The phrase “light beer” probably conjures some not-so-great thoughts. Pints that taste more like metallic, yellow, fizzy water than actual beer. And the truth is that, historically, light beer has been just that — a borderline flavorless, low-calorie, and low-alcohol content brew that everyone tolerates and no one loves.
Truth be told, to make a beer that’s low in calories, you often do have to settle for a lot less flavor than you’d hope. But that isn’t always the case. To find the best light beers for spring, we figured the best course of action would be to get insight from the professionals who spend their days pouring pints and asked a few of our favorite bartenders to tell us the best light beers to drink this season.
Golden Road Mango Cart
Andrew Bone, bartender at Viceroy in Chicago
ABV: 4%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
I thoroughly enjoy Mango Cart from Golden Road Brewing out of Los Angeles. It’s a wheat beer brewed with mango. The mango is a nice addition without overwhelming the beer into a fruit cocktail.
Tasting Notes:
This refreshing summery beer is all about the mango aroma and mango and wheat flavor. Light, fruity, and extremely thirst-quenching.
Griffin Claw Madam
Cosimo Bruno, beverage curator at Daxton Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan
ABV: 5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
One of the most enjoyable light beers is the Madam Sorachi Ace Rice Lager by Griffin Claw. Ultra-crisp and smooth give this lager a rounded finish and a soft hop aroma. This is a lager that is easy to drink and won’t leave you feeling full.
Tasting Notes:
Crisp, sweet, refreshing, and highly drinkable. It’s the kind of beer you’d want to crack open on a hot spring day.
Miller Lite
Austin Jacobs, bartender at The London West Hollywood in Beverly Hills, California
ABV: 4.2%
Average Price: $8 for a six-pack
The Beer:
The best-tasting light beer is Miller Lite. It’s crushable but not afraid of a little flavor. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular light beers on the market.
Tasting Notes:
There’s still a malty pilsner backbone that gives it notes of toasted bread and light bitterness and makes it taste like something, something a lot of domestic light beers don’t.
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty
Thomas Muscolino, director of beverage innovation at Landmark Hospitality in Plainfield, New Jersey
ABV: 4%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Dogfish Slightly Mighty Lo-Cal IPA. It’s only 95 calories and 3.6g carbs without sacrificing all the hoppy flavors and tropical notes you’d expect from an IPA.
Tasting Notes:
This crushable, low-alcohol beer is high in flavor. It’s fruity, tropical, and gently hoppy. Perfect for warm spring days.
Krombacher Pils
Lauren Porto, Cicerone at The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles, Illinois
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Krombacher Pils is a classic 4.8% ABV light beer from Germany. Has a great crisp, clean taste that comes from the Felsquellwasser and Hallertau hops. It’s great for all occasions.
Tasting Notes:
It’s a light beer that has a great mix of fruity hop aromas that balance well with the malt taste. It’s pretty hard to beat.
Off Color Stoutling
Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago
ABV: 3.17%
Average Price: $8 for a 16-ounce can
The Beer:
A fun light beer is Stoutling from Off Color Brewing. It’s an Irish dry stout but it’s only 3.17% ABV and 100 calories in a 12-ounce can. It’s incredibly delicious and goes down easy.
Tasting Notes:
It has all the chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, and velvety mouthfeel of your favorite Irish dry stout with a very manageable, sessionable 3.17% ABV.
Modelo Especial
Drew Russ, head bartender at Venteux in Chicago
ABV: 4.4%
Average Price: $9 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Modelo Especial is a great light beer. Its light body profile makes it a perfect companion for the weekend Michelada. Its crisp, refreshing flavor also makes it a great accompaniment to yard games and good times with friends and family.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet malts and flavors of honey, light citrus, and floral hops make this a very sweet, easy-drinking, refreshing light beer.
Amstel Light
Mario Flores, beverage director at Maple & Ash in Chicago
ABV: 3.5%
Average Price: $9 for a six-pack
The Beer:
If I was to pick just one light beer, I would have to say Amstel Light. In my opinion, it has deeper flavors similar to malted barley and with an ABV of 3.8%, it’s a very crushable option so you can definitely enjoy a couple of these.
Tasting Notes:
Cereal grains, honey sweetness, wet grass, and lightly bitter, earthy, floral hops make Amstel Light one of the best, most crushable light beers on the market.
Alliance Club Lager
Randi Savage, bar manager at RT Lodge in Maryville, Tennessee
ABV: 4.6%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
Alliance Club Lager is a great light beer. It’s perfect for enjoying the warm spring weather out on the patio or deck. It’s crisp, refreshing, light, and oh-so-easy to drink.
Tasting Notes:
Made with four types of European hops, Club Lager is crisp, refreshing, easy to drink, and filled with citrus and floral flavors.
Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale
Caleb Hallman, restaurant manager at Society Cafe in New York City
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
The best light beer for a day in the park, pool party, or beach is definitely DogFish Head’s SeaQuench Ale. I have sold this beer at many of the places I have worked, and it is always a customer favorite in the warmer months.
Tasting Notes:
On the surface, it sounds like any other summer ale: tart, sour, light ABV. However, what makes this one unique is its brewed with black sea salt. This adds a savory profile and depth of flavor you won’t find in another summer ale.
