Is There a Lot of Sugar in Craft Beer?

November 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to brewing experts, most of the sugar from the malt is consumed by yeast, but residual sugars always remain in the final product. The question, 'Is there a lot of sugar in craft beer?', has a nuanced answer that depends heavily on the specific beer style and how it was brewed.

Quick Summary

Craft beer's sugar content is highly variable, influenced by style and brewing. While many IPAs and light styles are low in sugar, sweeter, darker beers often have much higher levels due to residual sugars or additives.

Key Points

Residual Sugar is Key: The sugar left after fermentation is called 'residual sugar', which determines a beer's final sweetness and body, and varies significantly by style.
Fermentation Converts Sugar: Yeast consumes most simple sugars from malted grains, turning them into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which is why most beers are not overly sweet.
Style Dictates Sugar Level: Dry styles like IPAs and light lagers contain very little residual sugar, while sweeter styles like stouts and barleywines can have much higher levels.
Non-Alcoholic Beers are Often High-Sugar: Non-alcoholic beers typically have higher sugar content because fermentation is intentionally stopped early to prevent alcohol production.
Added Ingredients Boost Sugar: Some craft brewers use lactose, fruit, or honey to increase sweetness, directly impacting the final sugar count.
Check Brewery Websites: Since nutritional labels are often not required for alcoholic beverages, checking a craft brewery's website for nutritional data is the best way to find low-sugar options.
Total Carbs vs. Sugar: A beer's total carbohydrate count is different from its sugar count; it includes unfermentable dextrins that affect overall calories but not sweetness.

The Role of Fermentation in Sugar Content

To understand the sugar in craft beer, one must first grasp the basics of the brewing process. Beer begins with malted grains, typically barley, which are mashed with hot water to convert starches into fermentable sugars, creating a sweet liquid called wort. Yeast is then added to this wort to begin fermentation, consuming the simple sugars (like glucose and maltose) and converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is the central reason why most beers don't taste overwhelmingly sweet—because the primary sugar source is largely consumed during fermentation.

Fermentable vs. Unfermentable Sugars

However, not all sugars created during the mashing process are alike. Yeast can't fully ferment complex sugars known as dextrins, which remain in the finished product as 'residual sugars'. Brewers can manipulate the mashing temperature to influence the ratio of fermentable to unfermentable sugars, thus controlling the final sweetness and body of the beer. A lower mashing temperature, for example, produces more fermentable sugars for a drier finish, while a higher temperature creates more unfermentable dextrins for a sweeter, fuller-bodied beer.

Style, Ingredients, and Residual Sugar

The most significant factor determining a craft beer's sugar content is its style. Different styles have different target flavor profiles, which brewers achieve by controlling the amount of residual sugar.

Low-Sugar Beers: Styles known for their crisp, dry finish generally have very low residual sugar. This includes many IPAs, especially West Coast styles, which can have less than 1 gram of sugar per 12-ounce serving. Session IPAs and light lagers are also designed to have minimal residual sugar to keep the calorie and carb counts down.
Higher-Sugar Beers: On the other end of the spectrum are beers where sweetness is a desirable characteristic. Hefty barleywines or sweet stouts can have significantly higher residual sugar, sometimes ranging from 8 to over 20 grams per liter, or more than 5 grams per 12 ounces. These higher sugar levels contribute to a richer mouthfeel and fuller body. Some Belgian ales, certain wheat beers, and specialty dessert beers also fall into this category.
Non-Alcoholic Beers: Counterintuitively, non-alcoholic beers often contain the highest sugar levels. Because the fermentation process is intentionally halted early to prevent alcohol production, a significant amount of residual sugar remains in the liquid. It's not uncommon for a 12-ounce non-alcoholic beer to contain 8 to 15 grams of sugar.
Added Sugars: Some craft brewers add adjuncts like fruit, honey, or lactose to introduce specific flavors and sweetness. These can significantly impact the final sugar count, as the yeast may not ferment all of the added complex sugars.

Sugar vs. Carbohydrates in Beer

It is crucial to distinguish between sugar and total carbohydrates when evaluating beer's nutritional profile. While sugar is a type of carbohydrate, total carbs also include unfermentable dextrins. This is why a beer might have minimal sugar but a higher overall carbohydrate count. For someone monitoring their blood sugar, this distinction is important, as the unfermentable carbs will still add to the overall caloric intake.

