Kirkland Signature German Style Lager - Kirkland Signature / Costco Wholesale Corporation

Khazadum

Illinois

1.8/5  rDev -40.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

Bottle three in my aunt's series of 'delicious' brews.

Vision
Solid finger of densely-packed white bubbles that dissipated after their minute of fame to a skin and collar. Body is the color of copper mixed with fresh honey, no crystallization kind of course It is ridiculously clear which betrays its dirty secret of very little carbonation. There is a single bubble that rises every few seconds but nothing more.

Bouquet
Thin yeast smell... a tad bit of bready malt. Nothing else. This is awful.

Flavor Profile
The malt that barely came through in the nose dominates the flavor. It is the wal-mart of malt flavors. Generic and upsetting. The finish is like stale bread with the funk of old nuts mashed and slathered upon it. Its a myriad of unforgettable flavors.

Oral Sensations
This at least is the saving grace of this beer. It isn't water, but it isn't that much better than it. By failing to have a full body and lingering presence, I am not forced to fully suffer this brew. Minimal carbonation allows me to fully dissect the liquid.

Conclusions
Never again. No way, no how. Can't even pay me to drink this beer. I feel like this has ruined my palate in some way. Its alcohol isn't noted, but that is what you'd expect from 5.5%.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2010 00:12:12 | More by Khazadum

sweemzander

Illinois

2.2/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Best before June 15, 2010. Thanks to BeerFMAndy for the bottle.

(A)- Pours a clear caramel-like amber color. Produced an immediately dissipating white head.

(S)- A sweet corn meal & corn husk with hay.

(T)- Same as the smell. A really grass-like, almost sour hay with tons of corn meal. Bitter.

(M)- A good carbonation level. A very bitter/grassy/sweet yet sour corn thing.

(D)- Not a big fan of the bitter grass that turn almost sour. Just tastes like corn otherwise. Doesnt remind me of an oktoberfest much.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 23:58:49 | More by sweemzander

hackmann

Michigan

2.3/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I was at costco the other day and saw the kirkland beer case. $18 for a case - good I'll save 60 bucks this week drinking this beer.

The appearance is a nice looking bronze color. Good looking off white head and thin lacing.

The smell was not that interesting for such a pretty looking beer. I'll have my wife smell the next one I open she has a nose of a blood hound. If there is something interesting in the aroma it is behind the clean soap water scent.

I have to admit I did not have great expectations for this purchase. I don't know if I even had good expectations. But, I really wanted this one to be good at least. Nope, The fresh water smacks you with your first sip and all the others. Buy a case of sprite - it atleast tastes better. A slight boring hop note and a little malt note. One sip I thought it tasted like a tin cup. Another sip I thought I tasted something I had before .... water!

Mouthfeel: it does leave a little tingling on the tongue. It does leave a taste on the palate from the hops and malts that is thin and the flavor left behind is a tin cup bite.

Eat something with this or smoke but, do something while you drink this beer. It needs help. While eating pizza or a sub you could down a few of these. The watery style will refresh your palate and the food my help the taste. That is why I gave it a 3 for drinkability. By itself - I will not do again. Matter of fact the two kirkland beers I have had so far - I lost my $18 on this purchase. Not all is lost - my wife may like these beers!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 20:02:58 | More by hackmann

Elimination

Oregon

2.3/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A buddy left one of those multiple pack Kirkland cases in my fridge. Free beer I'm not complaining.

Look is copperish but nothing else very dull for a lager.

Smell is faint malt a bit of sweet

Taste very little anything has a fart like quality on the taste and smell.

Mouthfeel is not great either not easy drinking but not good enough to savor

Even the drinkability is bad, had high hopes for a contract brew but this did not come through.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 02:27:14 | More by Elimination

FosterJM

California

2.3/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

45th review on BA
Bottle to pint.

Now that the 4th bottle of this beer set has been finished. I will let my Non beer friends have these bottles. Ring the bell on round 4.

App- You know that color when you just haven't had enough water to drink in a couple days and you just say wow thats too dark. Yeah that color.

Smell- I just went to the gym. I'm not sure if it's the socks on the floor or the beer in the glass.

Taste- Please don't try to re create or call this a Oktoberfest when there are countless breweries who do it so well. Choose another style and easier style. like go after BMC.

Mouth- Its a step up from Bud light. I think I haven't had that in about 10 years so I'm sure my F.I.L will give me some of that too.

