The Calorie Conundrum

Here is a novel concept; EXERCISE!!

 

All day IPA is at 4.7%, and very tasty.

 

Just remember: Beer has food value, but food doesn't have beer value!

 

They aren't going to be able to. So just drink what you want and if you are getting fat, exercise.

 

I lost 30lbs without ever giving up my love of good beer. (good name for my book, huh) That was the deal I made with myself - I wanted to lose the weight I gained after knee surgery but not at the expense of me having to sacrifice beer. Like others have said, people are concerned with the wrong thing - calories. Just get out there and get active like I did! I started running. Absolutely hated it initially but in the end, I achieved my goal and never gave up flavor. And boy do I like flavor; hoppy, hoppy flavor!
When I choose a beer, I am completely uninterested in its caloric content. What grabs me more is the label artwork and/or the description of the particular brew. In fact, if I saw a nutrition label on a beer, I might actually be more inclined to put it down without ever reading said info. And again like others have said, craft beer is about flavor and quality. I certainly don't want my bacon-wrapped filet mignon (with sizzling butter) and lobster bisque dinner to come with calorie information. I'd rather just enjoy it and run it off the next day. If I can drag myself out of bed, that is

 

Don

This is BA! Don't start confusing things with the facts!!

(Just kidding....nice catch.)

 

Someone please kill this thread.

As a side note I do think all beers should list nutritional value.

 

I don't think craft brewers got into brewing to "compete with the big boys." I think they got into it to craft high-quality, flavorful alternatives to the swill that the big boys were churning out. Let BMC slug it out over who can brew the lowest calorie beer.

 

Basically my question is, how should the craft world go after the light beer market? I have watched interviews with craft brewers and they all seem to shun light beer. I understand it is hard to make a flavorful low calorie beer, but this is a gigantic market almost untapped.

They shouldn't bother, the percentage of consumers that actually use calorie numbers to make purchasing decisions is incredibly small. "Similar to last year, 9% of Americans can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day.
•Most Americans do not regularly keep track of calories consumed versus calories burned, and 69% do not make an effort to balance the two, a significant increase from 2010.
•Among Americans who report trying to lose or maintain weight, 70% believe both physical activity and monitoring food and beverage consumption are equally important in weight management.
•Only 54% report actually implementing both strategies." This is from the International food council 2012 survey
What you are left with is that PRICE is the main reason people choose one product over another. In that respect no craft brewer can come even close.

 

I couldn't disagree more. People may not track calories throughout the day, but when making the initial purchasing decision they do. How else could you explain light beers being the #1 sellers?[/quote]
Your opinion is not supported in the survey which clearly states that price, not calories is the biggest decider on purchasing. A case of Bud Light is about half the cost of any craft light beer. Like it or not most Americans clearly do not care about calories as much as they do about cost. I didn't make this up, it's just the truth.

 

I don't believe that craft brewers brew low-ABV beers with calories at all in mind. I think Founders All Day IPA and Lagunitas Day Time IPA were designed as session beers, i.e., multiple ones could be drunk in a sitting without the consumer getting shit-faced. I really don't think these were created with calories in mind at all.

So, is your point that Founders, Lagunitas and others should market these beers as low-calorie beer options to compete with BMC in the low-calorie beer market? I would think if they did that they would turn off their target demographic while making little to no inroads into the mass demographic of consumers who currently drink light beers.

 

They (BMC) drinkers would not. Research has shown that the majority of light beer drinkers do not care about the caloric content of the beer. The primary reason they drink them? Easier to drink. Or, you could rephrase that to "taste less like beer." So, trying to bring them over to craft beer with a low caloric message would be suicide.

 

Bud and Bud Light are the same price.

 

All Day IPA is a "great beer" if you like it. I know I was looking forward to trying it when it came into this area. While I know there are many who like it, I won't be buying it again. It really didn't do much for me in terms of taste or mouthfeel. One thing we all need to understand it that there is a strong correlation between ABV and calorie count. It is not an exact correlation but a strong one. Here is a website that shows (mostly for macro breweries) a chart of ABV and calories per 12 oz. serving: http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm

BA currently shows the ABV of reviewed beers. I think it would be a nice service to the BA community if the caloric content were displayed as well.

It would also be nice if beer bottles displayed calorie counts like most other food products but I think many would resent government intrusion.

You are right in that this is a popular style but that style is driven by heavy advertising. I think most in the BA community are more concerned with taste than with a watery, low calorie beer. The public at large is more influenced by advertising and low cost. I think many could be converted if they could be persuaded to try the better craft offerings. As a nation we aren't getting more and more obese because we are drinking light beer and diet coke. So whether you think it is "calories in vs. calories out" or "count your carbs", people can still be convinced to try a product if they think it will taste great (whoops - beer commercial intrusion) despite the calories.

 

And no truth to the rumor he had a bomber of King Henry just prior to slipping and that is why he lost his balance.

 

You are being tricked by marketing like the public. They are not fat because of their beer. They are fat because they eat too much,sit all day and don't exercise at all. Then the drug companies get their money too.

I drink more beer now than I did 5 years ago and weigh 80 lbs less. Exercise and better food choices.

I tried Sam Adams light. It was okay but I would rather have the real thing.

Would you want a waify woman or a more curvy girl? Same thing.