Kirkland Signature Pale Ale - Kirkland Signature / Costco Wholesale Corporation

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in the trusty Devil's Backbone willibecher.

At the behest of a buddy back home in IL, I cracked this one. Mike and I are interested in how a CostCo beer tastes. It pours a clear copper amber topped by a finger or so of white foam. The nose is faint, comprising some light coriander, cinnamon, wheat, and citrus zest. They don't mix as well as it may have just sounde, especially given the apparent distance of the scents from the 'strils. As the Moody Blues' "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)" fires up, I take a swig. The taste is pretty weak: There's some mild citrus in there, followed by some somewhat florally-influenced bitterness, and finished off by a decidedly meek toffee. It's not bad, necessarily, but it ain't that close to good. The body is pretty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a somewhat crisp finish. Despite its drawbacks, this brew ius pretty easy to throw back. Still, I wouldn't really recommend it, save as an alternative to the BMC nonsense next to it in the aisle.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 05:11:42 | More by TMoney2591

zeff80

Missouri

3.48/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, caramel color with a one-finger, off-white head of foam. It left little no no lacing.

S - It smelled malty and floral. Not much else, maybe some faint caramel.

T - It tasted somewhat spicy with biscuity malt and sweet caramel. There was a mild bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is an okay pale ale. An easy drinking beer at an affordable price.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 20:07:45 | More by zeff80

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This poured out as a decent looking yellowish gold color with a white head on top. The smell of pale malts and hops fill the nose. The taste of some crisp hops balance out the sweetness of the malts. The mouthfeel of the beer is light bodied, pretty easy going, nothing overly complex happening here. Overall it's a standard Pale Ale. I would drink it again but I wouldn't have to pay for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:01:09 | More by Knapp85

jwc215

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best before June 15 2010 stamped on neck:

Pours bright golden with a thin lasting white head. Trailing lace sticks.

The smell is bready with fruity and floral notes. Mild, but pleasant.

The taste is of sweet graininess with a bitterish floral and somewhat tea-like spicy dryness in the finish.

Ample carbonation - even a bit more than ample, though not fizzy or too harsh - thins out the body a bit. Still, it is pretty smooth and not watery.

An easy-drinking, rather basic, though well-balanced, pale ale. A good value for the dollar.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 23:16:11 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

354ml bottle, the next in a rather large (duh) serving of beer from the local Alberta Costcos, courtesy of the Gordon Biersch brewery in California, even if it doesn't say so anywhere on the packaging.

This beer pours a crystal clear medium amber hue, with one finger of somehow puffy, foamy off-white head, which leaves low-lying island atoll landform lace around the glass as it gradually abates.

It smells of bready, doughy malt, a touch of caramel, soft aged lemon, a bit of cooked apple, and mild earthy, leafy hops. The taste is more bready, pastry-like malt, very much on the pale side, natch, with a weakly innocuous orchard fruitiness, and subtly functional, yet sweepingly unimpressive dry earthy hop offset.

The carbonation is pretty laid back, though supportive in its own special way, the body a just south of heaven medium weight, and generally smooth, with a mild clammy adjunct. It finishes on the sweet side, the pale malt puffing its chest, in the face of little hop, spice or booze rejoinder.

A drinkable, if not overly impressionable Yankee pale ale, one that I could at least pawn off on the aspirational beerophiles I might encounter (just kidding, sort of), or granted, even myself, in a particularly weak moment. My wankery aside though, worth a healthy go, given the average competition these days for this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 03:12:22 | More by biboergosum

Billolick

New York

3.28/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poached a few bottles from a mixed case at a super bowl party to bring home and sample/review. 12 ounce bottle, with best before dating (May 09,2010) etched onto the bottle. Pours typical amber, clear, moderate light tan head, that leaves respectable strands of lace. Light tropical fruit nose. Bland, middle of the road pale, lacks even a moderate hop punch, thin on the tongue. Not much of interest here.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2010 00:13:01 | More by Billolick

kojevergas

California

2.3/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This was one bottle of 24 in a pack acquired at Costco today for $19.00. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Oskar Blues pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average; this is my second Kirkland Signature beer and the IPA I had before this was average. I certainly like the price. 5.4% ABV confirmed.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger thin white head of no real cream. Retention is above average, though the ABV is merely 5.4%. Body colour is a clear pale copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looks like a typical pale ale; standard fare.

Sm: Buttery. Pale malts, biscuit malt. Generic floral hops. Very little character. Bland and boring. An average strength aroma.