Drink- I'm done. No more, giving away the other bottles. You guys want em?

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 04:48:55 | More by FosterJM

HugePlume

Washington

2.4/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Bottle poured into a pint.

A: Good overall appearance. Pours a nice thick head and has excellent lacing.

S: Nice malt character reveals itself to the nose. But also a metallic hot-brake shoe smell.

T: Again, decent malty flavor up front, that is later muddled by a skunky hot metal. More noticeable as it warms.

M: Mouthfeel is average, has nice lingering finish. Slightly undercarbonated.

D: Great beer to give to a space alien and say "this is what beer tastes like." Worth trying, and give the other three bottles in the pack to drunks that show up unnanounced at your tailgate party.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 02:54:57 | More by HugePlume

dbmcrorie

Connecticut

2.55/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Presentation:
12 oz. brown long neck bottle poured into a drinking glass. Served at room/cellar (a.k.a. garage) temperature. No freshness date available.
I grew up with Costco/Kirkland Signature products, so I couldn't resist trying their new line of beer. Sure enough, it's got Kirkland's signature quality all over it.

Visual:
Golden amber body, see-through clear. Fizzy tan head that bubbled away like a diet Coke. Slight caps left behind.

Aroma:
Very soft and faint pale malt, with quite the grainy nose. Plenty of lager yeast with a hint of skunk like wet dog hair. Slight hop sourness with herbal notes hiding somewhere beneath the grain.

Taste:
Very dry bitterness dominates the back of the tongue. A flash of fruit is notable in the beginning, leading to a smooth malty profile. Slight herbal hops in the middle before going back to the dry bitterness in the finish. Medium-light body with a slick mouthfeel; slightly rough carbonation.

Overall:
A bit sloppy; no real hop or malt structure. And nothing German about this yeast strain. This is more of an American lager than a German pils. I guess they think simply calling it such helps marketing? I may pass on this in the future.
If I were to pair it with food, I'd take a stab at some baked seafood, grilled veggie sandwiches, or some hearty pastas.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2009 17:58:43 | More by dbmcrorie

Arbitrator

California

2.58/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A friend of mine shared the Kirkland series with me. As another buddy put it, "You need better friends." Here goes.

A: Pours a clear amber color. Carbonation is evident up the glass, but the head is limpid at best despite a vigorous pour; retention is short; lacing is a pipe dream.

S: Bread, some caramel, and it seems to have a floral hop aroma.

T: Mostly caramel and bread for the majority of the taste. There is a floral bitterness in the aftertaste, which is strange because it's not evident at all before that point. It's the beer equivalent of a friend referring to a conversation you never had and insisting that you agreed to loan him $20.

M: Light-bodied. Medium carbonation. Doesn't really stand out in flavor or texture or anything. A watered-down flavor.

D: Meh. When I get hard up for cash, I just stop drinking. I don't really see a point where I'd want to pick this up just because it's cheap. I'm not against drinking it if someone brings it, but I'm not enthused about this in the slightest.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2009 03:48:38 | More by Arbitrator

Bookseeb

Washington

2.6/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance is a dark golden amber with a thin head and no lace. Smell is very grainy, sweet bread with hops. Taste also has the grain, light caramel with a bitter aftertaste. Mouthfeel has light - medium body with some viscosity and good carbonation. It could use a little smoothing around the edges to make it a little more drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2009 01:19:23 | More by Bookseeb

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Acquired as part of a variety pack at Costco; it was $19 for the 24 pack. Expectations are below average; I've had the other three and they've hovered between bad and average. Reviewed live. 12 fl oz bown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an Oskar Blues pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 2.5 finger beige colour head of slight cream, decent thickness, and average (~2 minute) retention. Body colour is a clear pale copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Zero lacing. Neither vibrant nor dull. A typical appearance for a festbier.

Sm: Sweet malts, pale malts. Minimal floral hopping. Barley. Clean. Slight hints of sweet cidre. An average strength aroma. Comparable to festbiers I had at Bergkirchweih.

T: Clean full barley, a sweet malt climax, and a clean smooth finish. Light hop nectar and minimal floral hopping. No yeast character whatsoever. A bit too sweet and artificially so at that. Simple. The finish is strangely perfumey and bad. No alcohol comes through. Tastes like a homebrew extract beer. Imbalanced. Meh.

Mf: Smooth, wet. Average thickness. A bit overcarbonated. Thrown together.

