It may be a stereotype, but a large portion of gay men are focused on body image. Daily trips to the gym, healthy eating and that skim milk addition to the morning latte are just a few ways we try to keep our bodies ready for that next opportunity to lose a shirt.
But gay men are also fans of some libation. While grain alcohol contains no fat and studies have shown no link between alcoholic calories and weight gain, some men just prefer the taste of beer.
But beer has always been high in fat, sodium and calories—until now.
Brewers have pulled out low-calorie beers recently in an effort to create a “healthier” alternative for drinkers. Anheuser-Busch introduced Bud Select 55 earlier this year about the same time MillerCoors rolled out MGD 64. Both beers have their calorie totals in their titles these two biggest brewers in the U.S. are trying to win over the six-pack-abs crowd with their ultra-low-calorie suds.
But are drinkers willing to sacrifice flavor and a bit of the buzz? And: How long before beer gets turned back into water?
Most regular American beers, such as Budweiser, have about 150 calories and 5% alcohol, while most light beers contain around 100 calories and 4% alcohol. Michelob Ultra boasts low carbs, but has 96 calories per bottle and about 4% alcohol.
MGD 64 and Select 55 are both well below those totals and to cut calories, beer companies reduce the amount of malted barley and other grains that are fermented during the brewing process. That, in turn, reduces the amount of alcohol in the brew. The result is a beer more like its main ingredient, water.
“They are all watered down versions of the real thing,” says Marshall Lee, who owns a graphics company in St. Petersburg. “But on my tongue, the taste test goes to Bud Select 55, if those are the only choices.”
In fact, in a very informal poll conducted by Watermark, more beer drinkers would choose Select 55 over MGD 64 based on taste. Many others, however, would go ahead and order a Michelob Ultra and not worry about the calorie count.
“I love the taste,” says Gary Gaede of Brandon.
Others simply said they would more than likely drink more of the low-calorie beers and end up spending more money, so sticking with traditional beers seemed more economical.
Light beers account for about half of the $99-billion-a-year beer market in the U.S., according to the Beverage Information Group, a market research firm. But the market for super-low-calorie is still fairly small, the group says.
According to its Web site, MillerCoors’ MGD 64 has sold twice as much in its first year as Miller Genuine Draft Light, which it replaced a year ago. No specific figures were available.
After a few weeks of testing Select 55 in 15 markets—including the Tampa Bay area, Anheuser-Busch decided to expand into a dozen more in October. The company isn’t sure yet whether demand for the beer is big enough for it to go national.
Many beer drinkers have a favorite beverage and aren’t going to vary far from it.
“Guinness all the way,” says St. Pete graphic designer Kris Stavely.
Others have no interest in alcoholic consumption at all and will stick with non-alcoholic offerings
“I drink water,” says James Kelley of Tampa. “Hooch is for losers.”
