Latest news with #DeschutesBrewery
Forbes
21-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Costco's Kirkland Lager Is One Of World's Best Beers, Say Competition Judges
Costco's Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager has earned top medals at two of the world's most prestigious beer competitions. Most recently it took home silver at the World Beer Cup Phealan Robinson One of the best helles lagers anywhere on Earth is Costco's Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager, judges at the World Beer Cup ruled recently, and it's not the first prestigious award the beer has won. The Kirkland Signature Hellles is brewed by Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. Though Deschutes is one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S., its Helles-style lager was not traditionally one of its better-known beers. In fact, the lager, which was then called Prinz Crispy, was an obscure small-batch offering until it won gold at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival. That win helped lead to a collaboration between Costco and Deschutes to ramp up production of the beer and rename it, but the recipe remained unchanged. Today, the beer's combination of light, malt-forward character and approachability is continuing to earn impressive awards. The lager took home the silver medal in the highly competitive Helles Lager category at this year's World Beer Cup. As Peter Skrbek, Deschutes' CEO, told me in a video call, it is one thing to win an award for a beer brewed on a small scale but 'it's another thing when you have a scaled-up production beer that's also taking down medals.' The Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup are the two most prestigious beer competitions in the U.S. and, arguably, the world. Many of the beers that medal at each festival have limited distribution and are sometimes only available at the taproom at the brewery where they were produced. Kirkland Lager on the other hand, is an award-winning beer that is sold at every Costco that can legally sell private-label beer. It costs $13.99 per 12-pack. Costco's Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager has won two of the most coveted competition medals in craft beer. Phealan Robinson A few years back, Robin Johnson, Deschutes' head brewer, was looking for a beer to enter into the Great American Beer Festival. 'He's like, 'What if we really went after lager and really went competitive on lager?' Skrbek said. 'So he spent a ton of time developing this Helles recipe.' The initial beer was brewed at Deschutes' 10-barrel brewing system at its Bend brewpub. The goal was a limited-edition beer for competitions, not wide distribution. 'There was never an intent of this beer being a commercial beer, in part because, ironically, the cost of making it, because of the raw ingredients, was extremely high,' Srkbek said. Costco has carried Deschutes beer for years. In a meeting between the Deschutes team and Russ York, a Costco buyer, they began to discuss doing something for the Kirkland Signature brand. 'I said that we would like to do something that was NOT an IPA,' York explains in an email to me. 'I felt our members needed something more sessionable and refreshing. IPAs are everywhere, and everyone has their favorite.' Srkbek had just the right beer in mind. 'I was like, 'Well, man, you know, we just won this gold medal for this beer that we have really no big plan for commercially. How awesome would it be to introduce this gold medal-winning beer to members?' York liked the idea and was completely sold as soon as he tasted the beer. 'I loved it because it had the refreshing taste of a light beer, but it had substance,' York wrote. 'With standard domestic light beers, it just quenches your thirst, not leaving an impression. But the lager does both.' A Craft Beer Available in Bulk To brew the rebranded Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager, Deschutes moved production of Prinz Crispy from its 10-barrel system to its 150-barrel production brewery. Producing such large quantities of beer itself wasn't difficult, Srkbek said, but sourcing ingredients and handling the distribution logistics at the scale necessary wouldn't have been possible without Costco's help. York declined to share sales numbers. 'I can say that it is selling quite well and actually did more than we anticipated, given it launched in the off-season for this style of beer—winter,' he wrote. Srkbek couldn't offer any sales numbers either but did say the beer has impacted overall U.S. demand for Tettnang hops, which are a key part of its recipe. 'We basically consumed the entire domestic Tettnang crop last year, which is an insane thought. And as a result, we have more farmers planting Tettnang,' Srkbek said. Despite that scale, Srkbek is proud that the quality of that beer has not slipped: a view that was validated when the beer took home silver at the World Beer Cup. 'The cool thing there is that it is the production beer. It's not a different batch. It's right out of the same batch that went to members and into the warehouses at Costco.' More From Forbes Forbes The World's Best IPA—According To The International Beer And Cider Awards By Erik Ofgang Forbes The Best Lagers Of 2025—According To The World Beer Cup By Erik Ofgang
Wall Street Journal
16-04-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
How Costco's Kirkland Signature Beer Finally Hit the Mark
During a recent Costco run, I filled an oversize shopping cart with my family's favorite bulk buys. Pirate's Booty for my daughter. Protein powder for my wife. For me? I wheeled to the beer aisle and grabbed a 12-pack of Kirkland Signature Helles-Style Lager, a Costco-only release by Deschutes Brewery of Bend, Ore.
