Bud Light? Amstel Light? what does the "light" mean?!
Answers: is it light as in fewer calories? or is it light as in less alcohol content? thanks! i know this sounds like a dumb question, please no mean comments! :)
The answer is, indeed, both, as stated by two others. The other posters got thumbs down, so in order to ensure you get the right info, I felt I should post as well.
After ten years in the Beer Business, if it's one thing I know about, it's beer.
Of course they are lower in calories and carbs, as stated in all the advertisements, but the alcohol content is typically 1% by volume lower in light beer as opposed to full-calorie.
Example: Coors Banquet (Original) is 5% ABV
Coors Light is 4.1% ABV
The difference in carbs and calories from light beer to full-calorie means you'll have to take an extra 10 steps at the end of the night to work off a beer... not at all worth it.
Don't sacrifice taste for marketing...
Drink Better Beer!
Less calories
Fewer calories
Light in calories. They dont change the alcohol level.
It is light in calories.
Watered Down!
Less alcohol. Take a bottle of Bud and a bottle of Bud Light, compare the alcohol content, then compare the calorie content.
It just means it is suppose to be less fattening.
Fewer Calories
This is not a dumb question. Many people do not know the difference.
Light is lighter in calories and in alcohol.
I don't know about other countries but in Canada, light beer is 4 to 4.5% alcohol while regular beer is 5%. Dry beer is 5.7% to 6%.
Of course, less alcohol means less calories.
It means both, less calories and less alcohol content.
But the real reason both of these take place is because of the brewing process. Essentially you need 4 ingrediants,
Water, Hops, Malt, and Yeast.
Varying these levels off ingrediants effect the flavor, color, and alchohol content.
Light beers were created to Mass market beer itself. They are special beers (some think they really aren't beer, instead they are beer derivatives)
Light beers are purified by filtering and sterilizing to impart a clear clean look, with out all the "beer" flavor.
Essentially you can drink more light beer then normal beers like and Ale, Lager, or a Stout.
Real beer is like fine wine, your goal is to taste and enjoy, not consume.
Light beer is about drinking lots and not having to worry about a major hang over.
They were essentially created because they are cheaper to brew and appeal to more people. hence generating more $$$
but they have less calories and less alcohol.
Less calories is good, but if you drink twice as much . . . . . ?
The answer to your ? is both. During the fermentation process, sugars are converted into alcohol by the yeast. A light beer has less sugar in the fermenter, thus the alcohol content & calories are less. Light beer is drank by people who want to watch the alcohol consumption and/or calories.