The Many Flavors of Bud Light
Bud Light is the world’s most popular light beer, and the competition doesn’t even come close. Entering the market in 1982, Bud Light is currently sold in over 50 countries worldwide and can be found nearly anywhere beer is sold. With just 110 calories and only 4.2% alcohol content per 12oz serving, Bud Light is a favorite at sporting events, bars, parties, and hangouts around the globe.
Since Bud Light is so readily available, it’s easy to overlook the many other tasty Bud Light variations that offer an equally enjoyable experience. Over the years, Budweiser has created an impressive lineup of unique and creative drinks that remix Bud Light with exciting new flavors. These drinks retain the low-alcohol content of Bud Light, and in most cases, are also lower in calories than most other beers making them a great addition to your fridge.
This guide will go over the best Bud Light styles and variations available near you so you can keep your drink rotation fresh and exciting throughout the year!
Bud Light Chelada
Debuting in 2008, Bud Light Chelada is a spicy lineup that features great spring and summer flavors. The lineup infuses your classic Bud Light with Clamato, a spicy tomato-clam juice that’s very popular in cocktails, along with other exciting flavors to create a refreshing drink with a very slight kick. Essentially, it’s a Bud Light mashup with the popular Michelada cocktail.
All four of the drinks in the Chelada lineup feature only 4.2% alcohol content, although the calorie content is slightly different between each variation. Let’s look at each drink to see how they compare!
Note: these drinks should be slightly swirled in the can and then poured into a glass before drinking. Other drinks in this guide can be enjoyed from the can, but Bud Light Chelada is best when poured so that the contents are mixed properly and not settled apart.
Bud Light Chelada: This is the original version of the lineup, and it’s essentially Bud Light with added Clamato tomato-juice. Clamato features a bit of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, black pepper and a touch of clam juice making it the perfect drink for cocktails and other creations. Added to Bud Light, it creates a reddish, slightly syrupy drink that’s very carbonated and very delicious when cold.
Fans of Bloody Mary’s, slightly spicy drinks, and those looking for a perfect alcoholic summer drink will likely enjoy the Bud Light Chelada. The texture is a bit thicker than expected, but if you tailor your expectations towards a cocktail as opposed to a light beer, it can be quite tasty!
(Featuring 151 calories per serving.)
Bud Light Chelada Extra Lime: The Extra Lime version of the Bud Light Chelada is the same drink as the original only with the inclusion of tangy lime juices to add an extra refreshing touch. The lime helps to round out the drink a bit, and it also masks the tomato flavor a bit more making it easier to drink throughout the night.
The calorie content is slightly higher at 157 per 12oz, but the alcohol content remains the same.
Bud Light Chelada Mango: This tropical and fruity version combines a fresh mango taste with the classic Bud Light Chelada. The Mango adds an extra sweetness to the drink which balances the spiciness making it the perfect choice for those wanting something sweet but not too peppery like the original.
It also features the same alcohol and calorie content as the original.
Bud Light Chelada Fuego: Finally, the Fuego version of the lineup features extra spices like Tapatio for a peppery drink that’s perfect on a hot day. Be forewarned, it is fairly spicy and will likely be too much for those not used to hot foods and drinks.
Fuego features the highest calorie content of the lineup at 181 per 12oz, but this is still below the average calorie count of your standard beer.
Bud Light Lemonade
Bud Light Lemonade (or Bud Light Peels depending on the season) is a tasty and slightly sweet light beer that’s great for summertime! Whether at the beach or lounging on your patio, Bud Light Lemonade offers the same 4.2% alcohol content of Bud Light along with a very low calorie content throughout all the flavors.
Let’s look at the four main flavors below:
Bud Light Lemonade: This is the standard variation of the lineup, and it’s essentially Bud Light with a bit of flavorful lemonade added for a unique and refreshing taste. It features a slightly sweet and tart taste, and it’s very carbonated making it perfect when chilled on a hot day.
(149 calories)
Bud Light Orange: This is a mildly tangy variation that includes real orange peels brewed directly with Bud Light. It’s a bit sweeter than other entries on this list, but it makes a great choice for orange juice lovers who want something to enjoy beyond breakfast!
(142 calories)
Bud Light Lime: Similar to the orange version, Bud Light Lime is brewed with real lime peels to create a unique and refreshing coastal drink. If you usually enjoy sticking a lime in your drinks but want to avoid all the hassle of cutting fruit, this is a great alternative!
