Deschutes Ends Costco Kirkland Beer Partnership as Alaska Brewery Laws and Voodoo Ranger Tour Lead Craft Beer News

Major Craft Beer Stories This Week

Several notable craft beer stories surfaced this week, including Deschutes Brewery ending production of Costco's Kirkland Signature beers, New Belgium bringing back its Voodoo Ranger Tanker Tour, and Denver's Copper Kettle Brewing asking customers for help covering the costs of closing its taproom. The latest episode of Craft Beer Republic also explores Alaska's unique brewery drinking laws while reviewing new beers from Tarantula Hill Brewing and Lion's Tail Brewing.

Deschutes Brewery Ends Costco Kirkland Signature Beer Partnership

Deschutes Brewery confirmed that production of Kirkland Signature Helles Lager and Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale will come to an end, bringing its partnership with Costco to a close. The collaboration began in 2024 and replaced Costco's previous Kirkland lager with a German-style Helles brewed by one of the Pacific Northwest's best-known craft breweries.

Greg and Flex discuss the announcement, the online reaction from Costco shoppers, and whether the Kirkland Signature Helles Lager is worth picking up before it disappears from warehouse shelves.

New Belgium Sends the Voodoo Ranger Tanker Tour Back on the Road

New Belgium Brewing has relaunched its Voodoo Ranger Tanker Tour featuring the 11% ABV G-Force Imperial IPA. The promotional tour includes stops in several major U.S. cities and continues the brewery's focus on high-ABV craft beer releases.

The discussion also touches on the growing popularity of convenience store tallboys and the realities of drinking double-digit ABV beers after a full day of work.

Copper Kettle Brewing Seeks Community Support After Closing

Copper Kettle Brewing has closed its Denver taproom and launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for lease-required restoration work. According to the brewery, the building must be returned to its original condition before the lease can officially end.

The story raises questions about brewery lease agreements, the financial realities of closing a craft brewery, and the expectations surrounding brewery crowdfunding campaigns.

Alaska Brewery Laws Continue to Surprise Craft Beer Travelers

A listener shares firsthand experience with Alaska's brewery regulations, where customers are limited to 36 ounces of beer per brewery each day. Flights are carefully measured, tabs must be closed before 9 p.m., and brewery staff often keep track of customers who return later in the evening.

The conversation explores how breweries enforce the rules and why Alaska's brewery laws remain unfamiliar to many craft beer drinkers outside the state.

Other Episode Highlights

The episode revisits Poop Beer Gate after a listener describes spending nearly $20 on a barrel-aged stout that tasted like soy sauce. That story unexpectedly turns into a discussion about sushi, ginger, and palate cleansers.

Greg also reviews Tarantula Hill Brewing's Dazzleberry Sour after his wife convinced him to give one of her favorite beers another chance. Flex opens Lion's Tail Brewing's Oktoberfest and explains why he considers the Wisconsin brewery much stronger at traditional German beer styles than IPAs.

The episode closes with an unusual DUI arrest involving a driver headed to a probation meeting and a reminder that miniature Fireball bottles are not always the same product as Fireball Whisky.

Featured Beers

• Tarantula Hill Brewing Dazzleberry Sour - Fruited sour ale brewed with raspberry and blackberry.

• Lion's Tail Brewing Oktoberfest - German-style Marzen lager brewed with imported German malts, Hallertau and Mittelfruh hops, and Bavarian lager yeast.

• Kirkland Signature Helles Lager - German-style Helles lager brewed by Deschutes Brewery for Costco.

• Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale - Barrel-aged strong ale brewed by Deschutes Brewery for Costco.

• Voodoo Ranger G-Force Imperial IPA - 11% ABV Imperial IPA from New Belgium Brewing.

  
  

Listen Now

The latest episode of Craft Beer Republic is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, with discussion covering this week's craft beer news, brewery industry developments, beer reviews, and listener stories.