Low carb beer
Low carb beer is on a roll at the moment — it’s the fastest growing sector in the beer world as consumers make “lifestyle” choices around what they’re drinking.
There are many reasons to choose a low carb beer — it could be that you’re on a ketogenic diet, or just trying to reduce the carbohydrate you consume. Or it could be for more important reasons such as having Type 1 diabetes.
Beers labelled “low carb” have been tested and should come with nutritional panel telling you how many carbs per 100ml they contain. A good guideline is that a low carb beer should have 1-2g of carbohydrate per 100ml.
It’s important to note that low carb does not equal low calorie, though in the case of the beers listed here, some are definitely lower in calories as well. A beer’s ABV (alcohol by volume) will play a big part in the total calories as alcohol sits somewhere between carbohydrate and fat in its calorie density, so if cutting calories is your thing do make sure you check the labels.
And you don’t have to go looking for a low carb label to find all the beers that are naturally lower in residual sugars (also called dextrins).
Many traditional styles, such as Belgian-style farmhouse ales and saisons, as well as wild ferment ales are naturally low in residual sugar. This is because the yeast that creates these beers is naturally “high-attenuating” — ie it eats all the sugars available.
On the other hand, more malt-driven, sweeter beers such as milk stouts and Baltic porters will have higher levels of carbohydrate, as will many hazy IPAs which often feature the addition of wheat and oats to beef up the carb count!
Low Carb Pale Ales
The best thing about modern low carb beers is that they are super-flavoursome. Brewers use a special enzyme, naturally found in malt, to help ferment out any residual sugars.
That has a number effects on the beer. First, the lack of residual sugar means the beer doesn’t feel as heavy in your mouth. In fact, low carb beers are often very light-bodied.
Second, low carb beers finish very dry compared with normal beers.
Low carb pale ales and IPAs are a great place to start if you’re after flavoursome low carb beers. That because the extra hop additions add both mouthfeel, through hop oils, and they create added flavour and the fruity varieties can add a perception of sweetness that covers up the lack of sugar.
Low Carb Lager & Pilsner
Lagers are traditionally dry and relatively low carb to start with, plus they are less hoppy than pale ales, so it’s a fine line brewers have to walk in keeping the flavour in while taking the carbs out. Urbanaut do it particularly well with their Miami Brut Lager.
And as you’d expect the big breweries who specialise in lagers do this pretty well.
The biggest trick is to make a lager or pilsner that doesn’t have a “soda water” taste, which comes when the carbonation is too high. Carbonation produces carbonic acid, which is what gives soda water its taste, so in a lager – where there are not hoppy flavours to hide behind, the carbonation can dominate the flavour unless the brewer dials it back in proportion to the rest of the flavours.
Tiger Ultra Low Carb 4.2%
Type of beer: Low Carb
Brewery: DB Breweries
Flavours: Malt sweetness
Judges’ comments: Low-carb (4.2% ABV): We introduced a low-carb category to the New World Beer & Cider Awards to mark the giant growth of this category. It’s technically hard to make a low-carb beer with a great body, as it’s the residual sugar that helps fatten out the mouthfeel. Tiger Crystal Ultra Low Carb (4.2% ABV) has 70% fewer carbohydrates than regular 5% Tiger Crystal so it has taken some brewing wizardry to create a beer that impressed the judges with its texture and palate-weight. “Nice malt body considering its low-carb, touch of nice malt sweetness. Very delicately balanced. Well made and a good example of the style.”
Pairing Recommendation: Low carb for a keto diet? Match with Thai beef salad (no rice), or grilled salmon on stir-fried veges.
For more on this beer visit: db.co.nz/tiger
Buy this beer: Visit online shopping
Thirsty for more top New Zealand beers?
If you’re after dark beers, lagers or more unique craft varieties, don’t forget to check out the articles linked below, or browse the Top 30 from the New World Beer & Cider Awards 2023 using our Beer Finder.
Not sure what you like? Our craft beer guide will walk you through what makes craft beer special and the different styles and flavours you can find in Aotearoa.
Related articles:
Best New Zealand craft beers for 2023
Best New Zealand lagers and pilsners for 2023
Best New Zealand IPAs and pale ales for 2023
Best New Zealand hazy ales for 2023
Best New Zealand wheat, saison and sours for 2023
About the author
Michael Donaldson is one of New Zealand’s most renowned beer writers and was named Beer Writer of the Year by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand for a third time in 2018. He has been the Chair of Judges for the New World Beer & Cider Awards since 2016.
His writing appears in North & South, The New Zealand Herald, Stuff and Drinksbiz. He is also the editor of The Pursuit of Hoppiness magazine published by the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA). He is the author of New Zealand's definitive beer history Beer Nation - the Art and Heart of Kiwi Beer as well as The Big Book of Home Brew: a Kiwi Guide and The Hopfather, the biography of Emerson's founder Richard Emerson.
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