Taste Test: Light Beer

Cold beer just tastes better during the hot, steamy summertime. Light beers get a bad wrap on the flavor front, so we tested five popular brands (including the most requested ones from our Facebook fans) to see which brew tasted best. It was a hard job, but someone had to do it! Check out how your favorite brand measured up.
The Contenders in Our Light Beer Taste Test

Cold beer just tastes better during the hot, steamy summertime. Light beers get a bad wrap on the flavor front, so we tested five popular brands (including the most requested ones from our Facebook fans) to see which brew tasted best. It was a hard job, but someone had to do it! Check out how your favorite brand measured up.

The Criteria

For this taste test, we looked at five popular light beers and focused on flavor and nutritional value. Each beer was scored on a five-point scale (with five being highest).

Light beer is often characterized as less flavorful and “watered down” when compared with its full-calorie counterparts, so we wanted to see if this was true across the board.  As for the nutrition facts, all beer is naturally fat-free and contains minimal protein. It does vary in calories and carbs, so that’s what we looked at. Each beer cost the same at $1.75 per bottle, so price wasn't a factor.

Rating: 3

Nutritional Info: 110 calories, 6.6 grams carbohydrates

Our Take: Bud Light was one of the higher-calorie beers, yet it tasted very watered down. Many of our Facebook fans liked Bud Light Lime, but instead of buying the lime flavor, why not slice some fresh ones for an extra shot of vitamin C?
Rating: 4

Nutrition Info: 99 calories, 5 grams carbohydrates

Our Take: Corona Light definitely has a refreshing and light flavor that’s not much different from the regular version. It's typically served up with fresh lime, which makes it even more delicious.

Rating: 4

Nutrition Info: 119 calories, 9.6 grams carbohydrates

Our Take: Our Facebook fans raved about this beer and boy, they were right. The malt taste takes over every gulp of this darker beer, which was the most flavorful of the bunch.  The only downside? It was the highest in calories.

Rating: 4.5

Nutrition Info: 96 calories, 3.2 grams carbohydrates

Our Take: As the motto goes, “ Great taste..Less filling” and we agree! This delightful light beer has a thicker and fuller flavor than many of the others. It also contains the least calories and carbs. A double bonus!

Rating: 3

Nutrition Info: 99 calories, 6.8 grams carbohydrates

Our Take: If you're a regular Heineken drinker, you may be disappointed by this lager as it tastes like a watered-down version of the regular Heineken.

TELL US: What’s your favorite light beer?
Check out our other taste tests:

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby's full bio »

Next Up

Taste Test: Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

Sometimes there’s no time to whip up a batch of homemade tomato sauce. We checked out some of the popular supermarket tomato sauces -- Rao's, Newman's Own, Trader Joe's, Prego and Barilla -- to see how they measured up.

Bud Light and Tajín Unexpectedly Collaborate on a Spicy New Beer

What does Bud Light Chelada Tajin Chile Limon taste like?

Taste Test: Salsa

Which brand of salsa is the best tasting and has the best nutrition? Get an RD's picks before your next fiesta.

Taste Test: Hummus

Hummus can be the perfect party food, a quick afterschool snack or a preamble to dinner with friends. With so many options at the grocery store, which brands stack up?

Taste Test: Mayonnaise

We taste tested 5 different kinds of mayonnaise and analyze taste, texture, nutritional info and price.

Taste Test: Frozen Pops

Now that the temperatures have climbed, it is time to stock your freezer with ice-cold treats. Not sure which ice pops are tops? Find out which ones made the grade.

Taste Test: Frozen Yogurt

We've been searching for a lighter alternative to ice cream for the hot summer days. For this taste test, we tried five popular brands. I definitely found some faves that I'm bringing home to the family.

Taste Test: Hot Sauce

We tasted 5 popular brands of hot sauce and rated them based on flavor, spiciness, cost and nutrition. Find out how your favorite sauce fared.

Taste Test: Healthier Crackers

Have you perused the cracker aisle lately? In addition to the classic wheat crackers, you’ll find the shelves packed with crackers now made from legumes, nuts, grains, or seeds. But are these options really what they’re cracked up to be?