’ (along with protein and fat) that give us energy.

There are three types of carbohydrates – sugar, starch and fibre. In our diet, we get these carbs from grains, fruits, vegetables and milk.

Much of the carbs and sugar in non-alcoholic beer comes from malted grains – usually barley and wheat. They can also come from added sugars, such as lactose (milk sugar).

Carbs and sugar in non-alcoholic beer vs alcoholic beer

As alcohol contains no carbohydrates, non-alcoholic beers aren’t always lower in carbs than beers that contain alcohol.

In fact, they’re often higher in carbs than their alcoholic equivalents because – unlike most alcoholic beers – they usually contain sugar.

As mentioned above, this is down to the way they’re produced, where it’s more likely that sugar will survive the fermentation process.

For example, there’s:

  • 10.5g of carbs and 0g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of standard Heineken (5%) vs 15.8g of carbs and 4.3g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of Heineken “0.0” (0%)
  • 12.2g of carbs and 0g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of standard San Miguel (5%) vs 18g of carbs and 5.6g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of San Miguel “0.0” (0%)
  • 10.5g of carbs and 0g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of standard Peroni (5.1%) vs 17.5g of carbs and 10g of sugar in a 330ml bottle of Peroni Libera (0%)

These examples are all lager-style beers and it’s difficult to confirm the amount of carbs and sugar in other styles of alcoholic beer because producers of drinks over 1.2% ABV don’t need to declare this on the labelling.

The Shepherd Neame brewery is one producer that does publish the nutritional content of its beer. The carb and sugar content in its beers varies from around 14.5g of carbohydrates and 2.2g of sugar in a pint of Spitfire Kentish Ale (4.2%) to 27g of carbohydrates and 8g of sugar in a pint of 1698 (6.5%).

Carbs in non-alcoholic beer vs non-alcoholic drinks

So how does the carb and sugar content in non-alcoholic beer compare to other popular drinks?

Using our example drinks from earlier for comparison:

  • tonic water has about 4.9g of carbs per 100ml
  • skimmed milk has about 5g of carbs per 100ml
  • orange juice has about 10g of carbs per 100ml
  • Coca Cola has about 4.8g of carbs per 100ml

All of the carbs in these drinks are made up of sugars. But this isn’t the case with non-alcoholic beer, where the sugar content doesn’t always align with the carb content.

This is because beers contain carbs in the form of starch and fibre, as well as sugar.

Carb content in non-alcoholic beer

The carb content in non-alcoholic beer ranges from 0.4g per 100ml in beers like Drop Bear Brewing’s “Yuzu Pale Ale” to 8.6g per 100ml in Jupiler’s “0.0%” pilsner and De Halve Maan’s “Sportzot” Belgian blonde.

The average is about 4g of carbs per 100ml.

Sugar content in non-alcoholic beer

The sugar content in non-alcoholic beer ranges from trace amounts in beers such as Bitburger “Drive” (0%) lager to 5.1g per 100ml in Mikkeller’s Raspberry Limbo (0.3%) fruit beer.

The average is about 1.7g sugar per 100ml.

This makes almost all non-alcoholic beers lower in sugar than tonic water, skimmed milk, orange juice and cola.

And although many non-alcoholic beers contain more sugar than drinks such as squash and diet soda, most don’t contain questionable ingredients such as sweeteners, preservatives and colouring.

Is the sugar in non-alcoholic beer bad for you?

It seems strange to mention moderation when it comes to alcohol-free drinks. But the sugar you consume can soon mount up when you drink non-alcoholic beers that are higher in sugar.

But how much is too much?

The sugar in beer is known as a “free sugar”. Free sugars refer to any added sugars as well as the natural sugars in food and drink – except milk, and fruit and veg.

The NHS recommends adults don’t consume any more than 30g of free sugars a day.

This means just one pint of a beer such as Cobra “Zero” (3.5g of sugar per 100ml or 19.6g per pint) can account for the majority of your daily allowance of sugar.

