The Best Light Beers To Drink In 2023

Despite the popularity of trendy alcoholic drinks like spiked seltzers and canned cocktails, beer will never go out of style. Some occasions can only be properly celebrated with a pint, whether it's enjoying a baseball game or partying it up for St. Patrick's Day. According to The Atlantic, the craft beer market exploded in the 2010s and has only continued to grow. 

People who drink beer range from novices to experts, similarly to those who know a lot about wine or other spirits. A newly turned 21-year-old college student and an expert brewmaster can agree that nothing beats a cold pint. However, since the craft beer boom, there are seemingly endless options for beer drinkers to try (even though deep down, they're all either an ale or a lager). 

One unexpected push in the beer market is the growing interest in light beer. It's difficult to classify a beer as "light," but it usually means that the can contains lower calories/carbs and a lower alcohol by volume (ABV) content than your run-of-the-mill beers. Light beers may have gotten a bad reputation for being overpriced and watered down, but brews like Miller Lite and Bud Light have become some of the most popular drinks at bars across the U.S. and beyond.  

We decided to break down the best light beers 2023 has to offer. If you're looking for something new to sip on or a low-alcohol classic to drink all summer long, we've got you covered. 

If you're craving a light beer, odds are you're looking for something cool and easy to drink. It's hard to pick one that's the best, but Kona Light Blonde Ale epitomizes everything that light beer should be. Each 12-ounce can has 99 calories, 4 carbs, and an ABV of 4.2%. As for the taste, it's like sipping on sunshine itself. 

Kona Light Blonde Ale is crisp and refreshing. The brewery adds a bit of mango to the mix, giving it a subtle tropical vibe. It's one of those beers you can't go wrong having in your fridge at all times, because it's the best option on a hot day when you need to cool down from the inside out. "Enjoyable beer, easy to drink with spicy food or burgers, or sipping on a hot day," U/BroBobby70 wrote in a Beer Advocate review. Other reviews commend the balanced flavor for a beer marketed for being low in calories, which isn't always the norm. 

You can purchase a six-pack of 12-oz cans of Kona Light Blonde Ale for $9.49 at Total Wine as of April 2023. 

Some expressions of light beer can fall victim to tasting similar to one another even if they come from different breweries. It can be hard for an inexperienced beer drinker to distinguish one pilsner from another. One option for a pilsner that doesn't suffer for flavor while retaining a light and refreshing essence is from pFriem Beer in Hood River, Oregon. 

The 4.9% alcohol by volume pFriem Pilsner tastes like liquid honey with pleasant herbal and slightly spicy notes. The bitterness rating is low in this can, but the fun foam factor is high and adds to the drinking experience. "Taste is really interesting. A great collision between sweet and bitter," one Beer Advocate reviewer of the beer wrote. "Mouthfeel is light and crisp. Overall, a really well crafted pilsner."

A six-pack of 12-ounce cans of pFriem Pilsner sells for $12.49 at Total Wine as of April 2023.

One of the worst things that can happen to a beer lover is that they become unable to consume gluten. However, thanks to innovations like Omission Brewing Co's Ultimate Light Golden Ale, those avoiding gluten can have their beer and drink it too. Omission invented this blend in 2017 that is brewed to remove gluten. Even if you aren't avoiding gluten, you can't beat the flavor packed into a can with just 99 calories and 4.2% ABV. 

Reviews on Influenster from those gluten-free drinkers praise Omission Brewing's blend that is the perfect balance between light and hoppy. "One of the best gluten free beers out there by far," one review reads. "My wife is a craft beer snob and even she likes this beer." Beer Advocate also features taste tests from craft beer enthusiasts who still appreciate the recipe. "A great summertime ale — almost like a very light IPA overall," one review reads. 

You can purchase a six-pack of Omission Ultimate Light Golden Ale on Drizly for $10.99 as of April 2023. 

Most people probably grab a Guinness when looking for a solid Irish beer, but it's not the best beverage to crack open outside on a hot day. Luckily, the Guinness brewery offers the next best thing with its Harp Irish Lager. It contains 5% ABV and tastes like a beer you can drink forever. Unlike the stout, this is thirst-quenching, meaning that a six-pack will likely not go to waste in your fridge. It's your typical lager, but with a bit of added sweetness that brightens it up even more. Be warned: This is a beer best served cold. Well, aren't they all? 

Reviews on Beer Advocate indicate that this is a popular pick among those looking for something that's easy to crush. "Super easy to drink and good if you're planning on having a couple," one review reads. Additionally, The Beerly's review commends Harp Irish Lager for being consistently good. It may seem like a no-brainer, but it sucks to get the same drink from different places and have them taste like two different blends. With Harp Irish Lager, every bottle is near exactly the same.

As of April 2023, a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles of Harp Irish Lager is on sale for $10.49 on Drizly. 

