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Beer Alcohol and Calories
Alcohol and Calorie Content of About 150 Popular Beers
v 2.0 by Erowid - 2/1/2000
Original by: binger@hsh.com

ALCOHOL AND CALORIE CONTENT OF BEER

Brand% AlcoholCalories
per 100 ml
BrewerCountryRef
Anchor Porter5.6659 AnchorSan Francisco, USA2
Anchor Steam Beer4.6343 AnchorSan Francisco, USA2
Asahi Draft Beer5.2141 AsahiJapan2
Ballentine India Pale Ale6.554 PabstMilwaukee, USA2
Ballentine Premium Lager4.8243 PabstMilwaukee, USA2
Ballentine XXX Ale5.448 PabstMilwaukee, USA2
Ballentine Private Stock Malt Liquor6.0147 -USA2
Bass Bale Ale4.941 Bass & Co.-England2
Beamish Red Ale4.5- BeamishIreland1
Beamish Irish Cream Stout4.237 BeamishIreland1,2
Beck Beer5.1343 BeckGermany2
Big Barrell Australian Lager4.2535 Cooper & SonsAustralia2
Black Horse Premium Draft Beer4.7445 Black HorseUSA2
Blatz Beer4.8643 Blatz (G. Heileman)USA2
Blatz Milwaukee 1851 Beer4.4838 Blatz (G. Heileman)USA2
Boulder Porter6.0753 BoulderUSA1
Budweiser King of Beers4.640 Anheuser BuschUSA1
Busch Beer5.143 Anheuser BuschUSA1
Busch Premium Pilsner2.1228 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Caffrey's Irish Ale4.8- CaffreyIreland1
Carling Black Label Canadian Style4.5542 G. HeilemanUSA1
Cerveza Carta Blanca4.0236 Cerveceria CauhtemocMexico1
Cerveza Tecate Beer4.2539 Cerveceria CauhtemocMexico1
Chester Golden Ale5.4344 Greenall WhitleyEngland1
Colt 45 Malt Liquor5.847 G. HeilemanUSA1
Coors Banquet Beer4.940 Adolph CoorsUSA2
Corona Extra Beer4.8445 Cereveria ModelaMexico2
Dos Equis XX Imported Beer4.7942 CauhtemocMexico2
Dos Equis XX Special Lager4.9644 Cerveceria MontezumaMexico2
Dragon Stout6.7962 Desnoes - GoeddesJamaica2
Foster's Lager5.1543 Garlton & UnitedAustralia2
Furstenberg German Beer4.4339 Fustlich FerstenbergischeGermany2
Genesee 12 Horse Ale4.8646 GeneseeUSA2
Genesee Beer5.0343 GeneseeUSA2
Genesee Cream Ale4.8643 GeneseeUSA2
George Killian's Irish Red Ale5.7950 Adolph CoorsUSA2
George Killian's Irish Red Brand Beer5.5449 Adolph CoorsUSA2
Great Northern Porter4.0- Hilden BreweryIreland1
Great Wall Imported Chinese Beer4.6345 Green BambooChina2
Greenall's Cheshire English Pub Beer5.040/TD> Crecnall Whitley PLCEngland2
Grizzly Canadian Lager5.040 HamiltonCanada2
Grolsch Lager Beer5.1944 Grolsch BierbrouweriHolland2
Guinness Draught4.1- GuinnessIreland1
Guinness Extra Stout4.2743 GuinnessIreland2
Guiness Foreign Extra Stout7.5- GuinnessIreland1
Guiness Special Export8.0- GuinnessIreland1
Hamm's Beer4.5340 PabstUSA2
Harfenrefrer Private Stock Malt Liquor6.8750 NarragansettUSA2
Harp Export4.5- GuinnessIreland1
Harp Lager3.642 GuinnessIreland1
Heineken Lager Beer5.4146 HeinekenHolland2
Heineken Special Dark Beer5.1748 HeinekenHolland2
Hilden Ale4.0- Hilden BreweryIreland1
Hilden Special Reserve4.6- Hilden BreweryIreland1
Hofenperle Special Feldschlosschen Bier5.2845 Feldsohlosschen RheinfeldenSwitzerland2
Hoffmans Lager3.3- HoffmansWaterford, Ireland1
Irish Festival Ale5.0- Hilden BreweryIreland1
Kaiserdom Rauchbier - Smoked Bavarian Dark5.8840 Bamberg Worner OHGGermany2
Kaliber0.0- GuinnessIreland1
Kilkenny4.3- GuinnessIreland1
Kilkenny Export5.0- GuinnessIreland1
Kirin Beer6.048 KirinJapan2
Knickerbocker Natural Beer4.1638 RuppertUSA2
Kronenbourg Beer5.043 KronenbourgFrance2
Kronenbourg Imported Dark Beer5.0846 KronenbourgFrance2
