Our favorite light beer doesn’t even call itself a light beer. The Montanans behind this brew simply wanted to create something as crisp and refreshing as a mountain stream, and mild enough in strength to not slow down a day of adventure. The result is this snappy, slightly sweet lager that’s developed a cult following up and down the Rockies for good reason.
| Calories | 102 |
| Carbs | 5g |
| ABV | 4.1% |
Brewed with real grapefruit and ginger, Shiner’s Ruby Redbird is bright and tart while staying grounded in a lean lager base. While so many fruit beers are overly sweet and thick, this one is perfect for summer sipping. No wonder it comes from the Texas heat, and we can attest that these 85-calorie sipper is just delightful on a balmy Austin day.
| Calories | 85 |
| Carbs | 4.6g |
| ABV | 3.2% |
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This lime-infused brew elevates an already great light lager—the standard Sky Dog—with a hint of sea salt and sharp citrus. Something that goes really great with some fish tacos. It’s ideal for the sweatiest days but delivers in all conditions.
The craft beer veterans Sam Adams relaunched its low-cal offering last year with American Light—and I’ve been enjoying it since. It delivers on the promises so many light beer brands fail to deliver: Actual hop character and crisp, toasty malted barley. In other words, it tastes like real (good) beer.
| Calories | 115 |
| Carbs | 7g |
| ABV | 4.2% |
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It’s rare to find hoppy beer under 4 percent ABV, and even more surprising to find one worth celebrating. But this 2.9 percenter packs the grapefruit and pine hop character (courtesy of El Dorado and Mosaic hops) of a much bigger, boozier West Coast IPA in a parenting (or golfing or lawn mowing) friendly package.
| Calories | 94 |
| Carbs | 10g |
| ABV | 2.9% |
Throughout numerous trials over the years, no light beer was more effective at washing down grilled meats on a hot day than a colder-than-cold Coors Light. You know, like Rocky Mountains cold. And it’s not just a summer BBQ beer, in the off-season it’s also quite adept at quenching the heat of Buffalo wings.
| Calories | 102 |
| Carbs | 5g |
| ABV | 4.2% |
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Cole’s Light Lager from Wild Ride Brewing in Redmond, OR, is the most awarded light beer of the last decade. In 2023 and 2024, it’s taken gold and then silver at the World Beer Cup, and it’s easy to see why. This lager features doughy, toasty American malts with a hint of hops for balance. It’s clean and crisp, and not short on flavor.
| Calories | 120 |
| Carbs | 8g |
| ABV | 4.4% |
Amstel Light brings a little more body than many of its European light beer rivals, but still offers the refined character of the bready, German-style lager this Dutch brewery has been recreating and refining for more than four decades. Somehow something that’s never drank like a light beer clocks in at a very crushable 3.5 percent ABV.
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The first light beer to make it big, Miller Lite effectively defined the style as a bright and extra easy-drinking riff on the American lager 50 years ago this year. The European noble hops here are subtle, but the gently toasted malts provide a soft grainy sweetness that rounds out the flavor. It finishes clean with just enough bitterness to keep your interest.
| Calories | 96 |
| Carbs | 3.2 g |
| ABV | 4.2% |
Matt Allyn has written and edited for Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Men’s Fitness, Bicycling, Popular Mechanics, and Runner’s World magazines. He’s run 10 marathons and come heartbreakingly close to BQing three times. In addition to running, cycling, and never skipping leg day, he’s also covered beer for almost two decades and is a certified beer judge.
Ryan Brower is the Senior Gear and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he tests the best products in outdoor gear and tech. Baseball, surfing, and camping occupied most of his time growing up.
He also trained in martial arts for 12 years and holds a third degree black belt. He has written about the outdoors for nearly two decades and was previously the Managing Editor, Content Performance at Gear Patrol. He is also a Certified Beer Server and previously covered the craft beer industry. Ryan currently lives on the water in New Jersey with his wife and their dog.
