Kirkland Signature Amber Ale

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Palo Alto, California USA

Rich caramel and barley grain aroma with a hint of florals. Pours an amber color with minimal off white head, moderate action, and didn’t see any sediment. Has a grainy taste of toasted barley malt and a hint of caramel with a hint of mild grapefruit and butter. Medium bodied, resinous and slight butter feel, with lively comfortable carbonation. Another session type of amber with a craft grainy taste of toasted barley, not too sweet.

Nice color, good foam with decent retention, a smooth malt flavor, but too little carbonation for my liking. Once again, the price weighs in heavily.

Bottle. bronze beer with a dark cream colroed head. malt and light toffee aroma with light darker fruits. Malt and light cocoa flavor with light roast. Medium bodied. Malt and light grain lingers with light cocoa.

Contracted at Utica, NY- FX- Matt. Pours a nice clear amber with a lasting medium head. Aroma is nutty caramel, mostly clean with some deep toast. Flavor is a mostly caramel, clean, easy drinking, low hops, some floral hints, mostly toasty. Clean nice malty finish without being too crystal-ly maltish. Not too Saranac like with that slick finish- not a bad amber ale at all.

12 oz. bottle from Costco (Tucson) - Pours a clear deep amber color with a 3/4 finger thick off white head. Very light spotty lacing. Aroma is caramel malt and a touch of perfume (hops). Flavor is caramel malt with a nice bit of hops. Finish is dry, a tad thin, and has a nice bit of bitterness to it. Light to medium body. Of the 3 Costco beers I’ve had so far, this is the best yet.

Serving: 12 oz. bottle. Appearance: Deep amber with an okay, foamy, off-white head. Okay head retention. Aroma: Malty with notes of caramel, toasted malt, and a bit of nuttiness. I am not getting much on the hop front. Taste: Probably the best of the Kirkland bunch in my mind. Caramel notes lead the way with notes of toast and a touch of hop bitterness. Not too bad! Palate: Medium carbonation with a medium mouthfeel and a medium-short, malty finish. Overall: Not a bad amber to sit down and drink a few of while watching the game. It isn’t anything mind bending, but that’s okay.

Meh...a very average/average- offering. I rarely expect greatness from an amber. When one thinks "carpe diem", one rarely thinks "amber ale". But that’s ok...it’s a fine style and can serve as that "go to" beer when you have no clear preference. This, however, didn’t measure up in that regard. I shudder to think that only a couple of meager $$$ more might have bought a Kalamazoo Bell’s Amber or something comparable. Alas, this is where I wound up (proving that an additional rating, especially after a few hundred, is often NOT worth it!). Decent color and head, but light in the nose and one dimensional in the flavor.

Bottle from Costco - Cincy. Poured a clear dark copper color with a large fizzy off-white head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate hop and sweet malt aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and very soft carbonation. Medium malty sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. This is an above average sweet brew.