Beer gets a bad rap for derailing best-laid weight-loss plans but a new range of low-calorie options mean you can crack open a cold one without sabotaging your efforts.
MF BEST BUY:
Tennent’s Light
£13.75 (12 x 300ml), tennents.co.uk
Made from Scottish-grown cereals and fresh highland water from Loch Katrine, Tennent’s Light is bright and balanced, with a nice blend of bitter sweetness – and there’s just 60 calories per bottle. We’ll have five.
Taste: 5/5
Low-kcals: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5
MF RECOMMENDED:
SkinnyBrands Premium Lager
£4.60 (4 x 330ml), groceries.asda.com
A rising star in the world of low-calorie beer, SkinnyBrands Lager tastes as good as any regular beer – the only thing missing is the triple-figure calorie count. Clean, crisp and refreshing, it’s also vegan and gluten-free.
Taste: 5/5
Low-kcals: 4/5
OVERALL: 5/5
The Original Small Beer Session Pale
£52 (24 x 350ml), theoriginalsmallbeer.com
A rare pale ale entry – brewed using the historic ‘small beer’ method that was once a staple of British life – the Session Pale comes in at an impressive 85 calories per 350ml bottle, with tropical notes and a hoppy finish.
Taste: 4.5/5
Low-kcals: 4/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5
Marston’s Resolution
£19 (24 x 275ml), marstonsbrewery.co.uk
At 4.7%, the Resolution packs a punch – the result of a brewing process that converts all the sugar into alcohol. What’s left is the lowest-calorie (88), lowest-carb ale on the market, which is nice and light despite the fairly high ABV.
Taste: 4/5
Low-kcals: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Bud Light Premium Lager
£10.99 (12 x 300ml), vipbottles.co.uk
The product of a beechwood ageing process that delivers a light, smooth taste with a hint of sweetness, Bud Light is a big-name beer for a reason: it’s really good. What’s more, each bottle comes in at just 80 calories.
Taste: 4/5
Low-kcals: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Brewdog Lightspeed Hazy IPA
£17.95, brewdog.com
Lightspeed is a 4% hazy pale ale with just 95 calories per can. Fruity flavours come to the fore, with floral notes to finish. A lovely drop.
Taste: 4/5
Low-kcals: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Michelob Ultra
£11 (12 x 330ml), groceries.morrisons.com
A belly-banishing 73kcal per bottle is backed up by just 2g of carbs. However, the taste – or lack of it – leaves a little to be desired: not dissimilar to watered-down lager.
Taste: 3/5
Low-kcals: 5/5
OVERALL: 3/5