Beer calories are infamous for their effects on your belly. But, studies have shown that drinking beer is not the cause of a “beer belly”. The calories in beer are just like calories in other foods and drinks.
The problem is that people often drink beer excessively and/or irresponsibly. Drinking beer often involves eating snacks or fried foods which contain lots of fat.
And then there is the fact that alcohol consumption of any kind reduces the metabolization of other fats (those chips you ate with the beer).
Beer Calories-How Alcohol Affects You
Most of the beer alcohol you consume is absorbed into your blood quickly and heads straight for your liver where is converted to acetaldehyde which is then converted to acetate. Acetate is then used as fuel for your body.
That in and of itself isn’t bad, it’s the fact that the acetate is being used as fuel instead of your fat reserves, that is the problem.
There have been many studies done on alcohol’s effect on your body’s metabolism. One study showed that fat metabolism dropped by 73% for several hours after just two drinks and another study showed that a few drinks will reduce your fat loss for as long as four days.
So, not only does consuming the alcohol in beer put a stop to fat loss, guess what else is going on. The alcohol is also slashing your testosterone levels.
Just one night of heavy drinking can increase your body’s levels of a muscle-wasting hormone called cortisol and will increase the breakdown of testosterone for up to 24 hours.
And these effects on your testosterone levels are made worse if you exercise before drinking. The effects of alcohol on testosterone may be one reason why people who drink a lot usually have less muscle and more belly fat.
So what does this mean? It means that it is the alcohol in beer that is playing havoc on your metabolism, not the beer calories…
Maltose and the “Beer Belly”

Many believe that the calories in beer that come from maltose are the main culprit for their beer belly.
It is true, maltose is readily digested by your body and is quickly stored as fat. Several diet books have wrongly included beer as a primary source of dieting problems, claiming that the maltose in beer has a glycemic index of 110. That’s 10 more than glucose, and that therefore beer has a glycemic index of 110 and is bad for you. Claiming that beer calories are all from maltose is absurd. Beer is mostly water with some hop oils and a very small percentage of sugars, including maltose.
Most research today reveals that the “beer belly” is caused by overeating and lack of muscle tone. It’s just as easy for non-beer-drinkers who overeat and don’t exercise to get a “beer gut” as it is for beer drinkers.
Can Beer Calories Actually Be Good For You?
Can beer calories actually be good for you? Well, in the early days of brewing, beer was made by the monks to supply needed nutrients during fasting and was called liquid bread.
Beer is made from brewer’s yeast which is known to be a rich source of nutrients.
In fact, it is true that some beer calories can contain significant amounts of nutrients, including magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and B vitamins. But, be aware that some sources claim that filtering beer removes many of these nutrients.
Some research about beer calories say that moderate intake of low alcohol beer provides strong anti-cancer benefits and intake of beer in general will provide cardiovascular benefits as well.
There is some research showing that it may be something in the beer besides the alcohol, but most research relates the benefits to the alcohol in beer.
Conclusion
What’s the conclusion of all this information about calories in beer? If you don’t exercise regularly, are genetically predisposed to be large (have big bones), or are getting on in years, you need to watch how much you drink (how many beer calories you ingest) and what you eat while you drink and for the next day or so afterward.
Use common sense when drinking. If you drink in excess, you will have to reduce calorie intake for a while and exercise to negate the effects of the beer calories in the alcohol.
It all comes down to moderation and focus. Keep your intake of beer calories moderate and focus on negating the effects with exercise and proper eating habits to stay slim.
Calories, Carbs, and Alcohol in Your Favorite Beers
Have you ever asked yourself, “how many calories are in a Bud Light”? Or, what about regular Budweiser calories? Or how many calories are in a light beer, or how many calories are in a bottle of beer? (You’ll have to be a little more specific than that…)
So how many beer calories and beer carbohydrates are in your favorite beer anyway.
Here is a table which shows some of the major brands along with their beer calories per 12 oz. serving and associated beer carbohydrates when available. Keep in mind that breweries may change these numbers by altering various aspects of their recipes, but the numbers will be very close to those published.
