Last year, I wrote about the latest wave of light beers that not only have fewer calories, but often list carbs and other nutritional info on the label, boost the flavor with more hop varieties, and employ a few brewing tricks, like the “AMG” enzyme used to dry out brut IPAs.
The last batch I tasted included Abita Brewing’s Hop 99, Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty, Harpoon Rec. League, and Lagunitas DayTime. And given some of the earlier “craft” iterations I’d tried (not to mention the likes of Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite), I decided they were all surprisingly drinkable.
Well, it’s a new year. And several new low-carb, low-cal beers are hitting the market right now, with offerings from Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewing Co., Athens’ Terrapin Beer Co. and, believe it or not, Michigan’s Bell’s Brewery in the mix.
And, of course, with New Year’s resolutions to keep, and many more weeks of Lent ahead, the prospect of some healthier and less indulgent beers can’t be a bad thing, can it?
With nods to Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, possibly the most popular American IPA of all time, the eagerly awaited Light Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery may disappoint some craft true believers. But the newest year-round release has only 110 calories, 8.7 grams of carbs, and 3.7% alcohol per 12-ounce serving.
“We did not just set out to make a lighter version of Two Hearted. We wanted to brew the best tasting, low-cal IPA we could,” said Larry Bell, Bell’s president and founder, in a press release. “It all begins with quality ingredients. Balance, hoppiness and aroma are all there.”
It’s brewed with Centennial and Galaxy hops, and “a variety of specialty malts,” so you’ll find aromatic citrus and pine notes in what is certainly an easy-drinking beer. Two Hearted devotees will likely miss some of the signature caramel malt balance of the original, though.
Available year-round on draft and in 12-ounce cans.
This new year-round beer from Monday Night Brewing bests Bell’s at just 90 calories, 6 grams of carbs, and 3.2% alcohol per 12-ounce serving. And Monday Night’s marketing is cleverly spot-on: “We know what you’re thinking. ‘Oh great. Another low-calorie craft beer. Super original, guys.’”
Lay Low is dry hopped with Citra, Idaho 7 and Sultana, giving it some of the citrusy aromas and favors of the current style of tropical IPAs. But rather than hazy, it’s pale, crisp and refreshing, with a touch of bitterness in the dry finish.
With a crouching tiger on the label, and a rollout that doesn’t take the low-cal category too seriously, I predict this beer will do well in the Atlanta market. Or as Monday Night puts it, “This beer is designed for you to SLAY IPA ALL DAY.”
Available year-round on draft and in 12-ounce cans.
Terrapin’s take on low cal is a newly reformulated version of its RecreationAle series. Dubbed a “Session India Pale Ale,” Terrapin boasts that it “still packs in all the dry hop flavor and aroma of the original RecreationAle.”
At 99 calories, 3.9 grams of carbs and 4.2% alcohol per 12-ounce serving, it’s brewed with Citra, Galaxy, Amarillo, Centennial and Zythos hops, and two-row Pale, Victory and Crystal 25 malts. And it comes in at 50 IBUs, giving it a bit more bitterness and IPA-like character compared to similar offerings.
Terrapin says this full-flavored “LoCal” IPA “will keep your feet moving on the trail of life.” But I say this would make a great session beer for an afternoon at the pub.
Available year-round on draft and in 12-ounce cans.
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