Kuppers Kolsch5.3845 KuppersGermany2
Labatt's 50 Canadian Ale5.3443 LabattCanada2
Liberty Ale6.1253 AnchorUSA2
Lord Chesterrfeld Ale5.4837 D.G. Yuengling & SonUSA2
Lowenbrau Dark Special Beer5.045 MillerUSA2
Lowenbrau Special Beer5.845 MillerUSA2
Macardle's Ale4.0- Macardle Moore BreweryDundalk, Ireland1
McEwans Scotch Ale9.5083 Scottish & NewcastleScotland2
Michelob Beer4.9445 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Michelob Classic Dark Beer4.7645 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor5.7045 G. HeilemanUSA2
Miller High Life Beer4.7944 MillerUSA2
Miller High Life Genuine4.8543 MillerUSA2
Molson Canadian Beer5.1943 MolsonCanada2
Molson Golden Beer5.6246 MoldonCanada2
Moosehead Canadian Laber Beer4.9642 MooseheadCanada2
Murphy's Irish Stout4.0- Murphy'sIreland1
Murphy's Red Beer5.0- Murphy'sIreland1
Oyster Stout4.8- Porter House Brew Co.Dublin, Ireland1
Pheonix4.0- Macardle Moore BreweryDundalk, Ireland1
O'Keefe Canadian Beer5.0040 O'KeefeCanada2
Olde English Brand 800 Malt Liquor5.9346 PabstUSA2
Old Milwaukee Beer4.743 StrohUSA2
Olympia Premium Lager Beer4.7841 PabstUSA2
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer4.8542 PabstUSA2
Piels Premium Draft Style Beer4.6441 StrohUSA2
Pilsener Urquell Beer4.2545 Pilsener Urquell PilzenCzechoslovakia2
Plain Porter4.3- Porter House Brew Co.Dublin, Ireland1
Porter House Red4.4- Porter House Brew Co.Dublin, Ireland1
Red Stripe Lager4.9343 Desnoes & GeddesJamaica2
Red White & Blue Special Lager Beer5.1543 G. HeilemanUSA2
Rheingold Premium Beer4.7842 RheingoldUSA2
Rolling Rock Extra Pale Premium Beer4.6440 LatrobeUSA2
Rolling Rock Premium Beer4.3536 LatrobeUSA2
Samuel Adams Boston Lager4.7648 Boston BeerUSA2
Sapporo Draft3.939 SapporoJapan3
Schaefer Beer4.5540 StrohUSA2
Schlitz Beer4.5841 StrohUSA2
Schlitz Malt Liquor6.2952 StrohUSA2
Sheaf Stout5.2849 Carlton & UnitedAustralia2
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale5.645 Sierra NevadaUSASN
Sierra Nevada Stout5.1056 Sierra NevadaUSA2
Signature Stroh Beer4.8443 StrohUSA2
Smithwick's Barley Wine5.5- Macardle Moore BreweryDundalk, Ireland1
Sol Cerveza Especial4.0437 Cerveceria MontezumaMexico2
Spaten Munich Special Dark Beer6.6352 Spaten-BrauGermany2
St. Pauli Girl Beer4.9040 St. PauliGermany2
St. Pauli Girl Dark Beer4.9845 St. PauliGermany2
Stroh's Beer4.6642 StrohUSA2
Suntory Draft Beer4.6439 SuntoryJapan2
Superior Imported Beer4.3443 Cerveceria MoctezumaMexico2
Thos Cooper & Sons Adelaide Lager4.2736 Cooper & SonsAustralia2
Thos Cooper & Sons Naturally Brewed Real Ale6.7745 Cooper & SonsAustralia2
Thos Cooper & Sons Naturally Brewed Stout7.1058 Cooper & SonsAustralia2
Tolly Original Premium Ale4.8541 Tollei-ache & CobboldEngland2
Tsingtao Beer4.7943 TsingtaoChina2
Tuborg Deluxe Dark Export Quality Beer5.1146 G. HeilemanUSA2
Tuborg Export Quality Beer5.0245 G. HeilemanUSA2
Tusker Malt Lager5.2442 Bia Ni BoraKenya2
Utica Club Pilsener Lager Beer4.8227 West EndUSA2
Watney's Red Barrel Beer3.9240 StagEngland2
Whitewater Mountain Ale4.2- Whitewater BreweryKilkeen, Ireland1
Wrasslers XXXX Stout5.0- Hilden BreweryIreland1
Wurzburger Hofbrau Pilsner Beer5.4245 Wurtzburger HofbrauagGermany2
Yebisu4.042 SapporoJapan3
Yuengling Porter4.1340 D.G. Yuengling & SonUSA2
Yuengling Premium Beer4.3839 D.G. Yuengling & SonUSA2