Identifying the calories, carbs and sugar in alcohol-free beer

It’s usually easy to find out how many calories and how much carbs and sugar are in your alcohol-free beer.

In Europe and the UK, alcohol-free beer producers must include the nutritional content on the packaging (some smaller producers are exempt). In the US, this is optional but many do so voluntarily.

Calories will usually be listed as “kcals” (kilocalorie). The metric equivalent is “kj” (kilojoules), so you might see that listed too. 100 kcals equal 418 kj.

Carbs and sugar will usually be listed in grams (g).

The label will tell you the calorie, carb and sugar count in 100ml or 100g of beer. It might show figures per serving too – for example, per bottle.

Find non-alcoholic beers low in calories, carbs and sugar

The table below shows all of the non-alcoholic beers I’ve reviewed, along with their calorie, carb and sugar content.

Click or tap on the column headings to sort the beers by calorie count or amount of carbs and sugar to find non-alcoholic beers lowest in calories, carbs and sugar.

Beer nameCaloriesCarbs (g per 100ml)Sugar (g per 100ml)
Unltd "IPA" (0.5%) India pale ale410.1
Unltd "Lager" (0.5%) pale ale71.60.3
Drop Bear Brewing Co “Yuzu Pale Ale” (0.5%) pale ale7.50.40.1
Drop Bear Brewing Co "New World Lager" (0.5%) lager7.50.40.1
Drop Bear Brewing Co “Tropical IPA” (0.5%) India pale ale7.50.60.1
Brewdog “Nanny State” (0.5%) pale ale810.4
Thornbridge “Big Easy” (0.5%) pale ale80.80.1
Brewdog "Raspberry Blitz" (0.5%) sour beer91.50.6
Nirvana Brewery “Karma” (0.5%) pale ale91.70.1
Brewdog "Lost AF" (0.5%) lager1031.8
Infinite Session "Best" (0.5%) best bitter101.60.4
Mikkeller “Henry and His Science” (0.3%) pale ale101.70.1
Mikkeller “Racing Beer” (0.3%) lager102.70
Nirvana Brewery “Sutra” (0.5%) India pale ale10UnknownUnknown
Infinite Session “Pale” 0.5%) American pale ale113.32.8
Infinite Session “IPA” (0.5%) India pale ale112.21.8
Lowtide Brewing "DIPA Toe In" (0.5%) DIPA112.20.1
Furstenberg “Alkoholfrei” (0.5%) pale lager112.40.5
Laine Brew Co "King Limbo" (0.5%) India pale ale112.40.4
Kompaan "Badgast Ripped" (0.5%) American ale111.71.6
Toast "Lemongrass Lager" (0.5%)112.40.3
Mash Gang "I Am Become Death Destroyer of Worlds" (0.5%) NEIPA112.20.1
Infinite Session “Pils” (0.5%) pilsner123.32.8
Big Drop Brewing Co “Lager” (0.5%) lager121.40.8
Big Drop "Fieldhopper" (0.5%) golden ale121.20.1
Jump Ship Brewing "Yardarm" (0.5%) lager122.50.3
Adnams "Sole Star" (0.5%) amber ale131.50.2
Mikkeller “Weird Weather” (0.3%) NEIPA13UnknownUnknown
Beck's "Blue" (0.05%) lager133.10.2
The Hop Foundry (Aldi) "Low Down" (0.5%) IPL132.10.5
Doom Bar "Zero" (0%) amber ale133.21.1
M&S “Southwold (0.5%) pale ale131.40.2
Jever “Fun” (0.5%) pilsner132.10
