Taste Test: Light Beer
Cold beer just tastes better during the hot, steamy summertime. Light beers get a bad wrap on the flavor front, so we tested five popular brands (including the most requested ones from our Facebook fans) to see which brew tasted best. It was a hard job, but someone had to do it! Check out how your favorite brand measured up.
For this taste test, we looked at five popular light beers and focused on flavor and nutritional value. Each beer was scored on a five-point scale (with five being highest).
Light beer is often characterized as less flavorful and “watered down” when compared with its full-calorie counterparts, so we wanted to see if this was true across the board. As for the nutrition facts, all beer is naturally fat-free and contains minimal protein. It does vary in calories and carbs, so that’s what we looked at. Each beer cost the same at $1.75 per bottle, so price wasn't a factor.
Nutritional Info: 110 calories, 6.6 grams carbohydrates
Nutrition Info: 99 calories, 5 grams carbohydrates
Our Take: Corona Light definitely has a refreshing and light flavor that’s not much different from the regular version. It's typically served up with fresh lime, which makes it even more delicious.
Nutrition Info: 119 calories, 9.6 grams carbohydrates
Our Take: Our Facebook fans raved about this beer and boy, they were right. The malt taste takes over every gulp of this darker beer, which was the most flavorful of the bunch. The only downside? It was the highest in calories.
Nutrition Info: 96 calories, 3.2 grams carbohydrates
Our Take: As the motto goes, “ Great taste..Less filling” and we agree! This delightful light beer has a thicker and fuller flavor than many of the others. It also contains the least calories and carbs. A double bonus!
Nutrition Info: 99 calories, 6.8 grams carbohydrates
Our Take: If you're a regular Heineken drinker, you may be disappointed by this lager as it tastes like a watered-down version of the regular Heineken.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby's full bio »
