9 Popular Light Beers, Ranked From Worst To Best

When it comes to beer, there are seemingly countless varieties consumers can choose from to conform to their particular taste. But when talking about the masses, there's one type of beer that largely appeals to the public more so than others, and consistently tops the highest-selling beers of the year charts: Light beer. Rather than trying to brew a beverage focusing primarily on its flavor or hoppiness, the objective of light beer is to create something that is easy to drink. This means an emphasis on reduced calories, rather than hops or a high ABV (alcohol by volume).

Why this appeals to the public is not the point of this list. Rather, the point is to rank nine of the most popular light beers to help you find what suits you. This involves beer made with an emphasis on low calories and high drinkability, and that is available on a large scale.

Founded, or rather revived, by Travis and Jason Kelce in 2023, Garage Beer is rapidly ascending the light beer market as a clear fan favorite. Having grown its sales by over 250% in 2023 (the fastest rising beer brand that year), Garage Beer is officially available in all 50 states as of 2025 and offers a new take on a Cincinnati classic. Originally released in 2018 with the name of the brewery included in the name ("Braxton Brewing Co."), the beer spun off from its parent company while also focusing less on the hops in the drink.

This applies to the recipe, too, as the beer produced by Garage Beer Co. tweaked the formula to be more inclusive. The brand is opting to appeal to the masses, referring to their drink as "beer flavored beer" and as the beer with "no bitterness." This leads to a brew with a flavor that is malty and slightly sweet, but which has absolutely no hoppy flavor. True to its advertising, this is a beer with almost no bitterness whatsoever, which makes it extremely easy to drink (as well as its minuscule 95 calories per 12 ounces and 4.0 ABV). If this is the kind of lighter alcoholic beverage you're looking for, Garage Beer is exactly what it sounds like: A simple beer-flavored beer. If you want something with a little more kick, however, several other options provide a fuller flavor profile.

Busch Light, a product from the beer juggernaut Anheuser-Busch, was introduced way back in 1955 as Busch Bavarian. It eventually dropped the "Bavarian" in 1979 and would finally receive the "Light" title when it was introduced as a draft beer in 1989. Busch Light is grainy and malty with a light sweetness, creating a pleasant concoction that pairs perfectly with the outdoors aesthetic the company has cultivated around the beer (complete with iconic camo-clad cans).

When it comes to calories, Busch Light is on the lighter side, with only 95 per 12 ounces. This, along with its delicious (albeit uncomplicated) flavor profile and light mouth feel, results in a refreshing and crisp beer with fewer calories than most of its counterparts. Whether you opt for one of the company's signature tallboy cans or an ice-cold draft of Busch Light, you'll be treating yourself to a solid glass of light beer.

Introduced in 2002 as an even lighter alternative to light beer, Anheuser-Busch's Michelob Ultra has since become one of the most popular beers available. In fact, as of 2025, Michelob Ultra officially overtook Modelo as the highest-selling beer in the country, signaling just how fond of this beer consumers are. The flavor of this beer is tasty and inoffensive, with subtle notes of citrus, mild bitterness from the hops, and sweetness from the malt. It is very carbonated, resulting in one of the most crisp and refreshing beers available, period.

The appeal to this beer isn't just its flavor, however. As mentioned above, the line's main focus is its calorie count, or lack thereof. With only 95 calories per 12 ounces and an ABV of 4.2%, the beer is not only delicious but also extremely easy to drink (while not weighing down the stomach the same way heavier beers do). It may not be the very best light beer available, but you can't go wrong grabbing a can of the most popular beer in America, as it's just as, if not more, refreshing than any of its peers.

One of the most drinkable and (until recently) popular beers in the country is Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light. A lighter take on the company's signature Budweiser, this line was originally released in 1982 under the name "Budweiser Light" before eventually being shortened to its current name. This beer boasts a subtle fruity/citrus taste, finished off by a sweetness from the barley malt and a light bitterness from the hops.

Containing only 110 calories per 12-ounce can and an ABV of 4.2%, Bud Light goes down easy and delivers a crisp finish that's been a favorite of Americans since the mid-1980s or so. Despite its recent dip in popularity, Bud Light has been leaning heavily on advertising to remain a big hit for consumers. There are clearly other light beers that rank ahead of it, but Bud Light's refreshing crispness and easy drinkability will always be a favorite among drinkers. It's well worth a try if you're looking for a lighter alternative to your full-bodied beers.

Natural Light, introduced by Anheuser-Busch in 1977 as the company's first beer with reduced calories, has long been associated with cheapness, as it's consistently been one of the lowest-priced beers available. This has resulted in the beer garnering a rather unscrupulous reputation because of this, and it is often mocked for its perceived poor quality. This couldn't be further from the truth, however, as Natural Light provides an extremely tasty drink for an extremely low price.

