Calories In A Pint Of Beer

Beer calories: How Many Calories Are In My Beer? 

Beer, the delicious amber nectar that we all know and love, is packed with all sorts of nutrients. And like all beverages it also contains calories, the units of energy that the body needs for fuel. If you’ve ever wondered just how many calories are in your beer, this article is for you. We’re going to tell you everything there is to know about calorie consumption and your favourite brew.

The truth about beer and calories 

As common wisdom would suggest, the only time you should be worried about the calories in your beer is if you’re drinking it in large amounts, or if you’re on a strict diet designed to encourage weight loss. In the latter case, you’ll probably be eager to know just how many calories are in that lovely frothy beer you hold in your hand. The answer will depend on: 
 

• How much beer you’re drinking – a bottle of beer is going to have significantly less calories than a full pint. We;re going to focus mainly on bottles in this article as that’s what we specialise in here at Beers of Europe. 
• How much alcohol is in your beer – alcohol contains fat, which of course contains calories. 
• What type of beer you’re drinking – whether it’s ale, lager or bitter, for example. 

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s also important to factor in what you’re eating along with your beer. A bottle of Belgian wheat beer with a fish dish, or an IPA with a nice curry are going to taste delicious, but remember that your body is going to burn alcohol as fuel first, before any other nutrients, so the excess glucose and lipids from your meal may well end up being stored as fat. For the best results, pair your low calorie beer with a low calorie meal and a healthy lifestyle.
 
On average, how many calories are there in a pint of beer?

That’s a great question. Before we go into any specifics, here’s an answer that will help: according to the NHS, the average pint of 5% strength beer contains around 215kcal, which is the equivalent of 1 packet of McCoy’s salted crisps. 

How many calories are in a 330 ml bottle or can of beer?

Good news – if you’re drinking bottled or canned beer you can probably find out the exact amount of calories it contains on the label. SImple, and straightforward – we love it!
 
If you’re curious, here are some of the most popular bottled and canned beers and their calorie content for a 330ml serving:
  

• Budweiser contains 145 calories 
• Coors contains 149 calories 
• Corona Extra contains 148 calories 
• Heineken contains 148 calories 
• Stella Artois contains 154 calories 

Which beers contain the least calories? 

We know what you’re thinking: which beers are safe to drink and won’t play havoc on my waistline? The simple answer is to go for “light” beers – usually these are light in alcohol and in calories. Here are some examples for a 330ml serving of well-known light beer:
 

• Beck’s Premier Light beer contains 64 calories 
• Miller Light contains 96 calories 
• Amstel Light contains 96 calories
• Coors Light contains 102 calories 

When looking for a low calorie beer it’s best to choose something that has an alcohol content of between 4 and 5 percent (and here’s a tip for you: anything lower than this will probably taste a bit watered down, so be prepared). If you’re really keen to lower your calorie intake without giving up beer completely, you could switch to non-alcoholic beers. These are lower in calories simply because they lack one of the most calorific ingredients in beer: alcohol. Consider these two examples: 
 

• 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%)

Lastly, choosing a bottle over a pint is going to be easier when it comes to calculating your overall calorie intake over the course of a night out, as bottles are usually a standard 330ml serving size and, as we mentioned, they also have a label that includes the calorie content. 

Which beers have the lowest calories? 

It’s important to remember that not all beers are created equal. Some types of beer are inevitably higher in calories than others, thanks to their ingredients and how they’re fermented. Put simply, your beer is made from sugars and starches, and these translate into calories. Here is a rough guide to the beers that are the most calorific, in the order of least calories to most:
 

• Brown ale 
• Ordinary strength Lager
• Bitter
• Pale ale
• Dry cider
• Sweet cider
• Stout
• Premium strength lager
• Belgian brews

How to burn off calories in beer 

After reading all that, you’re probably wondering how on earth you’re going to burn off the calories from your next delicious bottle of beer and avoid gaining weight. As always, the answer is a regular exercise routine and a healthy lifestyle. According to the health conscious folks at Men’s Health magazine, to burn off a 180-calorie pint of beer, you’ll need to do one of the following: 
 

• 14 minutes of running
• 17 minutes of swimming
• 20 minutes of football
• 28 minutes of cycling
• 29 minutes badminton
• 44 minutes of walking

We hope you enjoyed this quick and simple guide to the calories in beer. If you’re craving a delicious cold brew after all that, you’ve come to the right place. We stock tons of low calorie beers, light beers and non-alcoholic beers over at the store. Hop over now and pick out the perfect one for you!