SpiritFacts

Low carb alcohol

Distilled spirits have no carbohydrate unless sugar is added after distillation, so plain vodka, gin, tequila and whiskey are the keto-friendly baseline. Beer and canned drinks carry carbs, either the starch the yeast could not ferment or sugar added for flavour, and liqueurs are sugar by design.

The short answer

Zero carbs: any unflavoured spirit, like Absolut, Basil Hayden's, Beefeater, Belvedere (70 ranked here). The lowest carb beers are Corona Premier (2.6g), Michelob Ultra (2.6g), Busch Light (3.2g) per 12oz, and the lowest carb cans Nutrl Vodka Seltzer (0g) and Truly Hard Seltzer (1g). Keto plans typically limit carbs to about 20 to 50 grams a day, and a single Blue Moon Belgian White carries 14g.

Keto range: Harvard Health. Not medical advice.

Zero carbs: unflavoured spirits

70 spirits with 0g carbs per 1.5oz shot, by type.

Beer, lowest carbs first

#DrinkCarbsCal
  1. 1 Corona Premier4% · per 12oz 2.6g 89
  2. 2 Michelob Ultra4.2% · per 12oz 2.6g 93
  3. 3 Busch Light4.1% · per 12oz 3.2g 93
  4. 4 Miller Lite4.2% · per 12oz 3.2g 95
  5. 5 Natural Light4.2% · per 12oz 3.2g 95
  6. 6 Coors Light4.2% · per 12oz 5g 102
  7. 7 Bud Light4.2% · per 12oz 6.6g 109
  8. 8 Guinness Draught4.2% · per 12oz 10.6g 125
  9. 9 Budweiser5% · per 12oz 10.6g 140
  10. 10 Heineken5% · per 12oz 11g 142
  11. 11 Yuengling Traditional Lager4.5% · per 12oz 12g 136
  12. 12 Stella Artois5% · per 12oz 12g 146
  13. 13 Modelo Especial4.4% · per 12oz 13.6g 141
  14. 14 Corona Extra4.6% · per 12oz 14g 146
  15. 15 Blue Moon Belgian White5.4% · per 12oz 14g 162

Wine, lowest carbs first

Per 5oz glass, dry varietals, USDA FoodData Central.

#DrinkCarbsCal
  1. 1 Pinot Grigio12.5% · per 12oz 3g 114
  2. 2 Sauvignon Blanc13% · per 12oz 3g 118
  3. 3 Chardonnay13.5% · per 12oz 3.2g 123
  4. 4 Pinot Noir13% · per 12oz 3.4g 120
  5. 5 Merlot13.5% · per 12oz 3.7g 125
  6. 6 Cabernet Sauvignon13.5% · per 12oz 3.8g 125
  7. 7 Riesling11% · per 12oz 5.5g 112

Hard seltzer and canned drinks, lowest carbs first

#DrinkCarbsCal
  1. 1 Nutrl Vodka Seltzer4.5% · per 12oz 0g 88
  2. 2 Truly Hard Seltzer5% · per 12oz 1g 102
  3. 3 Loverboy Sparkling Hard Tea4.2% · per 12oz 2g 90
  4. 4 High Noon Vodka Seltzer4.5% · per 12oz 2g 96
  5. 5 Sun Cruiser Iced Tea & Vodka4.5% · per 12oz 2g 96
  6. 6 Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka4.5% · per 12oz 2g 96
  7. 7 Topo Chico Hard Seltzer4.7% · per 12oz 2g 100
  8. 8 Happy Dad Hard Seltzer5% · per 12oz 2g 106
  9. 9 Vizzy Hard Seltzer5% · per 12oz 2g 106
  10. 10 White Claw Hard Seltzer5% · per 12oz 2g 106
  11. 11 Simply Spiked Lemonade5% · per 12oz 19g 174
  12. 12 Twisted Tea Original5% · per 12oz 25.9g 202

Liqueurs, lowest carbs first

Per 1.5oz pour. Liqueurs are sweetened by definition.

#DrinkCarbsCal
  1. 1 Southern Comfort Original35% · per 1.5oz 5g 106
  2. 2 Malibu Original21% · per 1.5oz 7.5g 81
  3. 3 Cointreau40% · per 1.5oz 10.4g 140
  4. 4 Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge40% · per 1.5oz 10.4g 140
  5. 5 Fireball Cinnamon Whisky33% · per 1.5oz 10.6g 123
  6. 6 Aperol11% · per 1.5oz 11.1g 71
  7. 7 Campari25% · per 1.5oz 11.1g 106
  8. 8 Frangelico20% · per 1.5oz 11.2g 94
  9. 9 Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur16.5% · per 1.5oz 12.4g 90
  10. 10 Kahlúa Original16% · per 1.5oz 17.3g 108
  11. 11 Licor 4331% · per 1.5oz 18.3g 149

Spirits with measurable sugar

Lab-measured residual sugar per 1.5oz.

#DrinkCarbsCal
  1. 1 Havana Club Añejo 3 Años40% · per 1.5oz 0.2g 99
  2. 2 Gosling's Black Seal40% · per 1.5oz 0.4g 100

Figures are per standard pour: 1.5oz for spirits and liqueurs, 12oz for beer and cans, from each producer's published label or a measured lab figure. Drinks without a published carbs figure are not ranked rather than estimated.

FAQ

What alcohol has no carbs? ▾

Zero carbs: any unflavoured spirit, like Absolut, Basil Hayden's, Beefeater, Belvedere (70 ranked here). The lowest carb beers are Corona Premier (2.6g), Michelob Ultra (2.6g), Busch Light (3.2g) per 12oz, and the lowest carb cans Nutrl Vodka Seltzer (0g) and Truly Hard Seltzer (1g). Keto plans typically limit carbs to about 20 to 50 grams a day, and a single Blue Moon Belgian White carries 14g.

Is alcohol keto-friendly? ▾

Unflavoured spirits have no carbohydrate, so they fit a keto carb limit, which Harvard Health puts at about 20 to 50 grams a day. Alcohol itself is not a carbohydrate, but it still carries 7 calories per gram, and mixers like tonic, juice and regular soda are where the carbs come back.

What beer has the lowest carbs? ▾

Corona Premier (2.6g), Michelob Ultra (2.6g), Busch Light (3.2g), Miller Lite (3.2g) per 12oz. A full-strength beer like Blue Moon Belgian White carries 14g.

Does tequila or whiskey have carbs? ▾

No, not in unflavoured bottlings. The agave or grain is fermented and then distilled, and the sugars do not carry through distillation. Flavoured and "honey" or "cinnamon" versions are a different product and carry added sugar.

How many carbs are in hard seltzer? ▾

Usually 0 to 2 grams per 12oz can: Nutrl Vodka Seltzer (0g), Truly Hard Seltzer (1g), Loverboy Sparkling Hard Tea (2g), High Noon Vodka Seltzer (2g). Sweet canned drinks are the exception: Twisted Tea Original carries 25.9g.

Is wine low carb? ▾

Dry wine is fairly low: Pinot Grigio (3g), Sauvignon Blanc (3g), Chardonnay (3.2g) per 5oz glass, up to Riesling at 5.5g. Sweet styles like dessert wine, port and demi-sec sparkling carry far more.