Discovering the light side of artisanal beer
Imagine being able to enjoy a beer with good body and flavor, but without feeling guilty after each sip. Although many think that reducing calories in beer implies sacrificing flavor, the truth is that with a little creativity you can create interesting and palatable styles that fit your lifestyle.
What about calories in your favorite beer?
On average, a standard 330 ml beer can load about 150 calories. But if we look for options with lower caloric content, the figure is reduced to about 65 and 100 calories – much less, but also less body and flavor. The key is to understand where these calories come from and how to manipulate the ingredients to reduce them without losing the essence.
The mystery of calories: alcohol and non -fermented sugars
Most of the caloric count of a beer comes from alcohol. More alcohol, more calories. Approximately each degree of alcohol per volume (ABV) is equivalent to about 30 calories in a half -liter glass. The other important source is the residual sugars that did not ferment completely, mostly long chains of sugars that provide body but few calories.
Does it sound familiar? When we elaborate at home, we can use specific tools and calculations to estimate the calories of our creation, adjusting the original and final gravity to have greater control over the final result.
Why don’t you always know anything?
Many experienced critics and brewers believe that low -calorie versions tend to be watery, with little texture and flavor. The reason is simple: to achieve a lighter beer, you have to reduce both alcohol and residual sugars – components that provide body and character.
Reducing these elements to lower calories is to dilute the essence of concoction. In addition, by decreasing alcohol and body, you must also adjust the ingredients of aroma and bitterness, which can make the result look more like water with bubbles than to a complete beer.
What styles throw so as not to ruin the party
You should not try to make a Bud Light at home if your goal is to lower calories. But there are styles with which it is easier to achieve a balance: beers with less ABV that still maintain an interesting profile.
For example, Scottish Light Ales type beers, Berliner Weiss, mild English bitters or the Irish Dry Stouts are excellent candidates to lower calories without losing all their grace.
The power of special malt and cooking techniques
To maintain some flavor in styles such as Irish Stouts or Brown Ales, an effective strategy is to raise the maceration temperature. Thus, more residual starches are generated and the result is a beer with body, despite having a lower alcoholic content.
In addition, choosing low attenuation yeasts, which ferment less and leave more sugars without converting, helps create beers with less alcoholic content but with an appearance and sensation in the mouth that do not let the beer feel crowded.
Playing with the ingredients and styles to maintain the taste
The trick consists of selecting styles with a robust flavor profile that can support an alcohol reduction without losing their identity. In addition, adjusting the amount of hops, the type of malts and appropriate fermentation techniques will allow a beer that, although lighter, still has its own character.
For example, intelligent choices in dark malts or the use of local ingredients with particular can make a difference, even in versions with less calories.
The future of low calorie beer? An adventure at home!
The world of low calorie beer still has much to explore, and the best part is that you can experiment in your beer kitchen. With adequate knowledge and a little patience, you can design a beer that is not only low in calories, but also delicious and reflect your own style.
So the next time you feel you want to take care of yourself in the food without sacrificing your beer moments, remember that magic is in details. True innovation lies in adapting classic styles to be accessible and sensual for all palates.
