The best light beer is Michelob Ultra, the cleanest, crispest low-calorie lager that still tastes like a beer. That is my verdict after buying and tasting the major light beers side by side, every one out of my own pocket, and scoring each on aroma, balance, body and drinkability.
I am Dan, and beer is my life. I have been an active homebrewer for over 10 years and have tasted breweries all over the world. This guide is built from my own tasting notes, with honest scores and a full review behind every pick. You can read more about me or see everything I have reviewed on my author page.
Below is the best light beer for every priority, whether you care most about taste, the lowest calories and carbs, or the best value by the case.
The Best Light Beers, Ranked
Here is the short version, ranked by how they actually taste. Full reviews are linked under each pick.
| Rank | Beer | Style | ABV | Calories | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelob Ultra | American light lager | 4.2% | 95 | 3.5/5 |
| 2 | Miller Lite | American light lager | 4.2% | 96 | 3.4/5 |
| 3 | Corona Light | Mexican light lager | 4.1% | 99 | 3.1/5 |
| 4 | Coors Light | American light lager | 4.2% | 102 | 3.1/5 |
| 5 | Amstel Light | Light lager | 3.5% | 95 | 3.0/5 |
| 6 | Bud Light | American light lager | 4.2% | 110 | 3.0/5 |
| 7 | Busch Light | American light lager | 4.1% | 95 | 2.9/5 |
| 8 | Natural Light | American light lager | 4.2% | 95 | 2.7/5 |
The Best Light Beers at a Glance
Swipe through the top picks and tap any card to jump straight to the full write-up.
Best Light Beer Overall: Michelob Ultra
Michelob Ultra is the best light beer for most people. At 95 calories and 2.6g carbs it is genuinely clean and crisp rather than watery, which is why it runs the category.
American light lager, 4.2% ABV, 95 calories. Barely-there flavor by design, and the beer to reach for when you want something cold that will not slow you down.
- Very low in calories and carbs for a full-strength lager
- Crisp, clean and genuinely refreshing ice cold
- Easy to drink all afternoon without filling you up
- Widely available and reliably consistent
- Very little flavor or aroma to speak of
- Falls flat quickly as it warms
- Not one for anyone chasing malt or hop character
Serve it right: A simple, sturdy pint glass is all this one needs, and this set is a best-reviewed everyday option.
- Budget pick: Busch Light
- Also worth trying: Miller Lite
Pairing it with food? Try our best beer with wings guide. More like this in our best light beer guide.
Best-Tasting Light Beer: Miller Lite
If flavour matters more than the lowest possible calorie count, Miller Lite is the pick. It has a touch more malt and hop character than most light lagers while staying easy and sessionable.
American light lager, 4.2% ABV, 96 calories. The beer that invented the category, and still one of the better ones.
- More hop character than most light lagers
- Genuinely crisp and dry finish
- Low calories and low ABV for long sessions
- Cheap, consistent and everywhere
- Still a light beer, so body is thin
- Not one for slow sipping
- Flavor fades fast as it warms
Serve it right: A simple, sturdy pint glass is all this one needs, and this set is a best-reviewed everyday option.
- Budget pick: Busch Light
- Lower-calorie option: Michelob Ultra
- Also worth trying: Coors Light
Pairing it with food? Try our best beers for a BBQ guide. More like this in our best light beer guide.
Best Ice-Cold Light Beer: Coors Light
Coors Light is built to be drunk very cold, and served that way it is clean, crisp and refreshing. It is a classic crowd-pleaser for a party or a tailgate.
American light lager, 4.2% ABV, 102 calories. Very light and clean, sold ice cold on refreshment.
- Light, crisp and refreshing ice cold
- Low calories and low ABV for sessions
- Cheap and available everywhere
- Slightly softer, smoother edge than some rivals
- Very light on flavor and body
- Falls flat as it warms up
- Nothing to reward a slow sip
Serve it right: A simple, sturdy pint glass is all this one needs, and this set is a best-reviewed everyday option.
- Budget pick: Natural Light
- Lower-calorie option: Michelob Ultra
- Also worth trying: Bud Light
Pairing it with food? Try our best beers for a BBQ guide. More like this in our best light beer guide.
Best Budget Light Beer: Busch Light
When price and quantity are the priority, Busch Light punches above its cost. It is light and clean with a faint corn sweetness, and hard to beat for the money at a party.
American light lager, 4.1% ABV, 95 calories. Cheap, extremely light and built for volume.
- Very cheap, especially by the case
- Only 95 calories and low carbs
- Light, smooth and easy to drink in quantity
- Consistent and widely available
- Very thin on flavor and body
- Almost no aroma or finish
- Not a beer for savoring
Serve it right: Cheap, cold and endless is the whole point here, so grab a stack of koozies to keep every can cold.
- Budget pick: Natural Light
- Lower-calorie option: Michelob Ultra
- Also worth trying: Miller Lite
Pairing it with food? Try our best beers for a BBQ guide. More like this in our best light beer guide.
Explore More Lager Guides
Want to go wider? These guides cover the rest of the lager world:
Light Beer FAQs
What is the healthiest light beer?
By the numbers, Michelob Ultra is the go-to, at about 95 calories and 2.6g carbs per 12oz. Miller Lite and Corona Premier are close behind. All light beers are still alcohol, so healthiest here just means fewest calories and carbs.
What is the best-tasting light beer?
Michelob Ultra and Miller Lite are the two that taste most like a proper beer while staying light. If you want a little more flavour, Coors Light and Corona Light are worth a look.
What is the lowest-calorie beer?
Among the mainstream light lagers, Michelob Ultra leads at around 95 calories, with Miller Lite at about 96 and Busch Light at about 95. Ultra-low options exist but usually trade away most of the flavour.
How We Test and Score
Every beer here was bought with my own money and tasted properly, not skimmed from a spec sheet. I score each on aroma, balance, body, drinkability and how well it does the job it is built for. Simple beers are not marked down for being simple, but the ones with real character and balance score higher. You can see every score on the individual beer reviews.