T: Pale malts, floral hops, straw, barley, light nectary hops. Very grainy foundation mixed with an artificial sweetness. Bland, boring, and uninspired. Strangely sweet, to its detriment. A pretty mundane pale ale. Not real well balanced either. This is about as dull as a pale ale gets. Why brew this? Tastes like an extract homebrew.

Mf: Smooth and wet, and also unnaturally thin. Carbonation is overdone. Meh. Doesn't really suit the flavour profile.

Dr: Drinkable but beyond mediocre. If you like a novice homebrewer's extract concoction, this may be for you. If you like a tasty refreshing pale ale, I'd steer clear of this one. Hides its ABV well. I'd even sooner take Simpler Times from Trader Joe's over this at this price point. In fact, I'm pretty sure Simpler Times is half the price of this.

Low D+

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 05:10:44 | More by kojevergas

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Grabbed one of these from a relative just for curiosity sake. Pours amber with good clarity and a reasonable head that fades to a thin swirly cap. Somewhat harsh and hot in the nose, followed by some grainy, dry malt. The taste is less harsh than the smell, but still somewhat grainy, with some vague, slight bitterness, and a bit of a watery finish. It's not terrible, but it's a bit of a mess. The combination of the grainy malt and watery finish makes it less crisp and drinkable than it could otherwise be. Drinkable in a pinch, but there are many better options out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 02:56:01 | More by Georgiabeer

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear copper color with mild bubbling and a little ring of foam after the por. Maybe a one finger thick head of foam after the pour.

Faint toasted Wonderbread aroma with a little ctrus spice in the nose. Pretty standard and simple smelling APA.

Starts with the citric zest from the hops. Makes me think of very soft orange oil. The middle to the finish sweetens out nicely. Giving me flavors of delicate caramel and toasted wheat bread crust. Sweet finish with a dry, but silky palate from middle to finish. This is a well balanced pale ale. But I must admit, the finish does also have a little metallic twinge thats somewhat offsetting.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 20:21:22 | More by scruffwhor

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

2.45/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint. 5.4% ABV, 35 IBUs, Best before Jun 21, 2010 printed on the neck.

A - Completely clear golden amber with moderate carbonation going up to a off-white head. Three-fingers tall with solid retention and patchy lace coating most of the glass.

S - Faint aroma in general that has the majority of the nose coming from lightly citrusy and floral hops. A drop of lemon livens what's there up. A background of pale malts isn't all too supportive.

T - A protein-tannin thing seems to overshadow what little flavor is there. Lemony citrus hop and an herbal touch. Low malt presence. It gets really metallic on the finish.

M - Medium-light bodied with a really dry metallic finish that kills the good hop bitterness at the start.

D - Blah. I can finish it but the metallic flavor and feel gets worse sip by sip. Not something I'd like to have again. Giving the last half to my brother.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 03:05:39 | More by BeerFMAndy

FosterJM

California

3.18/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

43rd review on BA
Bottle to pint glass

I reviewed the Hefe 1st after my father in law happened to get me a 24 pack on his most recent jaunt to Costco. Here try these he says. Thanks! It took me a while to get the nerve for round 2.

App- Poured a nice amber color with very little head on it. Few faint bubbles leisurly made their way up from the bottom of the glass. Just kind of a run of the mill color and look.

Smell- I'm torn. I like the smell but I think it's because they were off on the smell of a pale ale on this one. Slight, slight citrus with a bit of wheat and grain imo.

Taste- It's not bad, but it's not great. Its a super chain trying to make more money. At least it wasn't as bad as the Hefe I tried 1st. Oh man. It's a tad sweet for a pale but leaves a somewhat nice aftertaste.

Mouth- Has a in the middle feel of that big light to a small medium on the palate. It's pretty balanced but I still think its because they were off the mark on it.

Drink- Not entirely bad. I didn't drain pour it. If nothing else left in the house could drink a few.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 04:52:39 | More by FosterJM

dgilks

Australia

2.98/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Brilliantly clear, amber colour with a foamy, small, light tan head. Some head retention but it's not great.

Lightly citrussy aroma with some metallic malt notes. A touch grassy but overall it just falls a bit flat.

Nutty, metallic, caramelised malt with some earthy, mildly citrussy American hops. Dull.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Okay.

