Gout is no fun! And if you aren’t in the know, gout is a form of arthritis that attacks the joints of your big toe. It’s so painful that it may impede your ability to walk. You develop gout when your body accumulates too much uric acid.
And how do we end up with a lot of uric acid? In many cases, it is the foods we eat and the alcoholic beverages we drink. Our bodies break down this purine and convert it into uric acid. If your body can’t eliminate this uric acid in time, it can trigger a gout attack.
Many foods like liver, kidney, and sardines have been proven to be high in purine, but beer tops the suspect list. So much so that many breweries are now focusing on brewing low-purine beers. So, what are these low-purine beers? Well, that’s where we come in as we point you to the 12 best beers for gout.
So grab your beer mug; we are drinking healthy.
1. Guinness Draught by Guinness Ltd
Beer Style: Irish Dry Stout
Alcohol Content: 4.2% ABV
Tasting Notes: Coffee, Roasted Barley, Fruity
Why don’t we start with a brewer we all know and love? I’m talking about the pride of Ireland, Guinness Ltd. Their answer to the plague of gout is an Irish Dry Stout they called Guinness Draught.
Stouts don’t have the best record when it comes to purine levels, but Guinness Draught is an exception to the rule. And it tastes delicious, too, with its toasty flavors and creamy texture.
2. Beck’s Premier Light by Brauerei Beck & Co.
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 2.3% ABV
Tasting Notes: Lemongrass, Corn
This German Light Lager is low in alcohol content, calories, and purine. It will cut your calorie intake while minimizing the chances of a gout attack. But all this comes with a trade-off, alcohol content. I guess you have to give up certain things to stay healthy.
But you get a super drinkable beer with a very refreshing character. Beck’s Premier Light is not one to set your taste buds on fire, but it is good for your health.
3. Amstel Light by Amstel Brouwerij B.V.
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 3.5% ABV
Tasting Notes: Corn Bread, Sweet Corn, Spicy Hops
Amstel Light is a good summer beer and a healthy option for gout victims. It is low in purine and alcohol content. While Amstel Brouwerij compromised on alcohol content, they made up for it in the beer’s flavor.
Amstel Light is bathed in floral and spicy hops, adding a little color to the beer’s taste and aroma. But don’t go expecting the flavor complexity of an IPA. Remember, it is still a light lager.
4. Corona Light by Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V.
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 4.1% ABV
Tasting Notes: Bread, Corn, Grass
If you want to reduce the risk of a gout flare without completely giving up the bottle, another beer that you should get acquainted with is the Corona Light. Like its name, it’s low on purine and calories. And compared to many beers in this list, it wins in the alcohol content department. And we all know that Mexican Beers are delicious.
5. Heineken Premium Light Lager by Heineken Nederland B.V.
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 3.3% ABV
Tasting Notes: Wheat, Floral & Grassy Hops
Heineken Premium Light is excellent for managing gout. It is low in purines, and it can help you cut back on your carbs. Besides that, Heineken Premium Light is a malty Light Lager. It leads with doughy notes drenched in a crisp and refreshing beer.
6. Budweiser Select 55 by Anheuser-Busch
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 2.4% ABV
Tasting Notes: Wheat
The 55 in the name represents the number of calories contained in the beer. With the low calories also comes a low purine content and a lower alcohol content.
If you’re trying to wean yourself off beer while keeping your gout flare-ups in check, this is the stone that will kill those two birds. It’s an excellent thirst quencher; you can chug down tons of these without getting wasted. No, don’t do that; drink responsibly.
7. Michelob Ultra by Anheuser-Busch
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 4.2% ABV
Tasting Notes: Creamed Corn, Grass
Armed with only 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbs, Michelob Ultra could be the alcoholic partner you want in these trying times. It is low in purine, so it keeps the gout attacks away, and it has decent alcohol content levels. It may not be 5% ABV, but it is close.
