We Tried the Best Light Beer in America, Wiseacre Sky Dog Lager

This fall, the top light lager in America was crowned at the Great American Beer Fest. This 42-year-old festival also hosts the premiere competition for U.S. brewers and nearly 9,000 beers were submitted across 102 categories. While many styles combine indulgence with brewing artistry—the imperial stouts and double IPAs—the most technically impressive, as well as refreshing, category is the American Light Lager.

Though the style has long been maligned by beer snobs, making a perfect light lager is a scientific marvel. There is, essentially, no place for a beer’s flaws to hide when there are minimal carbs and (typically) no dark, roasted barley. Every ingredient must be thoughtfully sourced and handled with care. No shortcuts can be taken. Any mistakes can mean an entire batch gets dumped down the drain.

This year, the gold medal didn’t go to a brand you’ll see advertising at the Super Bowl, but Wisecase Brewing and its Sky Dog lager. Wiseacre is a Memphis, TN outfit that most beer lovers haven’t heard of, but has a history of producing crisp, delicious beers on the lighter end of the spectrum. Sky Dog is 99 calories and 4 percent ABV, comparable to Miller Lite at 96 calories and 4.2 percent alcohol.

In pursuit of the best healthiest beers for Men’s Fitness, I got a sample of Sky Dog from Wiseacre to taste. (A quick note: I’ve been reviewing beer professionally since 2006 and passed the Beer Judge Certification Program exam.)

I was immediately impressed with Sky Dog’s appearance. The tall fluffy head and clear, straw-gold color looked like a draft pour straight out of a German beer hall. The beer itself was, though on the more subtle side as a light lager, toasty and doughy with an herbal hop finish of pine and grapefruit. 

It’s an admirably balanced beer with a kiss of barley sweetness upfront that dries out to a crisp finish with the subtle hop bitterness. I’m one to slowly sip and savor a beer while writing tasting notes, but I had to catch myself from draining my glass. Sky Dog is just so pleasant, tasty, and easy drinking, it’s no surprise that it took home a gold medal at America’s preeminent beer competition.

Fortunately for fans of great low-calorie, low-ABV beers, Wiseacre is distributed in 21 states (see the list here). You might also try their Tiny Bomb pilsner, which is only a little heftier at 4.5 percent ABV but a fantastic, full-flavored beer. If Wiseacre isn’t available near you, a couple solid craft alternatives are Night Shift Brewing’s Night Lite in the Northeast and Garage Beer in the Midwest.