Comparing Sugar Content by Beer Type


Beer Style	Estimated Residual Sugar (per 12 oz / 355 ml)	Notes
Light Beer	~0–1 gram	Very low sugar, often minimal carbs.
Regular Lager / Ale	~0–2 grams	Most sugars fermented into alcohol, low residual sugar.
IPA / Session IPA	~0–1 gram	Often dry with most sugar converted to alcohol.
Double IPA / Barleywine	~2–5+ grams	Higher malt content and final gravity lead to more residual sugar.
Sweet Stout / Dessert Beer	~2–10+ grams	Roasted malts, lactose, or other additions increase sweetness.
Non-Alcoholic Beer	~8–15+ grams	Fermentation halted to keep ABV low, leaving high sugar.
Fruit Beer / Lambic	Highly variable	Depends on if fruit sugars were fermented or added post-fermentation.

How to Find a Low-Sugar Craft Beer

Finding a craft beer with less sugar can be challenging, as nutrition labels are not mandatory for alcohol in many regions. However, consumers can use several strategies:

Read the Label: Look for descriptors like "dry," "crisp," or "brut" on the packaging, which suggest a highly attenuated (fully fermented) beer with minimal residual sweetness.
Check the Style: As the table above illustrates, certain styles are naturally lower in sugar. Seek out classic IPAs, light lagers, or gose (a sour beer style that often finishes dry). Conversely, be cautious with any beer described as a "dessert stout," "pastry stout," or those mentioning added ingredients like fruit, vanilla, or lactose, as these almost certainly contain more sugar.
Consult the Brewery: Many health-conscious craft breweries now provide nutritional information, including carbohydrate and sugar counts, on their websites. Check their online resources or contact the brewery directly for specific information.
Higher ABV Doesn't Equal More Sugar: A common misconception is that higher alcohol by volume (ABV) means more residual sugar. In fact, a high ABV often means more of the original sugar was consumed by the yeast. However, high ABV beers will have more calories overall from the alcohol.

Conclusion

Contrary to a blanket assumption, there is not a consistently high amount of sugar in all craft beers. The truth is far more complex, with sugar levels varying dramatically across different styles and brewing methods. While many popular craft beers like IPAs have very little residual sugar, other styles, particularly dessert stouts, barleywines, and especially non-alcoholic beers, contain significantly more. The key for health-conscious consumers lies in understanding the brewing process, recognizing stylistic cues, and knowing that a beer's final sweetness is not always indicative of its final sugar content. For those concerned about sugar intake, opting for drier styles and checking brewery websites for nutritional information is the best course of action. For a deeper dive into the science behind brewing, resources such as ScienceDirect provide comprehensive overviews of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

A beer's perceived sweetness can be influenced by factors other than residual sugar, such as a high malt character, certain hop varieties, or even the temperature at which it is served. Some unfermentable complex sugars (dextrins) contribute to body but not necessarily a distinctly sweet flavor.

Most IPAs, particularly drier West Coast styles, have low residual sugar because the yeast consumes most of the fermentable sugars. However, some specialty IPAs, like milkshake IPAs or those with added fruit, can have higher sugar content.

No, non-alcoholic beer is often a poor choice for a low-sugar alternative. Because the brewing process is halted before significant fermentation occurs, a higher amount of sugar is left in the final product.

Because nutritional labels are often not on craft beer bottles or cans, the best method is to research the specific beer on the brewery's website, where nutritional information might be published. Alternatively, learning about beer styles can help guide your choice toward drier options.

Not always. While some stouts, particularly sweet or dessert stouts, contain more residual sugar, a dry stout can have very low sugar content. The roasted flavor from dark malts can give the perception of sweetness even without high sugar levels.

Yes. When brewers add ingredients like fruit purées or lactose (milk sugar), it increases the sugar content of the beer. Yeast cannot ferment lactose, so it remains in the final product as a sweetener, as seen in milkshake IPAs.

Sugar is a component of a beer's total carbohydrate count. Total carbs include both fermentable sugars consumed by yeast and unfermentable dextrins that add to the beer's body and calories but do not contribute to sweetness.