Brewery | Beer | ABV% | Cal. | Carbs |
Amstel Light | Amstel Light | 3.5 | 95 | 5 |
Anchor | Anchor Steam | 4.9 | 152 | |
Anchor | Liberty Ale | 6.0 | 188 | |
Anchor | Anchor Porter | 5.6 | 205 | |
Anchor | Old Foghorn | 8-10 | ||
Anchor | Anchor Small | 3.3 | ||
Anderson Valley | Boont Amber | 5.8 | ||
Anderson Valley | Hop Ottin’ | 7.0 | ||
Anderson Valley | Poleeko Gold | 5.5 | ||
Anderson Valley | Belk’s ESB | 6.8 | ||
Anderson Valley | Barney Flats Oatmeal | 5.7 | ||
Anderson Valley | Winter Solstice | 6.9 | ||
Anderson Valley | High Rollers Wheat | 5.3 | ||
Anderson Valley | Deep Enders Porter | 5.5 | ||
Beamish | Beamish Stout | 3.8 | 131 | |
Beck’s | Beck’s | 5.0 | 143 | |
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Two Hearted Ale | 7.0 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Amber Ale | 5.5 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Pale Ale | 5.0 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo Stout | 6.5 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Oberon | 6.0 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Double Cream Stout | 7.5 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Third Coast Old Ale | 10.2 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Expedition Stout | 10.0 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Best Brown Ale | 5.8 | ||
Bell’s/Kalamazoo | Cherry Stout | 8.0 | ||
Blue Moon | Blue Moon White | 5.4 | 171 | 12.9 |
Breckenridge | Avalanche Amber | 5.4 | ||
Breckenridge | Autumn Ale | 6.7 | ||
Breckenridge | Pale Ale | 5.7 | ||
Breckenridge | Christmas Ale | 7.4 | ||
Breckenridge | Oatmeal Stout | 5.0 | ||
Breckenridge | Pandora’s Bock | 5.8 | ||
BridgePort | IPA | 5.5 | ||
BridgePort | Porter | 5.5 | ||
BridgePort | ESB | 6.1 | ||
BridgePort | Black Strap Stout | 6.0 | ||
BridgePort | Blue Heron | 4.9 | ||
BridgePort | Pintail Ale | 5.2 | ||
BridgePort | Ebenezer Ale | 6.4 | ||
BridgePort | Old Knucklehead | 8.9 | ||
Budweiser (U.S) | Budweiser | 5.0 | 143 | 10.6 |
Budweiser | Bud Light | 4.2 | 95 | 6.6 |
Budweiser | Bud Ice | 5.5 | 148 | 8.9 |
Budweiser | Bud Ice Light | 4.1 | 110 | 6.5 |
Budweiser Budvar | Budvar | 5.0 | ||
Busch | Busch | 4.6 | 133 | 10.2 |
Busch Light | Busch Light | 4.2 | 110 | 6.7 |
Busch Ice | Busch Ice | 5.9 | 173 | 13 |
Clausthaler | Clausthaler | 0.4 | 96 | 5.8 |
Colt 45 | Colt 45 Malt Liquor | 6.0 | 172 | |
Coors | Coors Original | 5.0 | 148 | 11.3 |
Coors | Coors Light | 4.2 | 102 | 5.0 |
Coors | Coors Extra Gold | 5.0 | 147 | 10.7 |
Coors | Coors NA | <0.5 | 73 | 14.2 |
Corona | Corona Light | 4.5 | 109 | 5 |
Corona | Corona Extra | 4.6 | 148 | |
Czechvar | Czechvar | 5.0 | ||
Deschutes | Cascade Ale | 4.5 | 140 | |
Deschutes | Mirror Pond Pale | 5.3 | 175 | |
Deschutes | Bachelor ESB | 5.0 | 180 | |
Deschutes | Black Butte Porter | 5.2 | 185 | |
Deschutes | Quail Springs IPA | 5.8 | 200 | |
Deschutes | Obsidian Stout | 6.7 | 220 | |
Deschutes | Jubelale | 6.7 | ||
Deschutes | Broken Top Bock | 7.0 | 233 | |
