Calories in Beer: The Numbers You Need to Know

Beer is one of the highest-calorie alcoholic drinks you can choose. A standard pint of 5% lager clocks 220–250 calories; a 330ml can of mainstream premium lager sits at 130–150 kcal. Over a week of moderate drinking, that adds up fast. Here's a full breakdown — and what you can drink instead.

Calories in beer: full comparison table

Why does beer have so many calories?

Beer is brewed from malted grain. Even after fermentation, significant carbohydrates remain in the finished beer — typically 10–18g per can for mainstream lagers. Alcohol itself adds 7 kcal per gram on top of that. The combination of moderate-to-high ABV and high residual carbohydrates makes standard beer one of the most calorie-dense drinks per serving.

Low calorie beers are brewed differently: extended fermentation converts more of the grain sugars into alcohol, leaving fewer residual carbohydrates. The result is a beer with full or near-full ABV and dramatically lower calories and carbs.

Lean Brew IPA: the numbers

Lean Brew is DrinkWell's own-brand award-winning IPA — 4.5% ABV, 99 calories per 330ml can, 3g of carbs. That's 42% fewer calories than BrewDog Punk IPA at similar ABV, with the same 32.5 IBU hop bitterness. It's the IPA for people who take their beer seriously and take their health equally seriously.

Shop low calorie beer at DrinkWell

• Lean Brew IPA — 99 kcal, 3g carbs, 4.5% ABV — from £17.99
• Tennents Light — 60 kcal, 0.7g carbs, 3.5% ABV — £34.99 for 24
• Full low calorie beer range
• Keto beers — under 3.5g carbs per can
• Gluten-free beer

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