Kirkland Lager

Review Date 5/16/2025 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Munich Helles   Brewery: Deschutes   Country: USA   State: Oregon   $ Per OZ: $.10 (B)   ABV: 4.5%

Kirkland Lager! I’ve wanted to try that for a while. In style, it’s a German Helles Lager, and I love the style. It’s made by the Deschutes Brewery of Bend Oregon, and I love Deschutes. Well, OK then Bruguru, you guru of brew you, why the hell did you not just buy it then? You have a Costco membership after all!

Quite simply, it’s because as with most things at Costco, you have to buy it in bulk. They only sell it in case lots, and while I am not averse to drinking a case of great beer, I buy a lot of different beers and really do not have the space to buy everything in cases. Recently, though, while shopping at Costco, I noticed Kirkland Lager for sale in 12-packs. Bingo! One went into my cart.

Let’s get right into the particulars of Kirkland Lager, and what I think about it. The beer has an alcohol content of 4.5% by volume and I paid $13.99 for my 12-pack at Costco. Yes, you heard that right. Seven bucks a six-pack. For the price of mass market microbrew, you can have a fine and tasty Helles lager. I should add my cans are stamped Best By 10/08/25; I bought them in early May.

Kirkland Lager pours to a pale golden color with a thick fluffy white head and a nose of fresh bready malt. Taking a sip, the beer is medium in body, just right for the style. Its bursting with more of the fresh bready malt the nose promised, and finishes dry with a gentle grassy bitter hop buzz. On its own merits a 4 star Helles for me, with an extra half star for the bargain basement price.

Smooth and easy drinking but full of flavor, I enjoyed a can out on the patio on a warm May evening while jamming Sirius XM 70s on 7 on my Bose speakers. Life is good, folks.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??