Athletic Brewing Co "Upside Dawn" (0.5%) golden ale143.21.4
Brewdog "Hazy AF" (0.5%) NEIPA142.61.8
Budweiser "Zero" (0%) lager143.30.1
Force Majeure "Traditional Blond" (0.4%) Belgian blond1432.5
Ilkley Brewery "Virgin Mary" (0.5%) pale ale15UnknownUnknown
Laitilan "Kukko IPA" (0.5%) pale ale153.10.1
Nirvana Brewery “Tantra” (0%) pale ale15UnknownUnknown
Coast Beer "Farmhouse Ale" (0.3%) pale ale1543
Brewdog "Punk AF" (0.5%) India pale ale1531.8
Budweiser Budvar “B:Free” (0.5%) pale lager153.11.6
Impossibrew "Social Lager" (0.5%) lager152.90
Mikkeller “Drink’in the Sun” (0.3%) American pale wheat beer153.70
Brussels Beer Project "Pico Nova" (0.3%) west coast IPA163.51.4
Coast Beer Co "Hazy IPA" (0.3%) India pale ale1643.9
Big Drop Brewing Co "Sour" (0.5%) sour beer163.53
Drynks Unlimited "Smashed Pale" (0%) pale ale163.73.7
Fruh "0.0" (0%) kolsch163.1Unknown
Harviestoun "Wheesht" (0%) ruby ale161.80.1
Lucky Saint “Unfiltered Lager” (0.5%) lager163.50.1
Mikkeller “Energibajer” (0%) wheat beer163.70
Oersoep "Dodgeball" (0.3%) India pale ale163.73.6
Corona "Cero" (0%) lager173.90.7
The Hop Foundry (Aldi) "Low Profile" (0.5%) India pale ale173.20.5
Guinness "0.0" (0%) dry stout173.80.7
Jump Ship Brewing "Flying Colours" (0.5%) pale ale1730.3
Sainsbury’s "Low-Alcohol Czech” (0.5%) pilsner lager17UnknownUnknown
Shipyard "Low Tide" (0.5%) pale ale173.12.8
Big Drop "Citra IPA" (0.5%) India pale ale183.62
Binary Botanical 0.5 (0.5%) table beer183.60.1
Harvey's "Sussex Best Low Alcohol" (0.5%) bitter183.71.5
Hammerton" Zed" (0.5%) pale ale184.51.9
"Freestar" (0%) lager184.41.4
M&S/Adnams "Low Alc Pale Ale" (0.5%)184.20.1
Stella Artois Non-Alcoholic (0%) lager184.20.8
Rothaus “Non-Alcoholic Tannenzäpfle” (0.4%) pilsner183.50.1
Ambar "0.0 Gluten-Free" (0%) lager194.32.5
Athletic Brewing "Run Wild" (0.5%) India pale ale194.31.2
Fungtn "Lion's Mane IPA" (0.5%) India pale alehttps://steadydrinker.com/reviews/pale-ale/fungtn-lions-mane-ipa/190.60.3
Leeds Brewery “0PA” (0%) pale ale20UnknownUnknown
Innis and Gunn “Innis and None” (0%) pale ale204.73.7
Nirvana "Lager" (0.3%) Bavarian helles2041
Nirvana Brewery “Kosmic” (0%) stout204.82.8
Rok Soba "Zero Fear Beer" (0.5%) stout204.82.8
Big Drop Brewing Co “Pale Ale” (0.5%) pale ale203.62
"Free Damm" (0%) lager204.71.7
Heineken “0.0” (0.05%) pale lager204.81.3
Birra Moretti "Zero" (0%) lager204.41.2
Brutal Brewing "A Ship Full of IPA" (0%) India pale ale205.30.5
Pistonhead “Non-Alcoholic Flat Tire” (0.5%) lager204.30.5
Another Dimension "Pale Ale" (0.5%)212.70.9
Bristol Beer Factory "Clear Head" (0.5%) IPA214.50.9
Days Brewing Co "Pale Ale" (0%)214.52.3
Drop Bear Beer Co "Bonfire Stout" (0.5%) stout2132
Schneider Weisse “Alkoholfrei” (“Tap 3”) (0.5%) wheat beer2152