Deschutes | Pine Mountain Pils | 5.1 | 154 | |
Deschutes | Cinder Cone Red | 5.8 | 180 | |
Dos Equis | Dos Equis XX | 4.8 | 145 | |
Dragon Stout | Dragon Stout | 6.8 | 220 | |
Edison Light | Edison Light | 4.0 | 109 | 6.5 |
Foster’s | Foster’s Lager | 5.1 | 156 | |
Fuller’s | Fuller’s ESB | 5.9 | ||
Fuller’s | Fuller’s London Pride | 4.7 | 156 | |
Genesee/High Falls | Genesee 12 Horse | 4.8 | 152 | 14 |
Genesee/High Falls | Genny Light | 3.6 | 96 | 5.5 |
Genesee/High Falls | Kipling Light Lager | 3.4 | 99 | 8.0 |
Grolsch | Grolsch | 5.0 | 156 | |
Gordon Biersch | Märzen | 5.7 | ||
Gordon Biersch | Blonde Bock | 7.0 | ||
Gordon Biersch | Pilsner | 5.3 | ||
Guinness | Guinness Draught | 4.0 | 125 | 10 |
Guinness | Foreign Extra Stout | 7.5 | 176 | 14 |
Hamm’s | Hamm’s | 4.7 | 144 | 12.1 |
Hamm’s | Hamm’s Light | 4.1 | 110 | 7.3 |
Heineken | Heineken | 5.4 | 166 | 9.8 |
Heineken | Heineken Light | 3.5 | 99 | 6.8 |
Henry Weinhard’s | Weinhard’s Amber Ale | 5.3 | 169 | 14 |
Henry Weinhard’s | Weinhard’s Dark | 4.8 | 150 | 13.1 |
Henry Weinhard’s | Weinhard’s Hefeweizen | 4.9 | 128 | 9.2 |
Henry Weinhard’s | Private Reserve | 4.5 | 128 | 9.2 |
Hoegaarden | Hoegaarden | 5.0 | ||
I.C. Light | I.C. Light | 4.2 | 95 | 2.8 |
Icehouse | Icehouse 5.0 | 5.0 | 132 | 8.7 |
Icehouse | Icehouse 5.5 | 5.5 | 149 | 9.8 |
J.W. Dundee | Honey Brown | 4.5 | 150 | 13.5 |
Keystone | Keystone Light | 4.2 | 100 | 5.0 |
Kilarney’s | Kilarney’s Red Lager | 5.0 | 197 | 22.8 |
Killian’s | Killian’s | 4.9 | 163 | 13.8 |
Labatt | Labatt Blue | 5.0 | 153 | |
Lowenbräu | Lowenbräu | 5.2 | 160 | |
Marin Brewing | Mt. Tam Pale Ale | 5.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Bluebeery Ale | 5.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Albion Amber | 5.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Marin Weiss | 5.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Point Reyes Porter | 6.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Breakout Stout | 6.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | Old Dipsea Barleywine | 9.0 | ||
Marin Brewing | India Pale Ale | 6.0 | ||
McMenamins | Hammerhead | 5.8 | ||
McMenamins | Terminator | 6.4 | ||
McMenamins | Ruby | 4.1 | ||
McMenamins | Black Rabbit Porter | 5.5 | ||
McMenamins | Dry Irish Stout | 4.6 | ||
Michelob | Michelob | 5.0 | 155 | 13.3 |
Michelob | Michelob Light | 4.3 | 113 | 6.7 |
Michelob | Michelob Amber Bock | 5.2 | 166 | 15.0 |
Michelob | Michelob Hefeweizen | 5.0 | 152 | 11.8 |
Michelob | Michelob Honey Lager | 4.9 | 175 | 17.4 |
Michelob | Michelob Black & Tan | 5.0 | 168 | 15.8 |
Michelob | Michelob Ultra | 4.2 | 95 | 2.6 |
Mickey’s | Mickey’s | 5.6 | 157 | 11.2 |
Mickey’s | Mickey’s Ice | 5.9 | 165 | 11.8 |
Miller | Miller Genuine Draft | 5 | 143 | 13.1 |
Miller | Miller Genuine Draft Lite | 4.2 | 110 | 7 |
Miller | Miller High Life | 5.5 | 156 | 11 |
Miller | Miller Lite | 4.2 | 96 | 3.2 |
Moosehead | Moosehead | 5.0 | 153 | |
Murphy’s | Murphy’s Irish Red | 5.0 | 171 | |
