OT, BEER: Kirkland Signature Craft Brews

Submitted by Blazefire on

Since OT is okay again, I thought I would return to this forum's second favorite subject. As I sit tonight cleaning my old irons for selling (Rawlings Oversize Pure Gold, 3-SW, knicks and scratches but in great shape, $50 if interested), I am sipping on a Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen. It is very good.

For those unaware, Kirkland is Costco's in store brand, and unlike most in store brands, their stuff is usually just as good, if not better than the competition. So, when I saw that they were now selling beer, I decided to take a chance.

First, like most things Kirkland brand, it is EXTREMELY reasonably priced at about $20 for 24 longnecks. At about .90 cents per bottle, this beats out any other craft brew I've seen by a dime, and most by 25 or more cents. The 24 case came with 4 six packs of their four craft brews, Hefeweizen, Pale Ale, Amber Ale, and a German Style Lager.

Each is equally well represented, a good simple example of that type of ale or lager without having an exceptionally distinct character. The Pale Ale, for instance is very good with a pronounced bitter hopiness, but it is not a Bell's Two Hearted. For the cost, if you have a costco membership, you relly can't go wrong. Pricewise, it's closer to Bud, but drinking wise, it's closer to your favorite craft.

ken725

January 16th, 2011 at 5:20 AM ^

+1 for Stone if I could.  San Diego has some nice microbrews.  AleSmith Brewery in SD makes some nice ones, my favorite being Old Numbskull.

I haven't been able to get my hands on any collaborations this year.  But for the holidays they did a collaboration with Jolly Pumpkin and Nogne-o.

I have been looking to get into more beers that I can't easily buy in southern California.  There are so many I just don't know where to start. 

MMGoBlueATL

January 16th, 2011 at 12:24 AM ^

I love me some Costco. I love me some Kirkland. But the Kirkland beer 24 sample pack is awful. It's the opposite of Fred Jackson describing his RBs. It's the anti tremondous. No, seriously, it's that bad. The Mexican and Beligian variety packs are so much better.

Blazefire

January 16th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^

Do you normally care for beers in this style? Because I found the quality to be more than acceptable. I can understand someone not liking them if they don't go in for Hefewiezens and German lager anyway, but I'd be surprised if somebody who normally likes that style didn't care for these at all.

mGrowOld

January 15th, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^

I'm totally locked in right now for Dogfish.  Tonight drank the 60....I have two four packs of the 90 in the fridge and the bar down the street features 120 on draft.  I continue to seek the bottled version of the mythical 120 but have been unable to find it so far.

IMO Dogfish is the finest beer on the planet bar none.

mGrowOld

January 16th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^

My avatar has a pic of my new and improved wife in it so you can kinda understand why I have to be a little careful on the calories.

And the best part is I got this one after my alcoholic nut-job wife #1 ran off and left me while I was in the hospital recovering from freaking cancer surgury of all things! 

jservoss

January 15th, 2011 at 11:59 PM ^

Agreed.  The 60/90/120 lineup is amazing, plus Sam Galgione is good people.  When I was home (Ann Arbor) for Christmas I had  "The Liberator" by Short's Brewery.  It was rediculously good and I would highly recommend for someone with an IPA liking.   I believe their brewery is in the Traverse City area.  

919 Brown

January 16th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^

I had some of the Liberator last night, simply fantastic beer. I've always been a fan of the Huma, but I think the Liberator has really won me over. Short's was in Kalamazoo on Friday offering up a beer tasting and I was able to snag a 6-pack of their Woodmaster. I recommend you try to find some of it.

Released for the first time since 2007 the beloved Woodmaster, an Imperial Brown Ale made w/ toasted pecans and Northern Michigan maple syrup, returns to the Short’s brewing schedule. First brewed near the end of 2006, this beer was originally part of our 13 beer Imperial Beer Series. Hand filled, capped, and labeled the original was only available for sale at our Bellaire pub in 750ml bottles. This time we were aiming to make it more readily available for Short’s fans located throughout the state, and decided on doing a special bottle release in 12oz six packs. However, distribution will be extremely limited, so seek out your specialty bottle shops within the next two weeks, and get ready to covet your share of this very tasty brew. Can’t wait two weeks? Then visit our brew pub in Bellaire, where a select number of Woodmaster six packs are already available!’

Huma

January 16th, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^

The Huma is great. Shorts really has a great variety of very good beers. Liberator is a good one. I really like the Magician, too - it's a dark red London ale. I highly recommend stopping by the brewery in Bellaire if you are ever in the area. Usually have 15 - 20 of their beers on tap at any given time and the food is pretty good too.

d.

