All good things — including Kirkland Signature craft beverages — must come to an end.
Costco's cobranded beers with Oregon's Deschutes Brewery are winding down after a two-year run in which they amassed a quiet but loyal following, the brewery confirmed to Business Insider.
A spokesperson said the production contract for Kirkland Signature Lager and Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale has been fulfilled, and the warehouse club is selling through the remaining supply.
The Helles-style lager that won awards at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival earned a reputation for a smooth, balanced taste that punches well above its dollar-per-can price point.
"The cost-to-value is insane on this beer," one shopper told the Wall Street Journal last year.
Fans on Reddit lamented the change this month as well.
"We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the beer from Costco members since the announcement," the Deschutes Brewery spokesperson said. "The feedback on the beer has been exceptional, and it's clear that the beer has built a fan base across the US and internationally."
The lager wasn't Costco's first foray into a budget-minded brew, though it was decidedly more successful than the Kirkland Signature Light, which was discontinued in 2018.
A Costco employee told Business Insider the lager's sales at their location near Madison, Wisconsin, were moderately strong — roughly on par with mid-priced lagers like Modelo.
Cases of the lager were still available at that warehouse over the weekend, roughly a week after the brewer notified suppliers of the production change, as reported by Craft Business Daily.
While some Kirkland Signature items are locked in for the long haul, like the famous $5 chickens and $1.50 hot dogs, certain products may only be available for a limited time.
Costco did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on this story.
Both Costco and Deschutes find themselves in better spots today than when they first launched the collaboration. The retailer continues to post strong monthly sales growth, and Deschutes said its volume sales were up 16% year over year in the 13 weeks ending June 28, citing data from market research company Circana.
There have been no hints so far that the fan-favorite beers will be resurrected anytime soon, so now is the time to stock up while supplies last.
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Dominick Reuter is a senior retail reporter for Business Insider, primarily covering Walmart, Target, and Costco. His stories tend to focus on issues and trends that affect employees and customers.Prior to joining BI in 2019, Dominick worked for more than a decade as an independent photojournalist covering a wide range of stories for global wire services and newspapers, including Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and Agence France-Presse.Dominick studied photojournalism at Boston University and later earned a Masters in business and economics journalism from Columbia University.If you're an employee or customer with a story to share, please contact me via email or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750.