Containing light malt and hops gives the beer a small bite of sweetness and bitterness, and, along with the high carbonation and slight metallic taste, creates a flavor that almost borders on fruity, but which is firmly a refreshing American-style lager. It also has only 95 calories per 12 ounces, making it one of the lightest beers on the market, on par with drinks like Michelob Ultra. There may be drinks with a stronger flavor, but at its price point, Natural Light offers an extremely refreshing drink whose cost belies its surprisingly superior quality.

Having started production in 2024, Samuel Adams American Light is a crisp and refreshing option for those who enjoy light beer and/or Samuel Adams beverages. Containing light floral hops and sweetness with low bitterness, this beer is one of the most drinkable on this list, as its flavors are both unobtrusive and inoffensive. This, paired with its 115 calories per 12 ounces and 4.2% ABV, makes it one of the smoothest beers available today.

While the brewery typically focuses on stronger, more full-bodied beers (particularly those centered around late summer and autumn variations), American Light is its attempt to offer a more casual, lighter drink that can be enjoyed on a myriad of different occasions. It may not be the more flavorful, heavier (and typically seasonal) beers that helped Samuel Adams carve out a path as one of the best-selling beer companies in America. Still, this new rendition of the classic light beer should not be missed, as its taste is pleasantly refreshing year-round.

Produced by Miller Lite Brewing Company (which was acquired by Molson Coors Beverage Company in 2016), Miller Lite has long been one of the best-selling light beers in the country. Introduced in 1975 as one of the first of the ultra-popular light beers that dominate the market today, this beer continues to be one of the best-selling lines of any brand.

Miller Lite's flavor is slightly sweet from the malt with a light citrus taste, and is balanced out with a faint bitterness and flavors of toasted grain for a combination that's as delicious as it is simple. Its popularity even reaches beyond simply drinking the beer, too, as the company has released other products celebrating its iconic flavor, such as beer-flavored coals to grill with in the summer. Containing only 96 calories per 12 ounces and an ABV of 4.2%, there aren't many better options for a light beer that's every bit as delicious as it is easy to drink, even if the flavor profile is relatively simple.

Brewed by Rhinegeist Brewery out of Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincy Light represents its home city well. Highly carbonated, sweet, and slightly hoppy with a light metallic taste, this light beer's flavor profile is one of the strongest of any light beer, and its 110 calories per 12 ounces ensure you can keep drinking without feeling weighed down.

Cincy Light started production in 2023 and is one of the newer beverages in the light beer market. This hasn't affected its popularity, however, as the success of the drink quickly shot Rhinegeist's sales in Ohio by 7%, officially surpassing Great Lakes Brewing Company as the most popular craft brewery in the state in 2024. While the company's flagship may be its Truth IPA line, Cincy Light is rapidly ascending as not only one of the best beers Rhinegeist offers but also as a rising star in the light beer market. Available year-round throughout the Midwest (wherever Rhinegeist beverages can be found), Cincy Light is an excellent light beer whose rise is all but justified by its crisp, smooth flavor and extremely easy drinkability.

Having debuted in 1978 as a response to the rise in popularity of light beers, Coors Light remains a staple in not just the light beer market but the beer market as a whole. The "Silver Bullet" (as the beer is known colloquially) is made with primarily barley malt, lager yeast, and corn syrup, giving it a sweeter flavor with a mild bitterness from the hops, and a light floral aroma.

With an advertising campaign centered around portraying its beer as the epitome of a cold, crisp, light beer, Coors Light can be found essentially anywhere beer can be found and offers just that: an almost perfect encapsulation of what a light beer should be. With only 102 calories per 12 ounces and an ABV of 4.2%, the Coors Light line from Molson Coors Beverage Company is the quintessential light beer and is best enjoyed when it's as cold as it can be.

This list focuses on ranking popular light beers, which we've tried and rated based on factors such as flavor, drinkability, calorie content, and pricing. We included beers that are brewed with a "light" philosophy (that involves drinks with reduced calories and a lower ABV), as well as drinks that are available on a large scale. This means drinks such as Hamm's Beer, while being relatively lower in calories at 142 per 12 ounces, are still not considered "light" as their focus is not on their reduced calories, and they do not promote the lack of calories as a primary selling point of the drink.

If a beer is not available on a large scale, too, it is disqualified from this list. These would include local beers that are only available in one or two cities or states. For example, the original Garage Beer (produced by Braxton Brewing Co.) would not be included in this list as it was both higher in hops and only available in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Conversely, the modern Garage Beer, one that focuses on a low bitterness/carb count and is available in all 50 states, is the exact kind of drink this list is targeting.