8. Pilsner Urquell by Plzensky Prazdroj
Beer Style: Bohemian/Czech Pilsner
Alcohol Content: 4.4% ABV
Tasting Notes: Biscuit, Earthy Hops
Let’s take a break from the light lagers and look at a Czech Pilsner. First of all, it has decent alcohol levels, so you don’t have to work too hard for your buzz. It is also low in purine and carbs. It doesn’t taste bad either; it is a malt-centered Pilsner with light citrus and earthy notes. Plus, it goes down easy.
9. Stella Artois by Stella Artois
Beer Style: European Pale Lager
Alcohol Content: 5% ABV
Tasting Notes: Cracker, Grass
Stella Artois holds the 2019 title for the World’s Best International Lager. Deservedly so because Stella Artois is one of the best lawnmower beers out there. It has a light body and refreshing character, it has decent alcohol levels, and most important of all, it is low in purines. You can keep getting buzzed while keeping your gout in check.
10. Samuel Adams Light by Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 4% ABV
Tasting Notes: Bread, Caramel
Some people know Samuel Adams for their helium beer stunt on 2014’s April Fool’s Day, and many know them for their high-quality brews.
Samuel Adams Light is the lightest beer in their lineup; low in alcohol, calories, and of course, purine levels. Taste-wise, this Light Lager is great, with prominent bready notes drenched in caramel flavor. It is a super drinkable beer and a great companion for spicy dishes.
11. Light Lager by Yuengling Brewery
Beer Style: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 4% ABV
Tasting Notes: Corn, Caramel, Light Grass
Light Lager by Yuengling Brewery was specifically brewed for the health-conscious beer enthusiast. They took their flagship Lager brand and made it lighter; light in carbs, light in calories, light in alcohol, and light in purines. They also stamped the word “Light” on the name. Overall, it’s a lightly-hopped beer with prominent corn and caramel notes.
12. Pale Ale by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer Style: American Pale Ale
Alcohol Content: 5.6% ABV
Tasting Notes: Citrus, Biscuit
If there’s anything that Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale proves is that low-purine beers don’t have to be watered-down and boring. With 5.6% ABV, it has the highest alcohol levels on this list. In being an ale, a more complex flavor profile is almost guaranteed. So if the Light Lagers don’t do it for you, pick up Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale and keep the gout flares at bay.
Best Beers For Gout: FAQ
And those are 12 beers that you can drink as you manage your gout. Why don’t we look at some of the questions (regarding gout) that people are shooting on the web?
Which Beer is Best For Uric Acid
When managing your body’s uric acid levels, you want low-purine beers. Beers are naturally high in purine, and they get that from yeast and the fermentation process. Brewers tweak their recipes to yield low-purine beers that, in most cases, are low in alcohol (under 5% ABV) and low in calorie content (under 100 calories).
The best beers for uric acid include:
- Guinness Draught
- Beck’s Premier Light
- Amstel Light
- Corona Light
- Heineken Light
- Budweiser Select 55
- Michelob Ultra
- Pilsner Urquell
- Stella Artois
- Samuel Adams Light
Is Guinness Beer Good For Gout?
No, not all Guinness brands are good for managing gout. The best brand for keeping your uric acid levels in check is Guinness Draught. It is low in purine, and it shouldn’t shoot up your uric levels the way other beers do. Aside from that, it is still an Irish Dry Stout. It may not be drenched in alcohol like other stouts, but it is as toasty as the rest of them.
What is the Best Alcohol For Gout Suffers?
When it comes to purines, beers don’t have the best rep. Wine is better. White wine, for example, is purine-free. Whiskey has certain properties that can help shed some of your serum uric acid levels. And like with any beverage containing alcohol, it’s best to drink in moderation. Overindulgence is not good for your health.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, folks, the 12 best beers for gout. We tried to keep to the popular ones; beers that you can walk into any convenience store and buy. These beers are low in purine and low in calories. You’ll have to compromise on the alcohol department, but something has to give when you’re taking care of your health.
Drink healthy, enjoy yourself, and keep those gout flares at bay.
Sybil R Higgins graduated from the University of Chicago with an English major. Since joining Unknown Brewing, she’s taken up homebrewing. She’s still an amateur, sticking to extract recipes and brewing light pilsners. But she’s a better beer consumer.