How Many Calories are in Dark Beer

Posted on by Emily in General

How Many Calories are in Dark Beer – If you’re counting your calories, you might be curious as to how many reside within a delicious, cold pint of dark beer. I think many of us associate dark beer with more calories– often times it tastes richer, creamier and heavier. So naturally it’s worse for you, right? Wrong!

How Many Calories are in Dark Beer

The truth of the matter is that the calories from beer don’t come from how heavy or dark the beer is. The more alcoholic a beer is the more caloric it is. That’s why, because it’s ABV or alcohol by volume is around the same, you can drink a Guinness draught or Miller Lite for around the same amount of calories.

Nobody wants a beer belly– well maybe some master brewers do. In my experience, a master brewer without a paunch (and a serious beard) is not one to be respected. But I digress.

Beer actually doesn’t have any fat in it. Not a drop. The reason that beer can make you fat, however, is because you drink a lot of it and it adds extra calories to your daily regimen.

Let’s take a look at how many calories some of the following dark beers have:

(These are in 12 oz. servings)

Guinness Extra Stout 153 calories

Guinness Draught 126 calories

Beamish Irish Cream Stout 146 calories

Murphy’s Irish Stout 150 calories

The truth is that many popular dark beers are relatively low in calories. Just like many other beers that are simultaneously low in their ABV status. Anything that’s over 5.5% alcohol is going to start to be pretty caloric. If you’re like me and love IPAs, then you’re in trouble. IPAs tend to be much hoppier and alcoholic and therefore pretty caloric.

There are plenty of high calorie dark beers as well. Anything that’s a “imperial” stout is going to be more alcoholic and therefore worse for your beer belly.

Scotch ales tend to be pretty caloric, as are anything listed as “reserve”.

Just be sure that when you pick out your beer that you are looking for “session” beers, or pints with low ABV, and you’ll be much better off in the calorie department. Avoid anything “imperial” or IPAs.

Don’t discriminate against dark beers when on a diet! Just do your homework before you pick out a brew and know that you can always go to the tasteless, watery low calorie beers specially made for people worried about gaining weight. But there are craft beer alternatives, so check out your local beer bar and treat yourself to something nice.