What is the lowest carb alcoholic drink?

One of the first things many people want to know when they are deciding whether to follow a low carb diet is whether or not they can drink alcohol. Often, the answer to this will even dictate whether they decide to follow the diet!

For most low carb diets, such as keto, alcohol itself is permitted (in sensible quantities!), but only low carb drinks are suitable in ensuring your diet doesn't stray off course. But what are the lowest carb alcoholic drinks? In this blog, we will compare the carbs in popular types of alcohol, and also introduce you to lower carb alcohol products we have available at DrinkWell.

Carbs in Wine

Given the vast array of different types of wine available, the carb content will vary considerably depending on that type of wine you choose. The carb content of wine is largely dependent on the amount of residual sugar left in the drink after the fermentation process - though some winemakers do also add sugar to the wine which also increases the carb content.

Dry wines - and particularly dry white wines - often contain very little or no residual sugar, so if you are looking for a low carb wine, look out for ones described as ‘dry’ on the label. On average, a glass of dry wine contains around 1-2 g carbs per 125ml. On the other hand, sweet dessert wines such as ports, madeiras, and sauternes can contain a very large amount of carbs - sometimes up to 20g per glass - so they are best avoided. You can read more about the carbs in different types of wines in our blog here.

Low Carb Wines

It can be difficult to know where to start when looking for low carb wines, especially as the labelling is not always clear. That’s why DrinkWell publishes clear nutritional information, including carb content, for every wine we sell on our website. We have a great collection of zero and low carb wines for you to enjoy without having to worry about what the carb content might be. Below are some that we currently have ready for you to enjoy:

Piattini Pinot Grigio

Rated five stars by our customers, this Italian zero carb dry white wine is perfect for those on a keto diet. With a zesty citrus and light floral aroma, this Pinot Grigio is crisp and lemony, with a dash of sweet honeyed fruit, making it the perfect refreshment on a hot summer day. It can be purchased from the DrinkWell website for £9.99 per bottle.

Les Mazelles Pinot Noir

Hailing from the world famous Loire Valley in France, this Pinot Noir comes from an estate based in the village Thésée, near Touraine. This zero carb wine is allowed to mature in oak barrels for up to 10 months, creating a delicate and pure Pinot Noir that pairs beautifully with pork chops or grilled salmon. It is also suitable for vegans, gluten free, and contains just 90 calories per 125ml glass. You won’t be disappointed if you order a bottle for £12.99 from the DrinkWell website.

All our wines are selected for their taste, quality and lower calorie content, so if you are looking to discover a new favourite, you can't go wrong with one of our curated cases.

Carbs in Beer

We are all familiar with the term ‘beer belly’, so it won’t be news to you that beer tends to be quite high in carbs. Beer is made from grains, such as oats, barley, wheat, and rye - all of which provide high amounts of digestible carbs. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that the average can of beer contains approximately 13g of carb - a definite no-no for anyone following a low carb diet. Lighter coloured beers tend to contain less calories than their darker counterparts, which are more carbohydrate heavy.

Low Carb Beers

At DrinkWell, we understand that to stop drinking beer is unthinkable to many people. That’s why we have worked very hard to source low carb beers that you can enjoy sensibly as part of a low carb diet. Below are some of the beers we have available to purchase at the moment:

SkinnyBrands Lager

SkinnyBrands have the answer to your low carb beer dreams with their SkinnyBrands Lager, which contains just 3g of carbs per 330ml bottle. This is a refreshingly malty premium lager, that’s full flavour, 4% ABV and only 89 calories per bottle whilst also being vegan, gluten free, and kosher. Best of all, it contains 35% fewer calories than other premium lagers. You can purchase a case of 24 from the SkinnyBooze website for £32.95.

Tennents Light Lager

Tennents is the lowest calorie beer we have available, and the taste is just incredible. As well as containing just 60 calories per 300ml bottle, this beer is exceptionally low in carbs with just 0.7g per bottle, making it a great choice for anyone following a low carb diet. Tennents is also suitable for vegans and gluten free. Made from 100% Scottish grown cereals and fresh highland water from Loch Katrine, Tennent’s Light is another contribution to the growing moderation trend. Grab yourself a case of 12 from the DrinkWell website for £12.99

Carbs in Cider

Nothing goes down quite as well as a cold cider on a summer's day. However, it probably won't come as a surprise to anyone that these sweet and refreshing drinks tend to be packed with carbs and calories. In fact, on average cider is probably one of the most carb-heavy alcoholic drinks - especially if you opt for the sweet fruity varieties!

