New Zealand’s Best Low Carb Beers for 2025

Low carb beer

Low carb beer is on a roll at the moment — it’s the fastest growing sector in the beer world as consumers make “lifestyle” choices around what they’re drinking.

There are many reasons to choose a low carb beer — it could be that you’re on a ketogenic diet, or just trying to reduce the carbohydrate you consume. Or it could be for more important reasons such as having Type 1 diabetes.

Beers labelled “low carb” have been tested and should come with nutritional panel telling you how many carbs per 100ml they contain. A good guideline is that a low carb beer should have 1-2g of carbohydrate per 100ml. 

It’s important to note that low carb does not equal low calorie, though in the case of the beers listed here, some are definitely lower in calories as well. A beer’s ABV (alcohol by volume) will play a big part in the total calories as alcohol sits somewhere between carbohydrate and fat in its calorie density, so if cutting calories is your thing do make sure you check the labels.

And you don’t have to go looking for a low carb label to find all the beers that are naturally lower in residual sugars (also called dextrins).

Many traditional styles, such as Belgian-style farmhouse ales and saisons, as well as wild ferment ales are naturally low in residual sugar. This is because the yeast that creates these beers is naturally “high-attenuating” — ie it eats all the sugars available.

On the other hand, more malt-driven, sweeter beers such as milk stouts and Baltic porters will have higher levels of carbohydrate, as will many hazy IPAs which often feature the addition of wheat and oats to beef up the carb count!

Best New Zealand low carb and low alcohol 2025

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Urbanaut Beat Street Hazy IPA

Type of beer: Low carb

Brewery: Urbanaut

Flavours: Fruit salad, light, dry.

Judges’ comments: Urbanaut, based in Auckland’s food-centric suburb of Kingsland, rule supreme when it comes to low carb beers. They have four in their range, with two making the Top-25. It has a medium-light body with a lively carbonation and finishes nicely dry thanks to the low sugar. 

For more on this beer visit: https://www.urbanautbeer.com/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping

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Urbanaut Copacabana Brut IPA

Type of beer: Low carb

Brewery: Urbanaut

Flavours: Lightweight, full-flavoured low-carb IPA. 

Judges’ comments: Urbanaut, based in Auckland’s food-centric suburb of Kingsland.  Copacabana is their flagship, a 7.1% IPA that’s incredibly light and agile with a super-dry finish.  Fragrant hops and a spritzy carbonation with a flavour profile that resembles tinned fruit salad mixed with lime cordial. A summer’s day IPA because it’s light and refreshing.

For more on this beer visit: https://www.urbanautbeer.com/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping