Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Look at a New Low-Carb Beer
Aired May 15, 2002 - 13:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: If you are looking for ways to cut the amount of carbs in your diet, Rhonda Rowland has a new idea, low-carb beer. It's 2:00 in the east, but it's happy hour somewhere.
RHONDA ROWLAND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Does this appeal to you, Bill, a light beer, a low-card beer?
HEMMER: If I am going to drink a beer, I drink a beer.
ROWLAND: This one may not be for you then, but there are plenty of others who may be interested. This is a Michelob beer called Ultra, and it actually has low carbohydrate on the front of the label. First time we have seen something like this, and this is really appealing to the people who in those Atkins diets, high protein, low carbohydrates, or people who are just into a healthy lifestyle.
Well, with this particular beer, it has less than three grams of carbohydrates. And to put this in perspective with other beers, we have a list for you of other Michelob beers to show how this compares. First of all, at the top, black and tan, very heavy there. It has 22 grams of carbohydrates, 192 calories. Regular drops down to 13 grams of carbohydrates. When you go to the light beer, it's 11-grams.
And then take a look at this, the new Ultra has 2.9 grams and 96 calories. How does this compare to other light beers? Well, as you can see here, it has less than half the carbohydrates as Bud Light. But take a look at Miller Light. It really has about the same profile. So I think it is important for those consumers out there, those beer drinkers to know this new beer is basically the same as the Miller Light that's already out there, so those people who are carb conscience now have another option.
HEMMER: I think what's important, is how does it taste?
ROWLAND: How does it taste? That is the key question, isn't it? Because when you hear about -- why don't you drink light beer first of all?
HEMMER: Because I like the taste of a full beer. If I'm going to drink a beer, as I said, I'm going to drink a beer.
ROWLAND: You don't like that watery taste.
OK, well the people at Anheuser-Busch claim that when their taste testers tried it out, they were surprised. They said, well, this doesn't taste too watery. That's what we are hearing.
HEMMER: Not too watery.
ROWLAND: Not too watery. I haven't tasted it personally, so I can't vouch for that.
HEMMER: Would they liken it to a light beer?
ROWLAND: Yes, they would liken it to a light beer,but the people who brew this particular type Michelob, they say that they really worked on the formulation, worked on it for 18 months, to get those hops up, so it would still have that full bodies taste to it. So that's what they are telling us here.
HEMMER: I'm a skeptic, Rhonda, I got tell you.
ROWLAND: You want it take it home, and give it a try.
HEMMER: It is warm. I guess we can chill it, and check it out. Hold on to that one. I will ask my friends first to try it. It is happy hour somewhere, right?
ROWLAND: That's right.
HEMMER: Rhonda Rowland, see you tomorrow.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