The fruit used to make cider is naturally high in sugar, which is why cider is higher in sugar than beer, which is typically made from malted grains (usually barley), hops, and yeast. On average, a pint of cider contains around 210 calories, and the sugar content can range from around 6g up to more than 40g per pint depending on the type and style of cider chosen. For example, a pint of Rekorderlig Wild Berries will contain a staggering 48g of sugar, which is more sugar than you would find in a can of coke, and almost double the amount in a Creme Egg!

Dry ciders tend to contain much less sugar, so it is best to opt for these if you are cutting down on carbs but don’t want to miss out on your favourite summer drink! Additionally, some cider makers are starting to produce dedicated low sugar/carb ciders.

Carbs in Spirits

Spirits such as whiskey, gin, tequila, rum and vodka are pure forms of alcohol and, as such, contain no carbs. However, seldom do we enjoy these spirits alone, and many popular mixers will turn your drink into a high carb disaster. Soft fizzy drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juices all contain an exceptionally high amount of carbs so should definitely be avoided if you are following a low carb diet.

The good news is, DrinkWell has worked hard to source some low carb mixers - so don’t worry, you won't have to resort to drinking straight spirits! Why not try our carb and calorie-free Skinny Tonic as a mixer? It is available in 4 exciting flavours, including Cucumber, Aromatic, Ginger Ale, and British Rasberry, so you can get creative and try a number of different creations! You can order a crate of 24 cans of Skinny Tonic from the DrinkWell website for £14.99.

Carbs in Cocktails

Sweet, spicy, fruity, or creamy - no matter what your favourite type of cocktail is, it will most likely be a high carb matter. Cocktails are often mixed with sugar syrups, sugary juice and fizzy drinks, and high sugar liqueurs - hence the carbs! For example, a Pina Colada or Sex on the Beach will contain around 30g of carbs, a Mojito contains around 25g of carbs and there are around 28g of carbs in an Espresso Martini. Of course, lower carb cocktail options are available - such as an Old Fashioned (around 8g) or a Bloody Mary (around 7g), though realistically these are still too high in carbs to enjoy as part of a low carb diet.

Low Carb Cocktail Alternatives

If you love the fruity and exciting flavours of a cocktail but want to follow a low carb diet, we would like to introduce you to a group of tasty and versatile drinks called hard seltzers. Hard seltzers have been dominating the low-carb alcohol market in the USA for a while now, and are now becoming more and more popular here in the UK too.

Hard seltzers are a delicious lower-calorie, fruit flavoured alcoholic sparkling water drink, simply made from carbonated water, alcohol and natural fruit flavouring, such as passionfruit, lemon, and blackberry. They contain no added sugar making them the perfect choice for anyone looking for a lower carb or lower calorie alternative to cocktails. For the adventurous and creative amongst us, they can even be used to make lower-carb cocktails, such as hard seltzer versions of Aperol Spritz and Mojito - take a look at our hard seltzer cocktail blog here for some inspiration.

If you like the sound of hard seltzers, you are in the right place. We have a variety of hard seltzers in stock at DrinkWell from the world's leading brands, including Mike’s Hard Seltzers, Served Hard Seltzers, DRTY Hard Seltzers, Kopparberg, Bodega Bay and Arrowtown Hard Seltzers. Why not check out our hard seltzer collection and pick your favourites.

Conclusions

As we have learnt from this blog, in terms of lowest carb content, straight spirits come out on top as the majority of them contain no carbs at all. However, aside from the fact most of us can’t stomach a night drinking straight spirits, the very high alcohol content is likely to do more damage to your health than a few carbs!

Away from spirits, dry wines also tend to be lower in carbs so are the choice of many who follow low carb diets. It is now possible to get lower carb versions of almost all alcoholic drinks. DrinkWell has an unrivalled collection of lower carb alcoholic drinks across most categories, so we are sure that we will have something to suit your taste and needs! Explore the wine, beer, cider, and hard seltzers collections to find the right drink for you.

Browse More Low Calorie Drinks

What is the Lowest Carb Alcoholic Drink?