Dr: A mediocre festbier, and not one I'd seek out again - but probably worth the low pricetag. Better than most macrobrew lagers. An underwhelming offering from Costco. Drinkable but pedestrian.

C-

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:27:17 | More by kojevergas

NeutroMan

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a becker.

A: Crystal clear dark gold/honey color with a modest off-white foamy head.

S: Breaded malts dominate; hops are rather muted. Clean lager aroma.

T: The breaded malts are again most forcefully present intially, although it finishes somewhat dry. German hops are a little more pronounced than in the nose, but still rather diminished.

M: Medium bodied with a creamy texture. Minimal carbonation, which was somewhat surprising.

D: This is a decent stab at a Märzen, but it's just missing too much. It's not offensive; I just probably won't be coming back for any more.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 02:52:59 | More by NeutroMan

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.88/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a flared glass mug.

Finally the set is complete. Whee. This one pours a clear russet-amber topped by nearly a finger of white foam. The nose is pretty faint, with some light walnuts and even lighter caramel somehow wafting their way into the 'strils. The taste exhibits a similar nutty caramel character, but with a biting bitterness whose source I can't quite pinpoint. Whatever it is, it's neither subtle nor tasty. The body is a light medium, with a light carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. Overall, what could have been an OK brew seems to have been ruined by an off flavor. Bad bottle? Maybe. Regardless, it wasn't very good.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 06:05:56 | More by TMoney2591

beerpadawan

California

2.93/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a glass and sipped in the sunlight, it had a clear, light-copper color. Not a whole lot of aroma; some light toasty notes.

It starts light and finishes crisp/clean, without a lot of commotion in between. It is similar in that sense to a Dos Equis Amber, maybe. A bit more malt flavor with some light toast, a bit more of a dry sense to the quaff.

Not bad to use for refreshment in the warm sun.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 17:09:23 | More by beerpadawan

wingman14

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a burnt orange with a nice head that fades fast and leaves lacing. The smell is malty with some yeast notes, not much else going on. The taste is not very complex, mostly malt start to finish. The mouthfeel is light and watery, probably the most detracting part of the beer is that it tastes watered down. The drinkability is ok, a fine beer, just not much to it.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 03:55:56 | More by wingman14

jeffjeff1

California

3/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was an ok beer. I have had better german lagers.

Appearance- amber color, transparent

Smell- bready malt

Taste- malt

Mouthfeel- medium bodied

Drinkability- pretty good, can't beat the price from Costco, 15 dollars for 24 beers, 4 kinds, was quite pleased with that

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 07:00:05 | More by jeffjeff1

tugdriver7

Maryland

3/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The second of the four in the (mandatory) mixed case at Costco in VA (our MD stores don't sell beer... go figure). The label says "New Yorker Brewing Co." in Utica, NY; so I'm assuming a Matt (aka Saranac) connection. That's good because if this beer is any indication of quality (and Matt is involved so it can't be bad), being able to get craft brew for less than $4.75 a six pack is almost ridiculously cheap. But sometimes you get what you pay for.

I shouldn't have started with the Amber (the best of the bunch). This was a let-down. Wan yellow/gold in the glass with spritzy carbonation and a 1/2 inch head that disappeared quickly. Subtle malt with a bit of cardboard skunk in the nose, and the taste was a tad sweet then fruity, finally ending with a somewhat astringent aftertaste. Just didn't do it for me. Not bad, but just enough "off flavors" to render the whole less drinkable than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 21:10:31 | More by tugdriver7

hmk22

New York

3/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Awesomely average beer included in the Costco case (1 sixer of each type). I consider this the poorest or second-poorest of the 4 styles...I'm not sure what makes it a "German" style lager (despite what it says on the label) because it doesn't taste like any other German beer I've ever had. This is my 4th or 5th case of the Kirkland "house" beers and I'm less impressed each time...the price is right but they seem to to have cut corners in a way I can't really figure out. Kirkland prodcuts are generally very good quality so I'm not sure if they got overambitious or maybe the regional contract brewers aren't all up to the same standard.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 03:24:34 | More by hmk22

MikeBrandman

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Looks good when poured into a Sam Adams Sensory glass. Delicious brown body. Pretty much only brown with slight amber and redness to it. Little visible carbonation. No sediment, completely translucent. 1 finger of head; no lacing.

S - A pretty gross smell. Slight urine smell. A little sweetness to the smell. No hops or alcohol.