ALCOHOL AND CALORIE CONTENT OF LIGHT BEER

Brand% AlcoholCalories
per 100 ml
BrewerCountryRef.
Amstel Light Bier3.8529 Amstel BreweryHolland2
Anheuser Busch Natural Light4.2632 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Bud Light Beer4.7232 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Coors Light4.3630 Adolph CoorsUSA2
Dribeck's Light Low Calorie3.3928 Brauerei BeckGermany2
Genesee Light Beer3.5527 GeneseeUSA2
Michelob Light4.5340 Anheuser BuschUSA2
Miller Lite Pilsner4.5130 MillerUSA2
Molson Light2.4123 MolsonCanada2
Nordik Wolf Light Imported4.7532 A.B. Pripps BryggerierSweden2
Old Milwaukee Premium Light3.8232 StrohUSA2
Pabst Extra Light Low Alcohol2.5019 PabstUSA2
Piels Naturally Light4.4940 StrohUSA2
Rheingold Extra Light4.3227 RheingoldUSA2
Schaeler Light Lager4.0734 StrohUSA2
Schlitz Light Pilsner4.2831 StrohUSA2
Stroh Light4.6739 StrohUSA2
Watney's London Light3.5629 Whatney Combe ReidEngland2
Wurtzburger Hofbrau Pure Bavarian Light5.4443 Wurtzburger HofbrauGermany2



ALC0H0L AND CALORIE CONTEHT OF NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER

Brand% AlcoholCalories
per 100 ml
BrewerCountryRef.
Bass Barbican NA Malt Bev.0.1015 BassEngland2
Clausthaler NA Herbfisches Schankbier0.4614 BassEngland2
Elan Swiss Brew NA Malt Bev.0.5025 FeldschloschenSwitzerland2
Kallber All Natural NA Light Malt Bev.0.1014 GuinnessEngland2
Kingsbury NA Malt Beverage0.1314 G. HeilemanUSA2
Metbrau All Natural Draft NA Malt Bev.0.5021 MetropolisUSA2
Moussy NA Malt Bev.0.0816 Cardinal FilbourgSwitzerland2
St. Michael's NA Malt Bev.0.7317 St. Michael'sUSA2
Wurtzburger Hofbrau NA Light Malt Bev.0.1030 Wurzberger HofbrauGermany2



AVERAGE ALCOHOL AND CALORIE CONTENT OF REGULAR, LIGHT, AND NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER

ProductNo.
Samples
% Alcohol
per 100 ml
Calories
per 100 ml
Regular163 5.00 [2.0-9.5]43 [26-83]
Light26 4.1 [2.4-5.4] (-16%)32 [19-43] (-27%)
Non-alcoholic13 0.3 [0.1-0.7] (-94%)17 [13-30] (-60%)



The number in parenthesls ( ) indicates average difference from regular beer and numbers in brackets [] is the range of % alcohol and calories per 100 ml, respectlvely.


ADDITIONAL DATA

Beer is a generic name for beverages made by fermentation of extracts of cereal grain, particularly barley, or other starchy material (1,8). Beer is a beverage known since antiquity and next to wine is probabLy the oldest of prepared food drinks. In modern times the countries of northern Europe set the style of beer as it appears today. In fact, the words "beer," "brewing," and "Lager" are all of German origin (1,8).

Beer is defined in Connecticut Statutes (2) as any beverage obtained by the alcoholic fermentation of an infusion or decoction of barley, malt and hops in drinking water and containing more than one-half of one percent of absolute alcohol. Taxes on beer sold in Connecticut are collected by the Excise Tax Division of the Department of Revenue Services at the rate of $3 per barrel (not less than 28 nor more than 31 gallons per barrel).


METHODS

Samples were collected at wholesale beer distributors in Connecticut by inspectors of the Excise Tax Division of the Department of Revenue Services during April and May, 1987. Analysis for alcohol content was by AOAC methods (5) using gas chromatography (3). Proteins, ash, and solids were analyzed by AOAC methods (5). Carbohydrate content was calculated as percent total solids - (% protein + % ash) Calories were calculated as (% alcohoL X 6.93) + ((96 carbohydrate + %protein) X 4) (3). Duplicate analyses for alcohol in the same container of beer showed an average deviation of 0.057 percent and duplicates for protein 0.05 percent.