Hint: this variation tastes great with tacos and other spicy foods!
(116 calories)
Bud Light Grapefruit: Featuring a unique grapefruit taste and brewed with real peels, Bud Light Grapefruit is a deliciously tart and slightly sour alternative to beer that you can enjoy year round.
(139 calories)
Bud Light Seltzers
Bud Light also features a lineup of seltzers which are essentially alcoholic sparkling-water drinks. They feature no yeast or barley which makes the calorie content extremely low at an average of 100 per 12oz, and the lineup usually features around 5% alcohol making them perfect for day or night.
The Bud Light Seltzers Original Lineup comes complete with:
• Strawberry
• Lemon Lime
• Black Cherry
• Mango
However, there’s also Bud Light Platinum Seltzer which features 8% alcohol, 170 calories, and 3g of sugar per 12oz serving. This is a fairly high-alcohol seltzer, but it’s a great choice for those times when you want something a bit stronger. Plus, the sugar is derived from real agave fruit, and all of the flavors are natural as well making it a tasty indulgence.
The Platinum Seltzers come in the following flavors:
• Wild Cherry
• Citrus
• Blood Orange
Now, let’s explore all of the different lineups and varieties below!
Bud Light Retro Summer and Retro Tie Dye Seltzers
Bud Light often releases retro summer variations of their seltzer products, and while last year’s Bud Light Seltzer Retro Summer series is no longer in stores, it is back with a new branding called Bud Light Seltzer Retro Tie Die.
Bud Light Seltzer Cherry Limeade: Featuring no sugar but a pleasantly sweet taste, this cherry limeade seltzer is great for a hot evening with friends! The dominant flavor is cherry, although there is a bit of lime in the background which helps to balance out the sweetness. Overall, it’s a well-balanced drink that’s perfect for the summertime.
Bud Light Seltzer Blue Raspberry: This seltzer is a bit more tart than the cherry variety, but it remains sweet with a finish that’s reminiscent of cotton candy. The flavor profile may be a bit more bold than other varieties, but it’s a unique combination that’s worth trying throughout the night!
Bud Light Seltzer Twisted Berry: Last but not least, Twisted Berry is similar to fruit punch with a pronounced cherry taste along with hints of lemon and blueberry. It’s fairly sweet, but unlike Blue Raspberry, there’s not much tartness making it a great drink to indulge in.
Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda Varieties
The Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda series is a great way to enjoy the taste of soda without a load of calories, along with a healthy dose of alcohol! Featuring zero sugar, 100 calories and 5% alcohol per 12oz, these hard soda seltzers are a refreshing addition to any meal or event.
Let’s take a look at the different varieties!
Classic Cola: Similar to Coca-Cola, only without the sugar or caffeine, this Classic Cola flavor is shockingly similar to a real soda only with a bit of warmth from the alcohol present. Surprisingly sweet without any sugar added, this is an easy-drinking seltzer that’s great with burgers and other classic foods.
Hard Soda Cherry Cola: This is the Classic Cola flavor only with the addition of a sweet cherry flavoring, and it actually works pretty well! There’s a subtle tartness to the drink which balances out the sweetness, and the fizziness really helps to make it pop. Enjoy super cold for the best experience!
Orange Soda: Similar to other orange sodas, this is a tangy and citrusy seltzer that isn’t too sweet making it a refreshing and enjoyable drink day or night!
Citrus Soda: Akin to 7-Up, the Citrus Soda variety of Bud Light Seltzers is a light and tangy drink that has very little sweetness. It’s probably the most refreshing out of the Soda lineup, and it’s great on its own or even as a mixer with vodka!
Bud Light Seltzer Sour
The Bud Light Seltzer Sour series is brand new and coming out just in time for summer. It promises tart and slightly sweet new flavors that will pucker your lips but keep you coming back for more!
There are four flavors in total, and each contains 5% alcohol, 100 calories, and less than 1g of sugar per 12oz serving.
The new flavors include:
• Watermelon
• Green Apple
• Lemon
• Blue Raspberry
The drinks will likely be similar to the Retro Tie Dye series, so if you’re a fan of that but want something a bit more sour and bitter, this will likely satisfy your cravings!