Murphy’s | Murphy’s Stout | 4.0 | 150 | |
O’Douls | O’Douls | 0.4 | 70 | 13.3 |
O’Douls | O’Douls Amber | 0.4 | 90 | 18 |
Odell’s | 90 Shilling | 5.3 | ||
Odell’s | Easy Street Wheat | 4.7 | ||
Odell’s | Cutthroat Porter | 4.5 | ||
Odell’s | Cutthroat Pale Ale | 5.1 | ||
Odell’s | Levity | 5.0 | ||
Odell’s | Isolation | 6.0 | ||
Odell’s | Bobby | 4.6 | ||
Olde English 800 | Olde English 800 | 5.9 | 160 | 10.5 |
Olde English 800 | Olde English 800 Ice | 7.9 | 216 | 14.3 |
Old Milwaukee | Old Milwaukee | 5.0 | 156 | |
Pabst | Pabst | 5.0 | 152 | |
Paulaner | Paulaner Original Munich | 5.5 | ||
Paulaner | Salvator | 7.5 | 251 | |
Paulaner | Paulaner Hefe-Weizen | 5.5 | ||
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Wicked Ale | 5.3 | 174 | 17.7 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Oktoberfest | 5.8 | 189 | 16.9 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Summer Brew | 4.7 | 163 | 15.6 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Winter Brew | 5.2 | 170 | 15.2 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Helles Lager | 5.0 | 163 | 14.6 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Red Rush | 5.3 | 170 | 14.8 |
Pete’s Brewing | Pete’s Strawberry Blonde | 5.0 | 160 | 13.6 |
Pilsner Urquell | Pilsner Uruqell | 4.3 | 160 | |
Pittsburgh Brewing | I.C. Light | 4.1 | 95 | 2.8 |
Pittsburgh Brewing | Iron City Lager | 4.5 | 140 | 10 |
Pyramid | Hefeweizen | 5.2 | ||
Pyramid | Coastline Pilsner | 5.0 | ||
Pyramid | Apricot Ale | 5.1 | ||
Pyramid | India Pale Ale | 6.7 | ||
Pyramid | Pale Ale | 5.1 | ||
Pyramid | Curve Ball Kölsch | 4.8 | ||
Pyramid | Broken Rake | 6.4 | ||
Pyramid | Tilted Kilt | 6.3 | ||
Pyramid | Snow Cap Ale | 7.0 | ||
Red Dog | Red Dog | 5.0 | 147 | 14.1 |
Redhook | Redhook ESB | 5.8 | 179 | 14.2 |
Redhook | Redhook IPA | 6.5 | 188 | 12.7 |
Redhook Blonde Ale | 5.4 | 166 | 13.1 | |
Redhook | Redhook Hefe-weizen | 5.2 | 155 | 10.9 |
Redhook | Redhook Nut Brown | 5.6 | 181 | 16 |
Rhinebecker | Rhinebecker | 5 | 106 | 2.5 |
St. Pauli Girl | St. Pauli Girl | 4.9 | 148 | |
St. Pauli Girl | St. Pauli Girl Dark | 4.8 | 150 | |
St. Pauli Girl | St. Pauli Girl N.A. | <0.5 | 96 | 23 |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Light | 4.05 | 124 | 9.7 |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Boston Lager | 4.8 | 160 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Golden Pilsner | 4.6 | 145 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Cream Stout | 4.7 | 195 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Boston Ale | 4.9 | 160 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Cherry Wheat | 5.2 | 166 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Spring Ale | 5.2 | 170 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Summer Ale | 5.4 | 175 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Pale Ale | 5.3 | 145 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Octoberfest | 5.7 | 165 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams IPA | 5.9 | 175 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Winter Lager | 5.8 | 190 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Double Bock | 8.5 | 240 | |