T - Similar to the smell. Very sweet taste. Slight metallic taste. Nothing really special here. Nothing stands out. Very low profile beer.

MF - A little syrupy. Doesn't complement the flavor well.

D - Fairly drinkable, if not for the taste.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 03:28:23 | More by MikeBrandman

Billolick

New York

3.03/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle, from a sampler case that I hiested a few bottles from at a party. Pours almond amber, clear, limited light khaki head, leaves a thin collar and just a wee bit of lace. Darker bready malts in the nose. Bland lager, caramel malts, moderatly dry and snappy finish. Not bad for the style, would work with newbies or as a sessioner in a pinch.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 23:11:36 | More by Billolick

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a Utica, N.Y. brewed 12 fl. oz. bottle with an expiration date of Apr 05, 2010. Sampled on April 17, 2010. It has an amber-orange pour with a short-lived head the bubbles up a bout a half inch and then dissolves right off. I found the aroma to be rather bland. Yeah, there were malts and light hpps but nothing stood out. It certainly had a crisp, cleanliness in the taste and I noted more malts than anything else. This beer expired a couple weeks ago and it shouldn't make a huge difference in that short of a time. Then again, maybe it did. Nothing I would go out of my wa for.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2010 21:34:07 | More by puboflyons

afinepilsner

Iowa

3.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz brown bottle
5.5% abv

Kirkland Signature German Style Lager was amber in color with good clarity. It had an off-white head with decent retention and lacing. The smell was toasted malt with a little sweetness. The taste was toasted malt and earthy hops and a dry finish. The mouthfeel was average with a medium-light body and medium carbonation. The drinkability was just about average. This is a decent drinkable lager, but I would not go out of my way to try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 22:25:52 | More by afinepilsner

RJLarse

Washington

3.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I bought a sampler of Kirkland Signature Beers at Costco, 4 beers 6 bottles of each. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a pale copper color and is clear. Small wispy white head leaves little lacing on the glass.

Smell is a sweet bread aroma, perhaps a bit of sweet squash scent as well.

Taste is a sweet malt taste, with a light caramel flavor along side and a mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and clean, with a light carbonation.

A drinkable brew, particularly in the fall season. A very average representation of the Marzen style.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 23:56:21 | More by RJLarse

notsoprobeer

Oregon

3.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Golden orange in color, clear, with a white head that dissipated quickly. It left some lacing on the glass. Aroma of toasted malts and yeast. Flavor of bread-like and light caramel malts. Not a lot of hops in flavor or aroma. It’s light bodied, highly carbonated, and has a crisp mouth feel along with a bit of sweetness in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 06:16:51 | More by notsoprobeer

Ek0nomik

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured In: Snifter Glass

Appearance: Pours a crystal clear bronze and amber color with a finger of head. The head retention isn't very good, as it disappears within seconds. There's also very little lace on the side of my glass. The beer is quite effervescent though, as there are quite a few bubbles continually climbing to the top of the snifter.

Smell: The nose is malty and biscuity. It reminds me of an Oktoberfest because it seems like it has a touch of toasted reddish malt. The nose isn't jaw dropping, it's malty and clean, but that's the nature of the beast here.

Taste: The palate is quite similar to the nose. Each sip reveals lots of German malts and just enough hops for bittering and to add a little touch of flavor on the aftertaste. Notes of biscuit, toasted and untoasted malt shine through with just a little herbal hop at the end. Of the 4 beers that I had from Costco I think this one actually had the least watery flavor to it. The other 3 beers seemed to be a little watery during the tasting, but this one held its own.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied beer, well carbonated, and a nice creamy mouthfeel that makes it easy to sip on.

Drinkability: The last of the Costco beer. Honestly, I must say that their beers weren't all that bad. To style, drinkable and cheap.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 02:28:06 | More by Ek0nomik

originalsin

California

3.28/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: The pour on this one was a very clear amber. A light frothy head didn't last.

S: Caramel malts are definitely there as well as some floral hop aromas that make this beer more inviting than the appearance managed to do for me.

T: Caramel malt, again. It's quite smooth and there's some hop bitterness on the finish.

I almost feel like I'm being harsh here. Maybe I don't trust these beers because they're Kirkland signature. To be fair, all of them are OK costco bbq beers. Go for it.
And, so I don't come off as being too harsh on Kirkland: buy their signature vodka. It's clean and smooth and probably the best vodka for your dollar.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2009 05:08:23 | More by originalsin