Franziskaner “Alkoholfrei” (0.5%) wheat beer214.41.8
Lidl “Perlenbacher 0.0” (0%) lager215.21.4
Pohjala "Tundra" (0.5%)214.81.2
Samuel Smith "Sam's Brown Ale" (0.5%)214.32.4
Brewdog "Wake Up Call" ("Stout AF") (0.5%) coffee stout224.52.7
Butcombe "Goram Zero IPA" (0.5%)224.52.4
Days Brewing Co "Lager" (0%)224.52.5
Force Majeure "Tripel" (0.4%)224.54
Guinness "Kaliber" (0.05%) pale lager22UnknownUnknown
Lervig "No Worries" (0.5%) pale ale224.94.5
Peroni "Libera" (0%) lager225.33
Sagres "Sem Alcool" (0.3%) lager224.92.6
Carlsberg “0.0” (0%) lager223.22.4
Kaiserdom "Lager Beer 0.0" (0%) lager224.80.4
Lindeboom "0.5%" (0.5%) pilsner224.52.3
"Old Speckled Hen Low Alcohol" (0.5%) bitter224.12
Bitburger "Drive Alcohol-Free" (0%)225.10
Aldi "Rheinbacher 0%" (0%) pilsner235.21.8
Aldi "Sainte Etienne Alcohol Free" (0%) lager235.21.8
Drynks Unlimited "Smashed Lager" (0%) lager233.13.1
Super Bock “Preta” (0.45%) stout235.62.7
Harvey's "Old Ale" (0.5%) ale235.22.5
Paulaner "Non-Alcoholic Hefe Weisse" (0-0.5%) wheat beer234.91.9
Super Bock "Non-Alcoholic" (0.5%) lager234.71
Adnams “Ghost Ship Alcohol Free” (0.5%) pale ale234.40.1
Sainsbury’s "Session Ale" (0.5%) pale ale234.62.9
To Øl "Implosion" (0.3%) pale ale233.43.4
To Øl "Under the Radar" (0.4%) farmhouse ale233.43.4
Cobra "Zero" (0%) lager245.53.5
Braxzz “Barrelled Bock” (0%) bock245.33.3
Bavaria “0.0%” (0%) pilsner245.83.1
Brumore "Weizen" (0%) wheat beer245.71.5
San Miguel “0.0” (0%) pilsner lager245.61.7
Sainsbury's "Pilsner Zero Alcohol" (0%) pilsner245.21.8
St Peter’s Brewery “Without Gold” (0.05%) golden ale245.30.1
Upflow "Toasted Malty Tide" (0.5%) pale ale24UnknownUnknown
Beavertown "Lazer Crush" (0.3%) IPA255.93
Erdinger “Alkoholfrei” (0.4%) wheat beer255.33.6
Braxzz “Porter” (0%)255.82.8
Hop & Hemp "Easy Times IPA" (0.5%) India pale ale2550.1
Hop & Hemp "Lowdown Lager" (0.5%) lager2550.1
Lidl Perlenbacher “Patronus” (0-0.5%) wheat beer255.42.7
Maisel’s "Weisse Alkoholfrei" (0.5%) wheat beer255.21.3
Uiltje "Superb-Owl" (0.2%) IPA255.93
Waterland "Low Alcohol IPA" (0.5%) IPA25UnknownUnknown
Big Drop "Hazelnut Porter" (0.5%)265.10.1
Brussels Beer Project "Pico Bello" (0.3%) lager265.72.2
"Cheers Branca" (0.5%) lager265.83.1
Stiegl "Freibier" (0.5%) lager265.63
Clausthaler "Unfiltered Dry Hopped" (0.5%) lager265.62.8
Clausthaler "Original" (0.5%) lager265.62.7
Krombacher "Low-Alcohol Pils" (0.5%) lager266.12.7
Mikkeller “Hallo, Ich Bin” (0.1%) Berliner weisse sour beer266.70
Veltins "Alkoholfrei" (0%) pilsner266.32.6
Braxzz "Orange IPA" (0.2%) India pale ale275.82.8
Braxzz "Rebel IPA" (0.2%) India pale ale275.82.8
Hoegaarden "0.0" (0.3%) wheat beer277.43.7
Ilkley Brewery "Nowt Mary" (0.5%) milk stout276.63
Mikkeller “Limbo Yuzu” (0.3%) fruit beer276.43.2