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Drinkers Are Buying Beer One Can At A Time
Deschutes Brewery's line of Symphonic Chronic double IPAs is available only in single 19.2-ounce cans, tapping into the consumer trend to in-the-moment buying. Deschutes Brewery In a presentation for members, the Brewers Association recently reported that single-can sales of craft beer are catching up to sales of 4-packs, traditionally the preferred pack-size for off-premise sales of craft beer. The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers. The increase in single-can sales is occurring despite overall craft beer sales being flat, against a backdrop of overall beer sales declining. The Brewers Association measures beer sales by craft brewers, which it defines as brewers having annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales) and having less than 25 percent ownership or control (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. While sales of craft beer overall are down, sales of single cans of craft beer are growing, according to the Brewers Association. Brewers Association 'Consumers are making more shopping trips and buying only what they need at that time, rather than stocking up,' said Kate Bernot, lead analyst with Sightlines, a beverage alcohol insights platform, in a telephone interview. The shift in consumer behavior is a combination of buyers now being accustomed to having their needs satisfied on demand, thanks to services like Amazon Prime and Instacart, and consumers seeing smaller, though more frequent, store visits as being more palatable in the face of higher prices. 'The big weekly trip to grocery store that used to be the norm requires planning and organization,' said Bernot. 'Meanwhile, savings rates are low and loan defaults are ticking up. So, consumers are shopping for what they need right now. It's psychologically easier to spend $40 three times than $120 once, even though it's the same amount of money.' According to Sightlines, consumers are buying less per trip to the store, but going to the store more frequently. Sightlines According to NACS, the trade association representing convenience and fuel retailing, American consumers visit convenience stores more than any other type of brick-and-mortar retail location. More than ever, consumers want what is quick and convenient. Shifts in consumer spending patterns drive the decisions of craft breweries which are now, more than ever, needing to find growth wherever the consumer is. Bend, Oregon's Deschutes Brewery recently released a line of beers exclusively in single-serve, 19.2-ounce cans; the beers are not available in any multi-pack format. 'We started a new brand exclusively for the convenience channel called Symphonic Chronic,' said Peter Skrbek, CEO at Deschutes via email. 'The key insights for the channel were fan preference for single serve products at a higher ABV than our IPAs in the grocery channel. This was driven exclusively by fan preference in the channel.' Is it working? 'Consumer response has been incredible,' said Skrbek. 'We are seeing more distribution gains in the convenience channel than any other channel . The only part of our portfolio growing faster are our non-alcoholic brands. We are now in the process of releasing an additional product in the line called Symphonic Chronic Double Juicy IPA.' A shift toward single-can purchases can lower the cost barrier to try new breweries and brands as there is risk in buying one can versus a 12-pack. Still, Bernot suggests that tight budgets and quick shopping favors trusted brands. 'When budgets are tight, shoppers stick with something safer,' said Bernot. 'If they're buying one can of beer, consumers are less likely to take a risk on something they don't know, so there's a move back to trusted brands.' Bernot notes that when shoppers pop into convenience stores for a quick purchase, they are less likely to examine all of the available brands, weighing the pros and cons of each, instead grabbing what is familiar. That convenience-store behavior transfers over to grocery stores when consumers are doing small shops of a few items. This shift favors familiar brands like Deschutes, an early pioneer in craft beer founded in 1988. While beer rating apps like Untappd have in recent years driven craft beer drinkers to continuously seek new beers by gamifying beer drinking, the shift by consumers to single-serve cans from tried-and-true breweries suggests the constant quest for what's new might be waning.
