IPAs or India Pale Ales, are all the rage these days. Lagers are still the number one selling beer in the world but IPAs are rising fast. Drinkers of alcoholic and non alcoholic IPAs love the hoppy nature which gives more of a bitter kick than a malty lager will.
The question is, are non alcoholic IPAs lower in calories than alcoholic IPAs or indeed any alcoholic beer? Also where do they fit in the the spectrum of non alcoholic beers?
For a complete review of the calories in all types of non alcoholic beers versus alcoholic beers you can read my full article on it here.
Are non alcoholic IPAs lower in calories than alcoholic IPAs?
From my sample of 18 non alcoholic IPAs i have tried and reviewed, the average calories per 100ml was 21.3kcal and 75.7kcal per 12fl oz serving.
I undertook a sample of 10 alcoholic IPAs of various ABV and found that on average they contained 50.5kcal per 100ml and 179.3kcal per 12fl oz serving.
This would mean that a non alcoholic IPA has 103.6kcal less per 12fl oz serving and contains only 42% of the calories of an average alcoholic IPA.
These are tremendous calorie savings for non alcoholic IPAs. A pound of fat is 3500kcal, so if you switch from drinking alcoholic to non alcoholic IPAs, you would be 1lb lighter after 34 non alcoholic IPAs than if you drank alcoholic ones.
Are non alcoholic IPAs lower in calories than alcoholic beers in general?
Alcoholic IPAs are higher in calories than a generic non alcoholic beer.
The USDA state the average alcoholic beer has 43kcal per 100ml and 153kcal in a 12fl oz serving. This mirrors my own finding from a sample of 35 alcohol beers whereby i found an average of 43.2kcal per 100ml and 153.3 in a 12fl oz serving.
If we use the USDA figures and compare with that, a non alcoholic IPA has 77.3kcal fewer per 12fl oz which make it come in with 49% of the calories of a generic alcoholic beer.
Why are alcoholic IPAs higher in calories than general alcoholic beers?
Alcoholic IPAs are, on average, 17% more calorific than the general non alcoholic beer, so why is that?
To understand it you have to understand what an IPA is. IPAs date back to the 1800s when beers were made especially strong and hop heavy to survive the voyage from London to India. Today many varieties on IPA exist such as black, New England, Wet Coast and double.
IPAs start off as the same ABV as lagers but can go much much higher. The average IPA will have around 6% ABV versus about 4.5% of a lager. This added alcohol adds to the calories and makes them on average have a lot higher calorie count.
How do non alcoholic IPAs calories compare to a general non alcoholic beer?
Non alcoholic IPAs are certainly less calorific than any alcoholic beer but how do they compare to the rest of the non alcoholic range? Alcoholic IPAs are higher in calories than normal alcoholic beers so which way will non alcoholic IPAs go?
From my sample of over 100 non alcoholic beers, i found the average calories per 100ml was 22.6kcal and 80.1kcal per 12fl oz.
This means that that non alcoholic IPAs have on average about 5% less calories than a general non alcoholic beer.
| Type of Beer | Kcal per 100ml | Kcal per 12fl oz |
| Non alcoholic IPA | 21.3 | 75.7 |
| Non alcoholic beer | 22.6 | 80.1 |
| Alcoholic IPA | 50.5 | 179.3 |
| Alcoholic beer | 43 | 153 |
Why are non alcoholic IPAs lower in calories?
5% difference between non alcoholic IPAs and the rest of the alcoholic field isn’t huge but it significant.
Non alcoholic IPAs can be made lower in calories as with lots of hoppy bitterness, they need less carbs and sugar to create body. Many of the skinniest and lowest calorie non alcoholic beers are IPAs for this very reason.
Another reason they are on average lower in calories is the general non alcoholic beer score incorporates fruit, sour and heavy stouts which are higher in carbs and sugar and therefore drag the average up.
Table of non alcoholic and alcoholic beers and calories used in calculations
Below is the 18 non alcoholic IPAs and 10 alcoholic IPAs i have used for these calculations.
| Non Alcoholic Beer | Type | kcal/100ml | kcal/12fl oz | Alcoholic beer | kcal/100ml | kcal/12fl oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNLTD. | IPA | 4 | 14.2 | Bevertown Neck oil | 37 | 131.35 |
| Drop Bear Tropical IPA | IPA | 6.5 | 23.075 | Heart and soul session | 37 | 131.35 |
| Infinite Session IPA | IPA | 10 | 35.5 | Adnams Ghost Ship | 39 | 138.45 |
| Minus | IPA | 10 | 35.5 | Founders All Day IPA | 42.3 | 150.165 |
| NEIPA The Cosmic Turtle | NEIPA | 10 | 35.5 | Northern Monk IPA | 50 | 177.5 |
| Punk AF | IPA | 15 | 53.25 | Brewdog IPA | 52 | 184.6 |
| Paradiso | Citra IPA | 18.5 | 65.675 | Goose Island IPA | 56 | 198.8 |
| Run Wild | IPA | 19 | 67.45 | Samuel Adams New England IPA | 59.4 | 210.87 |
| A Ship Full Of IPA | IPA | 20 | 71 | Brewdog Hazy Jane | 60.8 | 215.84 |
| No Worries | IPA | 22 | 78.1 | Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing IPA | 71.5 | 253.825 |
| Lazer Crush | IPA | 25 | 88.75 | Average | 50.5 | 179.275 |
| Indiewave | IPA | 28 | 99.4 | |||
| Le Chauffeur | IPA | 32 | 113.6 | |||
| Incel Snorkelers | Salt IPA | 32 | 113.6 | |||
| Lust For Life | DDH IPA | 33 | 117.15 | |||
| Brulo Sabro Galaxy | DDH IPA | 33 | 117.15 | |||
| Coast Hazy IPA | IPA | 33 | 117.15 | |||
| Coast Idaho 7 | IPA | 33 | 117.15 | |||
| Average | 21.333333333333 | 75.733333333333 |
