Beer Brands Sold at Costco + Kirkland Brand Beers
Most people associate Costco with buying an insane amount of groceries at extraordinarily great prices. As a Costco member, you can shop for months at a time for food and pretty much any other household essentials. But it’s easy to forget that there is an entire section of Costco beer where you can buy name brands at fantastic prices.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 7 min read
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Costco even has its house brand of Kirkland beer (and Kirkland Seltzer), part of their Kirkland signature lineup of products, for which you can expect even more amazing prices.
And in certain states, you can even buy tequila and other Costco liquor while buying your groceries and other items, or sometimes at a separate location next to the main building. Imagine the convenience of shopping for food, essentials, beer, wine, cognac and liquor all in the same trip!
So to help your next trip to Costco go as smoothly as possible, we’re giving you the heads up on the best beer brands at Costco. And, if you need a hangover cure, Costco probably sells fire cider.
Costco Beer Brands (Kirkland Brand)
Just like the high quality food deals you can find at Costco, it is also a great place to buy beer in bulk. If you are willing to commit to a 36-pack at a time (or even more depending on the beer) you will save yourself money compared to buying from a regular supermarket. This great pricing is especially true with the Kirkland signature beers—Costco beer even comes in a variety pack!
So whether you want to enjoy an in-house brand of beer or the more popular name brands such as Budweiser, you will find something you love in this long list of Costco beer brands. And don’t forget to regularly check the Costco Connection magazine to see if special sales are happening on the best beer brands that you love.
Kirkland India Pale Ale (IPA)
First on the list is one of Costco’s beers, a Kirkland beer in the IPA style. The beer selection at Costco can vary depending on where you are located and what the local beer scene is like, but you can be sure to find all of the Kirkland beers at every Costco location.
The Kirkland IPA is a hoppy and floral beer, with the bitterness you expect from an IPA mixed with citrus tasting notes like grapefruit. Coming in at an ABV of 6.9%, this IPA is reasonable while still packing a punch!
Kirkland Session IPA
The session IPA is a style of beer that is designed to capture the strong and hoppy flavor of an IPA without being too alcoholic. The name refers to the fact that you can drink a few of these in one session without getting as buzzed as the higher percentage IPAs.
This Kirkland Session IPA comes in at 4.9% ABV, making it much more drinkable than the previous IPA. It is golden in color and has a refreshing and citrusy taste to it, leaving you wanting more (which you can do with this beer!). Despite the lower alcohol content, it still has a strong hoppy flavor—it is hopped with Cascade, Citra, and Lemon Drop hops—that balances well with its drinkable malt base.
Kirkland Double Bock
Kirkland’s Double Bock, in the bock/doppelbock style, is an intense beer with an ABV of 7.5%. The malt flavors dominate in this beer with a caramel-like sweetness, balanced by nutty tasting notes and a creamy texture.
Not everyone will like this beer, especially if you are used to a more standard pilsner or ale. But if you don’t mind a heavy beer with sweetness and a high ABV, it is worth trying out this Kirkland Double Bock.
Kirkland Pale Ale
This pale ale is another signature product from Kirkland, and it has an ABV of 5.4%. It is a classic version of the American pale ale style with bitter flavors and aroma from its hop profile. The aroma of the hops is spicy and citrusy, and the tasting notes of the hops are herbal.
But even if you tend to shy away from hoppy flavor profiles, don’t let this description turn you away. The hop flavors in this beer are nicely balanced by a clean-tasting malt body that, with its subtle caramel notes, serves as the backbone of this pale ale.
Kirkland Brown Ale
Unlike a lot of the more hoppy beers on this list—the IPAs and pale ales—a good brown ale is dark in color and gives you more of the malt taste than the hops. And this Kirkland Brown Ale does not disappoint with its rich color and dark nutty flavor profile.
With an ABV of 5%, this beer is brewed with 8 different malts that contribute toasted flavors of almonds, molasses, and walnut. The light hop flavors on top of this base create a beautifully balanced beer. Kirkland Kolsch German-style Ale
The Kolsch style of beer is probably not for everyone, but if you enjoy the style it is worth giving Kirkland’s version a try. With German Tettnang hops - a variety of Noble hop - and pale-malted barley, this beer has a unique malt flavor with subtle bitterness. At 4.8% ABV, it has a light-bodied and easy-drinking taste that makes it perfect as a summertime drink.
Kirkland Blonde Ale
Kirkland’s Blonde Ale is an extremely drinkable beer, coming in with a 4.3% ABV. This beer has a light color and a bright taste, due to the Cascade and Citra hops that impart refreshing aromas and flavors. It is also brewed with pale Maktoum and a small amount of wheat, which helps to give it a balanced body with lots of character.
And since Kirkland stopped production of their light beer American lager selection Kirkland Light, this blonde ale is the closest you can get to that Kirkland Light flavor that people seemed to love.