Sam Adams | Sam Adams Triple Bock | 17.5 | 340 | |
Sapporo | Sapporo Reserve | 5.2 | ||
Shiner | Shiner Bock | 4.4 | 143 | 12.5 |
Shiner | Shiner Light | 3.9 | 120 | 9 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | 5.7 | 171 | 14.1 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Porter | 5.7 | 194 | 18.4 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Stout | 6.4 | 225 | 22.3 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Wheat | 4.7 | 153 | 13.1 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Summerfest | 4.9 | 158 | 13.7 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Celebration | 6.6 | 214 | 19.4 |
Sierra Nevada | Sierra Nevada Bigfoot | 9.9 | 330 | 30.3 |
Stone Brewing | Arrogant Bastard Ale | 7.2 | ||
Stone Brewing | Stone Pale Ale | 5.4 | ||
Stone Brewing | Stone Smoked Porter | 5.9 | ||
Stone Brewing | Stone IPA | 6.9 | ||
Stone Brewing | Ruination IPA | 7.7 | ||
Stone Brewing | Double Bastard Ale | 10 | ||
Stone Brewing | Stone Old Guardian | 9.9 | ||
Tsingtao | Tsingtao | 4.7 | 152 | |
Widmer | Widmer Hefeweizen | 4.7 | 159 | |
Widmer | Widmer Pale Ale | 5.0 | ||
Widmer | Widmer Blonde Ale | 4.3 | ||
Widmer | Widmer Widberry | 4.6 | ||
Widmer | Widmer Sommerbrä | 4.8 | ||
Widmer | Widmer Oktoberfest | 5.0 | ||
Widmer | Widmer Winternacht | 7.0 | ||
Widmer | Spring Run IPA | 6.0 | ||
Widmer | Drop Top Amber Ale | 4.9 | ||
Yuengling | Premium | 4.4 | 135-140 | 12 |
Yuengling | Light | 3.8 | 98 | 6.6 |
Yuengling | Ale | 5.0 | 145-150 | 10 |
Yuengling | Porter | 4.5 | 150-155 | 14 |
Yuengling | Lager | 4.4 | 135-140 | 12 |
Yuengling | Black & Tan | 4.5 | 150-155 | 14 |
Yuengling | Light Lager | 3.6 | 96 | 8.5 |
References:
References: 1.) Siler, S.Q., Neese, R.A., & Hellerstein, M.K. (1999). De novo lipogenesis, lipid kinetics, and whole-body lipid balances in humans after acute alcohol consumption. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70, 928-936 2.) Valimaki, M.J., Harkonen, M., Eriksson, C.J., & Ylikahri, R.H. (1984). Sex hormones and adrenocortical steroids in men acutely intoxicated with ethanol. Alcohol, 1, 89-93 3.)
Beer from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 4.) Is there maltose in your beer? By Bob Skilnik 5.) Bamforth, C. W. (17 September–20, 2006). “Beer as liquid bread: Overlapping science.”. World Grains Summit 2006: Foods and Beverages. San Francisco, California, USA. 6.) “Non-alcoholic beer may help mice fight cancer”. Reuters. 2005-01-21. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6853732/. 7.) “Double benefit from alcohol-free beer”. Food Navigator. 2005-05-17. http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?id=52157-double-benefit-from. 8.) “Drink binges ’cause beer belly'”. BBC News. 28 November 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4048969.stm. Retrieved on 2006-11-06