It's a cheap beer. Certainly nothing special but if you've already had a few it probably isn't a bad option.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 06:34:00 | More by dgilks

Gmann

New York

3.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a crystal clear golden color with a dense off-white head that dissipates into a light cap. Pretty much spot on for an APA. The aroma is of light floral hops and some fruit notes as well. Some cereal sweetness picked up towards the end. The taste is mostly of bitter grassy hops, not too strong. There is also a bit of a tin flavor with some rust. Some caramel malt gives the brew a touch of sweetness and a light bready character. The feel is light to moderate with some airy carbonation. The APA is dry and astringent and leaves a tea like bitterness on the palate. All of these CostCo brews has this astrigent character to it. It needs to go. An average APA, would like to see more hop flavor and more of a crispness to it.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2010 19:39:29 | More by Gmann

ngeunit1

California

3.5/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear copper with a slight orange tint and a thin finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind some lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of grassy hop and sweet caramel malt. Bit of biscuit as well.

T - Starts off with a mix of herbal hops and some sweet buttery biscuit malt. Through the middle, the caramel comes through a bit and the hops start to fade. Touch of bitterness comes through. Finish is a mix of sweet caramel and some buttery biscuit.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels fairly smooth though a bit watery and muddled.

D - Very drinkable. Could have used a bit more hops and a less strong malt presence. Not a very good balance here.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 04:28:13 | More by ngeunit1

nickd717

California

3.1/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle thanks to my roommate. When Costco stamps their brand on a beer, you know it's got to be a quality product. To be honest, this really isn't an awful beer.

Pours clear golden with a medium-sized white head.

Aroma is grainy and malty with some slight floral and herbal hop notes.

Flavor is pale and caramel malt, grains, and just a bit of hop bitterness, mostly herbal.

Medium-light body with average carbonation and nothing particularly exciting on the mouthfeel.

Drinkability is decent. Overall...meh, but hey, at least this beer is cheap and better than BMC.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 21:42:21 | More by nickd717

sweemzander

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Best before June 21, 2010.

(A)- Pours a clear amber color. Produced a good white head that left tons of web-like lacing behind.

(S)- Lots of corn husk & lemon wheat.

(T)- Very bitter pine with lemon. A grassy, almost metallic finish. More corn husk.

(M)- A good carbonation level. The hops are rather bitter; almost a peppery or burnt character.

(D)- Not a bad pale ale, but rather just off balanced with some harsh hops that could be fruitier & creamier. Not liking the metallic thing either.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 00:22:26 | More by sweemzander

Arbitrator

California

3.25/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The last of the Kirkland beers that my friend brought to my place.

A: Pours a pleasantly clear straw-colored body in the glass. No retention on the head, no lacing.

S: Smells a lot like the amber ale, but without caramel: grain, nuts, bread, and some hops (earthy). Not very pungent here either, but it's all right.

T: Follows the taste very well. The initial taste is malty (bread) with nuts and grain coming in gradually. Earthy hops flesh out the flavor during the swig, and carry into the aftertaste.

M: A modest and understated flavor; it has a presence, but doesn't shock the palate. Would be a decent session beer if it weren't 5+%.

D: The best out of the four Kirkland varieties. I'd probably navigate to this one if I were offered a choice.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2009 04:13:50 | More by Arbitrator

harrymel

Washington

2.17/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Best by: Oct 22, 2011

A: pours an amber ale with two fingers of peanut head which falls quickly to a sheet of the same. No lacing. Excellent clarity.

S: Sweet malts, herbal hops. More sweet malts. Some chemical smells here. Some butter, some corn.

T: Tastes like cheap, oxidized malts, tea, herbal hops and sugar.

M: Medium body with hi carb. Dry finish

O: Not a good beer, and not much different than the IPA IMO.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 06:46:21 | More by harrymel

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 6/5 poured in to a pint glass.

A: This beer pours crystal clear copper/amber color with a one finger of off white head. Head recedes quickly but leaves nice wispy lacing along the glass.

S: Nose is rather muted, mild grapefruit notes, hints of corn, and a touch of caramel malt.

T: Taste is rather bland. Very mild grapefruit notes are at the forefront before a strong grain/corn flavoring fills out the middle. The finish has an odd caramel malt sweetness mingled with a hint of pine.

M: Light body, medium carbonation, somewhat oily body but very thin.

D: Goes down ok, not filling, not much kick to this. It seems slightly off in it's blend. This wouldn't be the first APA that I would reach for.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2010 20:29:59 | More by Jayli

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle brewed in Utica, N.Y. with an expiration date of Apr 04, 2010. Sampled on April 17, 2010. It pours a golden yellow with nice clarity with a decent fizzy white head. The aroma is balanced way. A good malty sensation as well. There is a sharpness and a bitterness to the taste with a moderately hopped finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2010 23:33:50 | More by puboflyons

chinchill

South Carolina

3.45/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Undated but very recently purchased bottle served in pint glass. Brewed by "New Yorker Brewing Co., Utica, NY"

Pours a clear copper/amber color with medium bubbling and about one finger of whitish. Most of the head dissolves quickly but thin partial head remain and leaves a little lacing.

