BEER INDUSTRY Brewers pour on the low-carb

It's the most successful new product since light beer.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Not since Miller made light beer socially acceptable with its "tastes great, less filling" campaign has the American brewing industry been as excited as it is now about a growing line of low-carb beers.
Michelob Ultra, the first major brand to make a splash in the low-carb beer niche, has gotten more popular as Anheuser-Busch reported it taking a 2.1 percent share of supermarket beer sales.
Rolling Rock last week toasted the shipment of 1 million cases of Rock Green Light in less than three months since its launch. In March, Coors Brewing Co. plans to enter the specialty market with Aspen Edge in 10 states.
"It's been the most successful new product since light beer," said Benj Steinman, editor of Beer Marketers Insight. "This is a phenomenon and no one really knows how high is high, but no one really knows when its going to be over."
The industry generally recognizes light beers as having low calorie counts; low-carb counts are touted as having few carbohydrates. Beer experts say half the estimated $60 billion to $70 billion domestic beer market is from light beer sales as Americans continue to seek out beers that won't add to their waistline.
Although it's still too early to tell how much the low-carb beer sector claims, analysts say there are already more than a dozen so-called "low-carb beers" competing for shelf space, and more breweries are looking to cash in on the trend.
Will they last?
Industry analysts, however, are divided about the staying power of low-carb beer.
Bradford predicts the low-carb beer sector will mainly grow at the expense of the light beer sector.
The beer battle may also confuse consumers as companies duke it out over which brand of beer has the fewest carbs. Rock Green Light has 2.6 grams of carbohydrates and 91 calories. Michelob Ultra advertises 2.6 grams of carbohydrates and 95 calories.
In comparison, Coors Light has 102 calories and five grams of carbs; Bud Light 110 calories and 6.6 grams of carbs; and Miller Lite 96 calories and 3.2 carb grams.
Target audience
Low-carb beer makers are also trying to capture female drinkers with active lifestyles. Michelob Ultra will become the official beer of the LPGA Tour next year.
Instead of just Rolling Rock's core customers -- males between ages 24 and 29 -- Rock Green Light hopes to appeal to health conscious men and women, said Jon Genese, director of marketing for Rock Green Light.
The beer is currently being advertised in men's lifestyle magazines, and Labatt USA, which owns Rolling Rock's maker Latrobe Brewing Co., will air national television commercials for Rock Green Light in February.
"We felt in order for us to make an impact and to be able to survive, we needed to be quick to market, and we thought it was a very exciting and hot consumer trend," Genese said.
Julie Bradford, editor of All About Beer magazine, said it was probably a smart move for Labatt to put its weight behind Rock Green Light instead of also trying to compete in the light beer sector with its light beer, Rolling Rock Light.
Other plans
Along with gaining a bigger share of the market, St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch announced plans to offer 12-ounce cans of Michelob Ultra in early January. Coors Brewing Co. hopes to take Aspen Edge nationwide by the end of the year. And Miller Brewing Co. has remarketed Miller Lite as a low-carb, low-calorie beer in television, radio and print ads.
Bradford said one drawback to the low-carb craze is the misconception that beers are high in calories. She says the average 12-ounce beer contains 150 calories.
"My personal view is drink a full flavor beer and skip the nachos," Bradford said.