Kirkland Signature Amber Ale

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

Bottle, from mixed pack. Pours dark cedar brown, with a small head. Very clear and filtered, a bit unsettling. Aroma is softly malty, nutty, some toasts. Flavor is predictably mild, disappointingly so. What is there – if given time to properly warm – will greet you with buttery malt, toasty chocolate, and some minerally elements. Clean finish. Decent, but watery.

I love all things Kirkland and am also a big fan of Costco, but I was a little letdown by their Kirkland branded beers. These beers are being made for Costco by Gordon Biersch, and sadly that lineage is clear from the way these beers taste (ZZZZzzzzzz). I thought the amber was the best of the ones I tried, and is a pretty nice but very middle of the road beer. Aroma is discernible, and is lightly malty and pleasant. Color is a copper color with decent head. Flavor is again lightly biscuity with a barely detectable hop note. Mouthfeel is pretty much akin to a full-calorie macro-lager. Not bad, but I think so highly of other Kirkland products (their ham is terrific!) that I was a little let down by this line of beers. However, I felt this one was the top of the stack.

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.

Bottle from friend. Actually a very nice medium amber pour, clear, with a 2 finger off-white fluffy head. Has some watered down hop and malt taste but not up to par with other ambers. Still an interesting way of doing beer from the New York Brewing Co. in Utica, NY in a belgian style.

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. Translucent coppery pour with a tall, fluffy, beige head. Aroma is caramel, soft spicy hops, nuts, dried fruit and toasted malt. Taste is caramel, spicy hops, citrus fruit, raw nuts, toasted malt, and light toffee. Body is medium with a soft carbonation. Ends with more toasted malt, caramel, light toffee and spicy hops. Average amber ale.

Tallahassee, Fl - Costco - 12 oz bottle - part of a 24 bottle variety pak for $18.99 - not a bad deal. Light copper pour with a slight bubbly white head. Aroma has some nutty accents, a hint of coffee and some citrus. Flavor has some decent subtle bitterness, some nuttiness, and a hint of citrus. Mouthfeel is clean and smooth. Not bad for the price and my fridge is full of beer for a few weeks!