A - faint toasted grain and light hop aroma.

T - Starts crisp with a nice and substantial citrus hop flavor. The malt comes thru next, so the flavor sweetens nicely, with some caramel, herbal and toasted grain notes. Well balanced pale ale with a decent finish; a bit of burnt off-flavor in the aftertaste.

M - medium/light body with medium carbonation. Slightly dry finish.

Drink- good; certainly higher than most beers that do not cost more.

At $19 a case, this is a very good buy ... except: only available in mix packs with 3 other varieties, some of which may be less palatable.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 00:10:27 | More by chinchill

HalfFull

California

2.5/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

An interesting pour from my brown bottle. This beer has historically, from notes that is, poured an orange amber in color. Now, from this new mixed case which includes a Wit and an IPA, the Pale Ale pours quite pale. Downright golden in color, perhaps a deep straw, and quite clear. A different beer indeed which lacks any true carbonation and offers only a fleeting cap of foam before surrendering to a thin ring.

Nose is ultra pale in nature. Bit of malt in the background and with a very light hint of citric hops. Quite 'Blonde Ale' in nature at best, and thin at that.

Flavor follows suit. All malt perhaps and slightly bready with a minimal hop profile. Offers a moderate amount of coarse spice on the feel. A decent Blonde Ale to a point but somewhat of a fail for a Pale Ale.

Offers a hollow and over filtered yeast lameness which is somewhat reminiscent of a Sam Adams beer. In fact, I think that's what it is...Oops, I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 02:39:10 | More by HalfFull

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.24/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A friend of mine bought a case of these mixed Kirklands, so he gave me a couple bottles. I'd had their IPA before, which wasn't in any way terrible, so I'm having some pleasant anticipation on these.

12oz bottle into a pint glass. Pours a crystal clear pale orange with a good amount of bubbles rising throughout the drink feeding the bone-white head. The nose was basic with mild grains, vegetal hops, greens. Seems to be a standard PA aroma. The mouth is crisp, unsurprisingly with the vast amount of visible bubbles. Medium depth. Good clean finish.

Smooth creamy flavors. Mild to moderate bitterness of leafy greens, crackers, some mildly bitter pithy citrus rind. Easy finish. This is in no way offensive. I've had some bad Pales that just taste "off," but this was mild and pleasant. I'd have it again. It's not earth shattering, but it is easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:28:22 | More by Onenote81

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.28/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12-ounce PRY-OFF bottle into a Common Ground pint glass.

A: Clean, pale amber color with a two-finger head of clingy off-white carbonation that leaves some weak trails of lacing.

S: Buttery, toasted biscuit, somewhat musty, fruity ale and hop aromas coupled with a slightly metallic grain mill smell.

T: Sweet, toasted pale malts up front that have some fruity ale esters kicking around the palate. Flavors of citrus, apple and pear permeate the tongue before a weak dose of herbal hops washes the palate out, leaving a little cloying, buttery and bitter taste in the finish.

M: Fairly clean, medium-bodied and a little metallic with some pulling bitterness in the aftertaste.

O: Surprisingly fine for what it is, that said, it's still a mediocre 5.4% ABV APA. Cost-effective and fairly inoffensive to serve the non-craft drinker? Sure thing. Think of it as a Saranac (It probably is) and you'll be fine.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 23:18:00 | More by Gambrinus1184

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.78/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance- The beer pours a clear light amber color with a one finger white head. The head fades relatively quickly to leave a tiny level of lacing on the sides of the glass

Smell – The aroma is malty with lighter hop notes of a citrus and grassy. Mixed with these aromas is a light caramel sweetness as well as a small amount of a musty grain smell.

Taste – The taste begins with flavors of a lighter caramel sweetness and a bready and slightly grassy hop flavor. As the flavors advance from the initial tastes the sweetness gets a bit stronger with a light citrus hop flavor entering the taste as well. These flavors largely take the taste to its end where there is a bit of an increase h the grassy hop flavors as well as a metallic flavor to leave a moderate hop bite on a brew with a bready and lightly sweetened flavor.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the slightly medium side in terms of its thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is on the slightly higher side. Both the carbonation and medium body are quite appropriate for the more subdued and mix flavors of the brew as well as provide for a higher drinkability of the brew.

Overall – Well not really the best out there. The odd grassy and metallic flavor at the end of the tongue are rather off putting, even while most of the other flavors and attributes of the beer are not.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 03:18:02 | More by Darkmagus82