Liquor—Still Low-Carb

Carb counters can wash down their soy chips with a half-dozen low-carb beers that brewers have been rushing to produce. Already available are Michelob Ultra; Rolling Rock Green Light; Accel by F.X. Matt Brewing; and Martens Low Carbohydrate from Belgium. Coors’ Aspen Edge is set to debut in 10 states in March.

But these beers still have up to 3 carbs per bottle. For a truly carb-free happy hour, steer your customers toward the hard stuff: distilled liquors such as vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, brandy or tequila. “Any premium distilled spirit made without blenders or additives is carbohydrate-free,” says Dean Phillips, president and chief executive of Phillips Distilling Co., the Minneapolis-based manufacturer of carb-free UV 80 Vodka. “It’s important to note that most vodkas are carb-free. We’re just the first ones to recognize that such a message would resonate with consumers who perceive that spirits are loaded with carbs. Most are shocked to find out the truth.”

Phillips says even though many types of liquor are made with corn, which contains carbohydrates, the distillation process strips all fats, oils, carbs and cholesterol from the finished product.