Big Rock Brewery Winter Spice Ale

Winter Spice Ale

 

Big Rock Brewery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦

  Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable / Honey - Spiced Winter
Score
5.96
ABV: 6.0% IBU: 13 Ticks: 9
Brewmaster’s Edition:

The winter warmer

It can be tough to enjoy our long Canadian winters. The short days and cold temperatures sap the will. We crafted Winter Spice as the winter warmer that we’d want to drink to give us much-needed comfort during our longest season. Aromas of cloves and caramel evoke the sensation of home baking and the rich, malty flavour is enhanced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Little Known Fact

Historically, brewers have utilized a variety of spices to enhance the flavour of their beers. Long before the use of hops became widespread a blend of spices was the primary means of flavouring the beer.
 

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4.8
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

clear amber pour witha quickly fading head. Aroma of gingerbread, tocuhes of cinnamon, and a nutmeg. Flavor is quite sweet, and a touch cloying. More ginger notes, and cinnamon, but next to no hops, and very little malt. Kinda like a cookie in a glass, but not really beer. meh.

Tried on 28 Feb 2025 at 05:08


5.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

On tap. Darker medium brown clear body and a bit of foam. Lots of cardamom and cinnamon on the nose. Flavour is soft malt notes witb mellow cardamom. Finish is a little watery for a beer like this, could be fuller. A very middling winter ale.

Tried from Draft on 15 Jan 2019 at 00:41


5.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

Can with a big Holiday Cheers in the middle of it, so looks like a new label this year. Clean deep amber colour with a big frothy, very light beige head, good retention and some wavy lace. Not liking the wet-sock smell from the yeast I will say. Overpowers the spices, and just not pleasant. The taste is more like it with the spices shining. Well, lets just say they are present. Everything seems a little too mild, watered-down. Wish the aromas were better and the taste, punchier.

Tried from Can on 23 Nov 2018 at 00:50


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

330ml bottle. Pours a clear red-amber with a small, short lived, off-white head that fully dissipates. Sweet, spicy aroma of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and caramel malt. Sweet, spicy flavour of bready malt, caramel, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Light body with a thin, watery texture and soft carbonation. Ok.

Tried from Bottle on 31 Jan 2017 at 01:13


6.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

$12 pitcher at Hapa Izakaya. Dark brown. Thin head. Herbal, maybe liquoricey, and soft dark fruits. Fruity - blue berry, Can’t say it paired well with the toro, but did fine enough with the fried stuff.

Tried from Can on 30 Dec 2016 at 09:56


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Draft - Cinnamon and clove with some ginger. Clear Amber with a decent white head. Sweet Bready notes, like a mild gingerbread.

Tried from Draft on 28 Nov 2015 at 19:13


5.4
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5

Amber,fast fading head.Light clove nose.Light malt profile with spicy notes(nutmeg,cloves). Earthy finish

Tried on 30 Nov 2012 at 23:00


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5

A red copper ale with a thin off white head. In aroma, sweet caramel overlayed with cinnamon hearts. In mouth, a smooth nutty malt, torrefied, with sweetish cinnamon, cloying in the end. Bottle via probstk, thank Karl.

Tried from Bottle on 01 Jan 2011 at 07:32


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

This ale poured a dark orange colour with a quick living, off white head. Tot he nose there are scents of squash, brown sugar, pumpkin pie, allspice, caramel and malt. First sip was smooth but a little watery. Flavours of allspice and pumpkin pie most prodominant. Finish is thin with flavours of allspice and malt lingering.

Tried on 03 Feb 2010 at 18:12