January 16th, 2011 at 2:30 AM ^

IIRC you can get bottles of the 120 at Ashley's but I'm not 100% on that.  I love their "minute" series, but I think I like the Dogfish Head Burton Baton better than those.  Its on a similar vein, but I think has a more complex malt profile than the 90 or 120 minute.  I like it better.

a2bluefan

January 16th, 2011 at 6:18 PM ^

They make some fine beers for sure.  I was at Ashley's here in A2 one night a couple years ago when they were featuring Dogfish beers.  One of the features was a Belgian ale, IMMORT ALE, and it is TASTY. And also 11% ABV.  Literally for the next 2 years, every time I walked into any store with Dogfish products, I looked for it.  FINALLY, I randomly found it once a couple months ago at the Main St Party Store. It comes in 4-paks and I purchased both the ones they had. It is a seasonal beer, and according to Dogfish's 2011 Release Schedule, it won't come out again until November and ONLY in November.  I highly recommend it. I drank one 4 already, and I'm saving the other one for a special occasion.... probably the UM/ND night game in September. (Is it here yet?????)

ctmaizenblue

January 15th, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^

We bought some of the kirkland beer in Florida for a joke.   We drank them on the golf course. I was surprised they were not crap.  That said, I would take a Bells any day.

OMG the QB is toast

January 16th, 2011 at 12:37 PM ^

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm currently living in Halifax, NS so I have access to plenty of good Canadian beer. I think the McAuslan Oatmeal Stout is a fav right now because of the cold-ish weather. I've had Le Fin du Monde before, but I'll have to keep an eye out for Dead Elephant (where is it from?). My other favorite of the moment is the Brasserie Dieu du Ciel Aphrodisiaque. It's a great stout, if you haven't tried it.

uminks

January 16th, 2011 at 1:01 AM ^

We had some friends over for a gormet dinner. The wines we drank were Bella Zinfandel, Big River Ranch.  2000 Insignia, Joseph Phelps winery, Napa, CA.  $170.00 bottle wine, an excellent wine.  Then a 1999 Chateau LABORY De Tayac, Margaux. A Kenwood Merlot. A Tasman Bay Savion Blanc from Australia. Finished off the event with a Gerard Bertrand Cremant De Limoux sparkling Brut!  This was a dinner pary of 4!  We drank our fair share!  Next week a microbrew tasting!!! 

M go Bru

January 16th, 2011 at 1:02 AM ^

Blazefire,

I also enjoy the Costco Kirkland variety pack that you speak of very much.  I have always prided myself on getting better brew for less. So I hope you see my response.

It appears the others who have responded are willing to pay an additional 50% or more for their brew.

I also like the ales available at Trader's Joes. My favorite is Fat Weasel. Its more similar to the Costco Amber Ale, but quite tasty. To my surprise the alcohol content of it is 7.1%. The alcohol content of the Costo Kirkland variety pack is about 5.6%. I didn't notice this until my brother-in-law tried the Fat Weasel. Being a light beer drinker, after drinking one he immediately started looking for the alcohol content on the label. Fat Weasel also makes a Pale Ale that I have found is available in the San Diego area where my parents live. Trader Joes also has other pale ales available. Most of these beers are $6 /6 pack.

Costco used to carry a variety pack of Goose Island beers and ales that were out of the Chicago area that was priced in the $24/case.

Other reseasonably-priced ales that I will use as a fall back are Labatts Canadian Ale or Budweiser American Ale. These are lighter ales in about the same $6/ 6 pack price range.

Enjoy.  

Blazefire

January 16th, 2011 at 1:35 AM ^

I'll keep an eye out for Fat Wasle some time. I like most of the stuff that comes out of Goose Island, especially their 312 Urban Ale, which was surprisingly excellent this summer, so I'd also be excited if my costco had that show up on the shelves at that price.

I've never liked Labatts in the least, but if they can produce a reasonable ale, I may drink it when I'm too poor for something higher grade.

justingoblue

January 16th, 2011 at 2:41 AM ^

I'm currently drinking Goose Island Honkers Ale and Labatt Blue. Got a 12 pack of the GI yesterday (and drank most of it) and a sixer of the Labatt today, so it's two Blues for every one Honkers.

Love me some Goose Island. Matilda is my favorite, if you've tried it.

Flying Dutchman

January 16th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^

If you  can find the Goose Island Pere Jacques anywhere, it is a gift from God.

I go to Siciliano's just west of Grand Rapids, and can usually find it there for $3 per 12-ouncer.  It would be pricey as a 6er but I usually just take 2 along with an assortment of others.

Abe Froman

January 16th, 2011 at 1:30 AM ^

fyi - im pretty sure that you dont actually need a costco membership to buy alcoholic beverages there, something to do with liquor and alcohol sales in the state of michigan.  again not positive, but im pretty sure...