Mexican lagers are always no-brainer beer picks for beach weather, and one light option in both calories and the alcohol content is the classic Dos Equis Lager Especial. It's a 4.2% alcohol by volume pilsner that, like many mainstream Mexican lagers, tastes even better with a wedge of lime squeezed inside. Dos Equis Lager is light enough to be easy to drink a few in one sitting, but still flavorful enough so that you don't get bored quickly if you spend a nice day sipping on a six-pack. 

One 12-ounce can of the Dos Equis lager contains 131 calories so it's still lighter than a heavy craft beer. "I'm not a beer drinker. I don't care for most beers. But on a hot summer day, when I'm outside grilling, an ice cold Dos Equis hits the spot," one Drizly customer wrote in a review of the lager. 

Drizly sells a 12-pack of Dos Equis Lager Especial for about $18.99 as of April 2023. 

Lucky Envelope Brewing from Seattle, Washington, proudly makes a line of what it has dubbed "Culturally Inspired Beer" with a wide variety of flavors in the lineup. As you might expect, that includes plenty of flavorful and creative beers that are more than worth your time. However, if you're set on drinking light beer, Lucky Envelope's Lite American Pilsner is one that you can't go wrong with. The seasonal 4.4% beer is a triple-hopped lager that has plenty of malty notes while remaining light and bright. The Lite American Pilsner is a little bit sweet but with undeniable bready notes that aren't typical for a light beer. "What a shiny and bright beer. Crisp and refreshing with a lot of floral notes and a clean finish," one Untappd user wrote in a review of the brew. 

Lucky Envelope Brewing sells its Lite American Pilsner seasonally in four-packs, so keep up with the brand on Instagram in order to purchase the next release.

If you can't get enough light wheat beers in your summer rotation, try out Great Lakes Brewing Company's Crushworthy Lo-Cal Citrus wheat. This can is bursting with flavors of orange and lemon, rounded out with a nice yeasty beer taste. Each can has 4% ABV and 105 calories, so it lives up to its name of being easy to crush. 

In the summertime, Great Lakes Brewing features other flavors of Crushworthy, like lemon-lime and watermelon. Even if you're not a huge fruity beer person, the original Crushworthy isn't overpowering with citrus or sweetness. Rather, it's the perfect hint to brighten up the beer. Crushworthy is really great for people who need a break from drinking spiked seltzers. Brew Bound praised the beer for its low-calorie appeal without sacrificing its depth of flavor. 

A six-pack of Great Lakes Crushworthy sells for $8.99 on Total Wine as of April 2023. 

While it's technically a hazy pale ale, Harpoon's Rec League is a must-try beer for the summer. Don't be like one reviewer on Beer Advocate who waited too long to discover this hidden gem. "A little PO'd at myself for not finding this in the heat of the summer," the review reads. Harpoon Rec League has 120 calories, 10 carbs, and 4% ABV. It's definitely light and refreshing, with notes of mango, grapefruit, and papaya prominent. It's juicy with mild hops, like a good hazy should be, but it also feels lighter than most of the other options on the market. 

As Beerstreet Journal points out, the ingredients in Rec League sound like they belong in a sporks drink or a artisanal smoothie rather than a beer. The website mentions buckwheat kasha, chia seeds, and sea salt as a few. This light beer might sound intimidating, but it results in a simply delicious beer meant for a hot summer day. 

Harpoon Rec League comes in a four-pack of 16-ounce cans and is selling for $9 on Total Wine as of April 2023. 

Fruit beer is a category that's usually a hit or a miss. Some people may like fruit-forward beers as puckeringly sour and sweet as possible. However, as a review from Paste Magazine of Hell or High Watermelon wheat beer, it doesn't fall victim to tasting like the liquid version of a Jolly Rancher candy. Luckily, 21st Amendment Brewery put just the right amount of fruit in its beer, and the recipe is an absolute knockout. 

This seasonal beer is available from April through September, so it's a must-try this summer if you see it at your local liquor store. Hell or High Watermelon lives up to its name thanks to the perfect amount of watermelon puree in the mix. The notes of wheat help balance the sweetness of the fruit, and the beer comes in at 4.9% ABV. It's the perfect beverage to accompany a summer picnic or barbecue, as Beer Connoisseur's review states. 

21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon wheat beer is available in a six-pack for $10.29 on Drizly as of April 2023. 

It might seem like an oxymoron to classify a beer as both a hoppy India Pale Ale and a light beer, but there are a few expressions that fit the bill. One classic option is Cigar City Brewing's Jai Low IPA from Tampa, Florida. The year-round beer has tropical notes that keep it bright with maintaining the hops you would expect from an IPA. It's a light beer by nature, containing 4% alcohol by volume per serving and 120 calories per can. 

"Overall a surprise in the quality of this pale ale hiding as a light/session IPA," one Beer Advocate user wrote. "Very drinkable and much better than most session IPAs as the maltiness counters the lighter flavor." Another reviewer on Beer Advocate wrote, "Beautiful beer that looks similar to its big brother. The nose features ripe tangerine and grapefruit, and those notes translate to the taste, with a bit of bready malt added for balance and body. Good stuff."

A six-pack of Cigar City Brewing's Jai Low IPA sells for $11.99 on Total Wine as of April 2023.