USA Today
08-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Best Brewery Tour (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of Mat Trogner C/O Allagash Brewing Co. No. 10: Allagash Brewing Company - Portland, Maine Allagash Brewing Company offers an excellent selection of brewery tours, starting with Taste of Allagash, a 30-minute tour and barrel room exploration that includes two samples of featured releases. The 1-hour Signature Beer & Barrels Experience checks out the wild and sour barrels aging cellar and includes sampling five seasonal specialties. Allagash also offers private brewery tours for 10 guests at a time, for those who want a more personalized experience. Photo courtesy of Bell's Brewery No. 9: Bell's Brewery - Comstock, Michigan Bell's Brewery, one of the oldest craft breweries east of Colorado, started out with a 15-gallon soup pot in 1985. Today, visitors can tour their state-of-the-art facilities in Comstock, Michigan, and at their flagship location in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to learn more about Bell's brewing processes, fermentation, and packaging. Tours include complimentary samples. Photo courtesy of Deschutes Brewery No. 8: Deschutes Brewery - Bend, Oregon Bend's first microbrewery and one of the largest craft breweries in the country, Deschutes is renowned as a leader in beer hops and hop development. Their 45-minute tours are inexpensive and super informative, getting you up to date on Deschutes' history and brewing process. Not to mention, you get a free koozie as well complimentary beer as part of the tour. Photo courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. No. 7: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina Sierra Nevada beer fans have the opportunity to tour brewing facilities in either North Carolina or California. During each 45- to 60-minute interactive tour, visitors trace the process from grain to bottle. Smell whole-cone hops, sample sugary wort, and finish with a guided tasting of Sierra Nevada beers. Beer Geek, Beyond the Pale, and other tours go further in depth. Photo courtesy of Knorth Studios No. 6: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. - Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin Visitors to this Chippewa Falls brewery have a few options when it comes to tours. The hour-long Legacy Tour covers more than 150 years of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. history, including a stroll through the modern facilities and a visit to Leinie Lodge. Alternatively, spend 90 minutes on a tour with the master brewer, 30 minutes exploring the Leinie Lodge Pilot Brewery, or 90 minutes learning about the history of the brewery and Chippewa Falls. Photo courtesy of Phil Cassella - Burial Beer Co. No. 5: Burial Beer Co. Forestry Camp - Asheville, North Carolina Burial Beer Co. offers guests a peek into their production facility and taproom in Asheville, North Carolina. Designated drivers can take the tour for free, and though they won't get to partake in the tastings, they'll still get the lowdown on the Asheville brewing scene and the history of Burial during this 1-hour experience. Photo courtesy of LP Creative Studio No. 4: Anheuser-Busch Brewery Experiences - St. Louis, Missouri At Anheuser-Busch Brewery Experiences, visitors can choose from an array of tours. The Day Fresh tour takes you through the Clydesdale stables, the Brewhouse, and throughout the St. Louis campus, while the Finisher Tour goes straight to the fermentation cellars, giving guests a complimentary branded hat and commemorative glass to go with their beer samples. For their biggest fans, the Beermaster Tour is 2 hours long, visits exclusive locations, and offers fresh beer straight from the finishing tank, as well as a bevy of souvenirs. Photo courtesy of SweetWater Brewing No. 3: SweetWater Brewing Company - Atlanta, Georgia Visit SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta for a guided tour of the brewing facilities. Standard 30-minute tours highlight the brewing process, while High Gravity tours — available on weekends — go behind the scenes and last 90 minutes. Both tours include beer samples. Photo courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery No. 2: Spoetzl Brewery - Shiner, Texas Spoetzl Brewery, the pride of Shiner, Texas, dates back to the early 1900s. Those who take the 45-minute brewery tour will be introduced to the history of Spoetzl, learn about the impact of its success on the town of Shiner, and witness the brewing process up close. Tour packages start at $30 per person over 21 years old and include complimentary pours of Shiner beer.