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Of the 202 samples tested, 163 were regular beer (Table 1), 26 were light beer (Table 2), and 13 were non-alcoholic beer (Table 3). These represented 81, 19 and 9 different brands of regular, light, and nonalcoholic beer, respectively. Each Table lists the brand name of the beer, the name of the brewer, the country of origin, alcohol content, and the calories per 100 ml (milliliters) (3.5 ounces).

Alcohol in regular, light, and non-alcoholic beer averaged 5.0, 4.1, and 0.3 percent, respectively (Table 4). Calories in regular, light and non-alcoholic beer averaged 43, 32, and 17 per 100 ml, respectively. The range in values for alcohol and calories was wide. Alcohol in regular beer ranged from 1.0 to 9.5 percent, while light beer ranged from 2.4 to 5.4 percent and non-alcoholic beer from 0.1 to 0.7 percent. Similarly, calories varied among all types of beer. Some variation was noted in alcohol content among different containers of the same type of beer. A dilference of 1.5 percent was found in one type of regular beer and 1.6 percent in another. Although the labels showed no code numbers, each container of beer is likely from a different manufacturing batch.

A comparison of alcohol and calorie content between regular and light beer from the same manufacturer can be made by examining Tables 1 and 2. For example, eight regular beers made by Anheuser Busch (does not include beer claiming half the amount of alcohol as regular beer) averaged 5.11 percent alcohol. Four light beers from the same manufacturer averaged 4.17 percent, 15 percent less than found in the regular beer. Calories in the same Anheuser Busch regular beer averaged 44 per 100 ml and 35 in light beer, or 20 percent lower calories. Similar comparisons may be made for other manufacturers.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Analyses were by Lucia McLean, Dr. Vipin Agarwal, Lois Hornig, Deborah Behnfield, and John Hayes. Arrangements and collections of samples were made by Pasquale Oronzo, James Pyne, and Robert Brown of the Excise Tax Division.


REFERENCES

  1. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Wine, Beer, Spirits, & Liqueurs, by Stuart Walton and Brian Glover

  2. Original Beer Alcohol Content FAQ, consisting of the following references :

    1. Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Vol. 1, 15th edition, 1974, Chicago, IL.

    2. General Statutes of the State of Connecticut. revised January 1, 1987, sections 12-433 and 435.

    3. Hankin, L. 1986. Analysis of wine and beer coolers. Bulletin 840, CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

    4. Messenger, B. 1988. Coors Target: Beer across America. Prepared Foods 157:58-61.

    5. Official Methods of Analysis. 1984. 14th edition, S. Williams (ed.). Assoc. Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington, VA.

    6. Statistical Abstracts ol the United States. 1985 105th edition, Washington, DC.

    7. Statistical release Dept. of the Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. ATF R A:I 5130-2.

    8. The Chemistry and Technology of Food and Food Products edition. M.B. Jacobs (ed.). 1951. Interscience Publishers, Analysis of Beer.

  3. Brewery Supplied Information

    1. Private Communication with Sapporo

  4. Hankin L. Analysis of Beer, Bulletin 865, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven , CT, 1988.
  5. SN : Sierra Nevada Brewing Company website.

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

Below are the results of a cooperative study completed by Mr. Lester Hankin, and the The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and the Excise Tax Division of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Service.

The above mentioned FAQ maintiner *does not* know or have any relationship whatsoever with either Mr. Hankin or any Connecticut State Department. This FAQ results from the saving of a post to Usenet's alt.beer in late 1993.

Special thanks to Mike Feustel , whose "friend" originally unearthed this data from somewhere. Now if he could only remember where!

Copyright Info: I know of none, but assume that this data is copyrighted by the above mentioned parties. If an update can be secured, or even an original copy of the study be obtained, copyright information will be added at that time.


BACKGROUND

Consumption of beer in the United States is about 33 gallons per person per year based on persons over 18 years of age (6). In all, over six billion gallons of beer are produced each year in the United States (6,7).

Generally three types of beer are sold: regular, light, and non-alcoholic. The term light intends to signify a product with less alcohol and fewer calories than regular beer. About 2-3 percent of beer sales are now of the light type (4). Non-alcoholic beer usually claims less than a half percent of alcohol and is intended for people who desire a product with little or no alcohol.

In all, 202 samples of beer were tested. The alcohol and calorie content for each sample are reported. In comparison to regular beer which averaged 5 percent alcohol and 43 calories per 100 ml, light and non-alcoholic beer averaged 16 and 94 percent less alcohol and 27 and 60 percent fewer calories, respectively.