St Peter’s Brewery “Without Original” (0.05%) bitter276.41.6
Thornbridge “Little by Little” (0.5%) milk stout27.55.40.1
Lowenbrau “Alkoholfrei” (0.5%) lager28UnknownUnknown
Lowlander "Wit" (0.0%) wheat beer286.63.6
Big Drop Brewing “Stout” (0.5%) milk stout285.40.3
Guinness Open Gate Brewery "Pure Brew" (0.5%) lager2863
Krombacher "Weizen Alkoholfrei" (0.5%) wheat beer286.12.7
Nøgne Ø "Himla Humla" (0%) IPA2877
Nøgne Ø "Svart/Hvit" (0%) milk stout2877
Brooklyn Brewery "Special Effects" (0.4%) American amber lager296.32.9
Fungtn Brewing Co "Chaga Lager" (0.5%)29.53.42.9
Divine Brewing "Polaris" (0.5%) porter296.32.8
Vandestreek "Fun House" (0.5%) NEIPA295.92.7
Big Drop "Brown Ale" (0.5%) brown ale304.22.3
Big Drop “Winter Ale” (0.5%) ale304.22.3
Drynks Unlimited "Smashed Citrus" (0%) pale ale304.94.9
Fungtn "Reishi Citra Beer" (0.5%) pale ale303.42.9
Funky Fluid "Coffee Point Five" (0.5%) NEIPA306.32.5
Mikkeller "Beer Geek Flat White" (0.3%) sour beer306.92.9
Sambrook's "Stand Easy" (0.5%) NEIPA306.94.6
Vandestreek "Fruit Machine" (0.5%) sour beer306.93.8
Insel "Snorkeler’s Sea Salt IPA" (0.5%) India pale ale326.40.5
Insel "Surfers Summer Ale" (0.5%) summer ale326.40.5
Kehrwieder "ü.NN" (0.4%) India pale ale326.83.4
Kompaan "Stunt Double" (0.5%) India pale ale326.63.2
Insel "Swimmer's" (0.5%) saison326.50.5
Vandestreek "Playground" (0.5%) India pale ale326.63.2
Mikkeller "Drink'in the Snow" (0.3%) winter ale328.10.5
Coast "IPA" and "DDH IPA" (0%) India pale ales337.93.8
Insel "Skipper's" (0.5%) pilsner336.40.5
Omnipollo "Konx" (0.3%) pale ale337.70.5
Mikkeller "Raspberry Limbo" (0.3%) fruit beer348.45.1
Jupiler "0.0%" (0%) pilsner358.60.7
De Halve Maan "Sportzot" (0.4%) Belgian blonde408.61
Leffe "Blond 0.0" (0%) blond409.81.1
Mikkeller "Limbo Blueberry" (0.3%) fruit beer439.16.3
Omnipollo "Nyponsoppa" (0.3%) fruit beer62167.5

Related posts:

How much alcohol is in non-alcoholic beer?
5 alcohol-free beers for people who don't like beer
Why you can't get drunk on 0.5% alcohol-free beer (according to science)
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*If you buy something after you visit links marked with *, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

†Reviews marked with † feature beers I didn't pay for (usually because the producers gave them to me for free). My aim is to review these beers the same as beers I've paid for but you may want to bear this in mind when reading the review.

Find out more on my disclosures page.

About Tom Hallett

New(ish) dad, slow runner and Border Terrier owner (or is it the other way round?) on a mission to find the world's best low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers.

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