Kirkland Variety Pack
The variety pack offered by Kirkland deserves a whole section of its own. Considering how many great styles of beer Kirkland Signature offers, it can be overwhelming to commit to just one of those styles. But the Kirkland variety pack is a 24 case with a mix of all of their beer styles.
Whether you are someone who loves variety in the house or you want to experiment to discover your favorite, the variety pack is a great way to try multiple beer styles in one purchase.
Blue Moon Beer
Blue Moon is a giant name brand in the craft beer world, and you can expect to find this beer in pretty much any Costco beer section. The Belgian White—made with wheat, coriander, and orange peels—is Blue Moon’s year-round style that you can find all the time.
But also be on the lookout for some of Blue Moon’s seasonal offerings such as their Pumpkin Ale and their Summer Honey Wheat.
Coors Light
For a complete 180-degree change from the double bock, you should be able to find Coors Light at any Costco location. Coors Light is one of the most popular beers in America, and even people who don’t drink beer know to see if the picture on the can is blue like the Rocky Mountains.
Coors Light is lower in calories and is a go-to beer for big parties that need a reasonable beer that is drinkable and safe. Coming in at 4.2% alcohol content, Coors Light is a drinkable beer that almost any beer drinker can enjoy. And on a positive note, the low caloric content means you can enjoy this beer without worrying so much about gaining weight! Bud Light
Is there anyone out there who has not heard of Bud Light? Bud Light is one of America’s most well-known beers, and you can even find that beer offered in some of the fanciest restaurants around the country because of how much people love it. Bud Light’s iconic blue can is the way to go at Costco, where you can often find amazing deals on cases of 36.
And like Coors Lite, Bud Light is a drinkable beer that has way fewer calories than some of the heavier beers on this list. With an ABV of 5%, Bud Light is a safe beer to always have in the house for yourself and your guests.
Corona
Nothing like stopping by a Costco in the Summer on your way to the beach and grabbing a case of Coronas. Better yet, buying a bunch of Coronitas for the beach due to their size.
Sierra Nevada
Speaking of pale ales, one of the most popular versions of this style comes from the hugely popular brewery named Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the brewery’s most popular beer, and there’s a reason for that. This beer has a fragrant and spicy aroma, and a full-bodied and deep malt profile.
But you should also lookout for some of the other offerings by Sierra Nevada brewing. Some of their other great beers that you might find at Costco include their Torpedo Extra IPA, Hazy Little Thing, and Celebration Fresh Hop IPA. And if you want a sampling of all of these beers, keep an eye out for a Sierra Nevada variety pack!
Pacifico Beer
Pacifico Clara is a Mexican beer by Grupo Modelo - who also produces Modelo Especial - and it is one of the top-selling beers at Costco. It is brewed in the pilsner style and has an ABV of 4.5%, which helps it to be one of the most refreshing beers around.
And its crisp flavor and slightly bitter taste blend perfectly with grilled shrimp, tacos, or most other Mexican food.
Sam Adams Boston Lager
Sam Adams is a classic American brewery, and their flagship beer is the Boston Lager. This lager has a full flavor that is rich and complex. But it is also a beer that achieves that perfect balance that makes it extremely drinkable. It has an ABV of 5%.
And similar to Blue Moon, you can also keep an eye out for the seasonal offerings by Sam Adams like their craft brewed OctoberFest, Summer Ale, and Cold Snap.
Stella Artois
Stella Artois, a Belgian beer, is one of the most drinkable pilsner styles out there. It is generally known for being a step above the lighter pilsners like Bud Light and Coors Lite because of its richer flavor and crisp tasting finish that is unforgettable.
This beer comes in cans and bottles and, considering how popular it is around the country, you will probably find a great deal on it at your local Costco.
Costco Brewer's Advent Calendar
The Brewer's Advent Calendar is filled with 24 beers just waiting to be opened once a day (or all at once?!). Costco has been offering this beer deal for 7 years now and it's still going strong. And, it's available for $59.99. That's barely more than $3/beer for some tasty German craft brews. It will leave you saying Prost! all month long.
Just don't expect there to be any Oktoberfest beers in the box.
NA Beers
Costco also offers a wide range of non-alcoholic beer on their shelves. So, check that out if that's something that interests you, as not all big box retailers offer this.
Who brews Kirkland Brand Costco Beer?
Hopfen Und Malz Brewing Co. brews Kirkland brand beer. However, that is collectively made up of Gordon Biersch on the West Coast and Matt Brewing on the East Coast. So yes, Kirkland is a contract brewed brand of suds.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, from New York to California, Costco offers a wide variety of beer brands and selections, including great styles by their Kirkland Signature brand. Especially if you plan to buy in bulk, you can save a lot of money buying beer from here.
So if you are a beer lover and these brands intrigue you, head down to your local Costco today and check some of them out!
Article Sources
- https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2021/09/costcos-beer-advent-calendar-is-back-for-2021/
- https://thetakeout.com/taste-test-costco-craft-brewed-beer-review-1831104003