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SeanGAR · 06-20-2009, 06:32 AM

Burt Grant, when he was alive and running his brewery, made a "celtic ale" that was the best light beer I ever had. Decent hopping, a bit of malt and caramel flavor, yet 99 calories.

This was made in the style of an ordinary bitter, a style with relatively low alcohol content (3.2-3.8%). Examples of this style include Fuller's Chiswick Bitter, Adnams Bitter, Young's Bitter, Greene King IPA (SIC, FACKIN SIC ... what is the matter with these people), Oakham Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB), Brains Bitter, Tetley’s Original Bitter, Brakspear Bitter, Boddington's Pub Draught. This last one is widely available and is 3.8% abv, and should be in the light range of calories.

Another style, "mild ale", is also a British beer that typically has alcohol in the 3-4% range. This style does not travel well and is not widely appreciated this side of the pond. BJCP guidelines lists the following as examples of the style: Moorhouse Black Cat, Gale’s Festival Mild, Theakston Traditional Mild, Highgate Mild, Sainsbury Mild, Brain’s Dark, Banks's Mild, Coach House Gunpowder Strong Mild, Woodforde’s Mardler’s Mild, Greene King XX Mild, Motor City Brewing Ghettoblaster. I don't recognize these names, they may be hard to find.

A Scottish version,. Scottish Lighht 60/- likewise is low calorie (and alcohol) but is not exported to the US. Cask only versions include Belhaven 60/-, McEwan’s 60/-, Maclay 60/- Light.

Some lambic beers are low in alcohol, are decidedly dry, and would fit the light beer category, although they are not normally considered such. Most are in the 5-6% abv range and outside the light beer calorie range, so you need to look at labels. Lambics are usually a very sour funky tasting beer and not everybody likes them.

Berliner Weisse is a low alcohol style that is available in the US last time I checked. It is in the 2.8-3.8% range and very sour, coming from a lactic fermentation. In Germany, they apparently add sugar syrups to the beer (killing the light designation not doubt). Then only one of this style I have found and tried is the Kindl Berliner Weiss. Definitely on the sour side but if you're used to drinking Lambics or sour Flemish ales not bad.

The beers discussed above are beer styles that typically have low alcohol contents and associated low calories, but are not produced using enzymes the way normal light beers are made in the US following Joe Owades's footsteps. For these beers, I have had few that I have liked.

Probably the best I have had was Lightship that Sam Adams made a few years ago. My ratebeer evaluation: Dec 8, 2007. I had this often when it was made. From notes, this has a great character for a light beer, much better than the "new" light beer that they make and almost as good as Burt Grant’s Celtic Ale when he was around to make that one.

As others have pointed out, Guinness on tap or in the widget bottles/cans is actually reasonably light, with calories and alcohol lower than Budweiser (basically the same as Sam Adams Light). Guinness is the only "light" beer besides Boddingtons that I drink regularly these days.

I have made a number of milds and ordinary bitters myself that I have enjoyed, often based on Jamil Zainacheff's recipes. People who want a buzz from drinking complain that these beers don't have much kick .... but that is the point.

So after all this, I would recommend looking around for a mild or ordinary bitter. Boddingtons is pretty tame but drinkable and Guinness, of course, is good for you.

References:
http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_Guidelines.pdf
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show

06-20-2009, 06:32 AM	#36
SeanGAR Crotchety Geezer Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Radford VA Posts: 911 Trading: (3)	Re: Does a decent light beer exist? Burt Grant, when he was alive and running his brewery, made a "celtic ale" that was the best light beer I ever had. Decent hopping, a bit of malt and caramel flavor, yet 99 calories. This was made in the style of an ordinary bitter, a style with relatively low alcohol content (3.2-3.8%). Examples of this style include Fuller's Chiswick Bitter, Adnams Bitter, Young's Bitter, Greene King IPA (SIC, FACKIN SIC ... what is the matter with these people), Oakham Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB), Brains Bitter, Tetley’s Original Bitter, Brakspear Bitter, Boddington's Pub Draught. This last one is widely available and is 3.8% abv, and should be in the light range of calories. Another style, "mild ale", is also a British beer that typically has alcohol in the 3-4% range. This style does not travel well and is not widely appreciated this side of the pond. BJCP guidelines lists the following as examples of the style: Moorhouse Black Cat, Gale’s Festival Mild, Theakston Traditional Mild, Highgate Mild, Sainsbury Mild, Brain’s Dark, Banks's Mild, Coach House Gunpowder Strong Mild, Woodforde’s Mardler’s Mild, Greene King XX Mild, Motor City Brewing Ghettoblaster. I don't recognize these names, they may be hard to find. A Scottish version,. Scottish Lighht 60/- likewise is low calorie (and alcohol) but is not exported to the US. Cask only versions include Belhaven 60/-, McEwan’s 60/-, Maclay 60/- Light. Some lambic beers are low in alcohol, are decidedly dry, and would fit the light beer category, although they are not normally considered such. Most are in the 5-6% abv range and outside the light beer calorie range, so you need to look at labels. Lambics are usually a very sour funky tasting beer and not everybody likes them. Berliner Weisse is a low alcohol style that is available in the US last time I checked. It is in the 2.8-3.8% range and very sour, coming from a lactic fermentation. In Germany, they apparently add sugar syrups to the beer (killing the light designation not doubt). Then only one of this style I have found and tried is the Kindl Berliner Weiss. Definitely on the sour side but if you're used to drinking Lambics or sour Flemish ales not bad. The beers discussed above are beer styles that typically have low alcohol contents and associated low calories, but are not produced using enzymes the way normal light beers are made in the US following Joe Owades's footsteps. For these beers, I have had few that I have liked. Probably the best I have had was Lightship that Sam Adams made a few years ago. My ratebeer evaluation: Dec 8, 2007. I had this often when it was made. From notes, this has a great character for a light beer, much better than the "new" light beer that they make and almost as good as Burt Grant’s Celtic Ale when he was around to make that one. As others have pointed out, Guinness on tap or in the widget bottles/cans is actually reasonably light, with calories and alcohol lower than Budweiser (basically the same as Sam Adams Light). Guinness is the only "light" beer besides Boddingtons that I drink regularly these days. I have made a number of milds and ordinary bitters myself that I have enjoyed, often based on Jamil Zainacheff's recipes. People who want a buzz from drinking complain that these beers don't have much kick .... but that is the point. So after all this, I would recommend looking around for a mild or ordinary bitter. Boddingtons is pretty tame but drinkable and Guinness, of course, is good for you. References: http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_Guidelines.pdf http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show __________________ How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat? Last edited by SeanGAR; 06-20-2009 at 06:41 AM.