About
Proud Early Bird of Craft Beer - The Big Rock Story
17,000 years ago, a glacier carried a huge rock onto the Alberta prairies where none like it had been before. This "big rock" is the glacial erratic we take our name from, as no doubt, our founder's notion of creating a craft brewery in 1985 was a bit erratic at the time.
The rooster represents our early arrival as craft brewers. It's also a bit of a nod to the "cock of the walk" bravura that Ed McNally had when he started Big Rock Brewery.
We craft our beer with our brewmasters’ skill and imagination, utilizing local ingredients and innovative processes, all rooted in Ed McNally's original passion for excellence and in doing things differently and better.
Part of the group
Big Rock Brewery owns 3 breweries/brands:
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fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Session IPA (India Pale Ale) from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
4.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 4.5
Draught at Ship and Anchor, Calgary
Light amber color. It’s a mild Amber Ale, with a light cheesy touch, more evident in the flavor than the aroma. Can be boring.
Tried from Can on 05 Aug 2008 at 16:00
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Buzzard Breath Ale from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Draught at Bottlescrew, Calgary
At the pub they say it’s brewed by Wild Rose…?
Hazy amber color. A light aroma of wheat crackers. Ordinary Ale, but quite easy to drink.
Tried from Bottle on 05 Aug 2008 at 10:59
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
McNally's Reserve from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
5.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 6.5
Draught at Hop In Brew Pub, Calgary
Black color, creamy head. In the beginning the aroma is creamy, with roasted malt; then it shows a light cheesy touch. The flavor has a more evident cheese touch, reminding me Casera (cheese from the central Alps, similar to tomme, but produced with semi-skimmed milk). The final is a bit weak. Not bad, but indeed peculiar.
Tried on 05 Aug 2008 at 10:56
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Grasshopper Kristallweizen from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
4.2/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 4 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 4
Draught at Ship and Anchor, Calgary
Blond color. Very common Lager, balanced but anonymous.
Tried on 05 Aug 2008 at 10:55
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Rock Creek Premium Dry Cider from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5
2010-03-17, draught at Raven Pub, North Vancouver, 5-3-5-2-10=25
Blond color. Sweetish cidery aroma. Normal cider flavor, with a light acidity, but the residual sweetness seems to be due to sweeteners... The final is therefore rather disturbing.

2008-07-27, draught at Ship and Anchor, Calgary, 5-2-6-3-11
Light blond color. Light apple aroma, a bit sour. There is very light apple flavor, and a quite high sourness, citric. Refreshing.
Tried on 05 Aug 2008 at 10:54
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Warthog English Style Mild Ale from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
4.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 4 Texture 4 Overall 4
Draught at Ship and Anchor, Calgary
Light amber color. Light and dry caramel flavor. Correctly bitter. Too simple and boring.
Tried on 05 Aug 2008 at 10:52
fiulijn (28377) reviewed
Traditional Ale from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
4.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5
2008-07-27, draught at Ship & Anchor, Calgary, 5-3-5-2-9=24
Amber color. Very simple Ale, very light toffee aroma, caramel flavor, not much more to write about.

2008-07-22, can, 4-3-5-2-10=24
Amber color; poor head. Very light aroma. Medium bodied, with some caramel flavor and correct biterness. Drinkable, but too simple.
Tried from Can on 05 Aug 2008 at 08:56
Lubiere (25160) reviewed
Espresso Stout from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
5.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5
A dark clear reddish brown ale with a thick moka head. A skunked coffee aroma of espresso with light metallic notes. In mouth, a light watery stout, with light chocolate bitterness, pathetic and sad. No body whatsoever. Tasted in late nov. 2006. Bottle from Presario.
Tried from Bottle on 06 Jul 2008 at 22:20
patrick767 (7344) reviewed
Session IPA (India Pale Ale) from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
5.9/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
tap at Big Rock in Seoul - This one has a mild aroma of malt and grapefruit accented hops. The flavor struck me as very fruity and also quite sweet for what they’re calling an IPA. It’s barely hoppier than what Alexander Keith’s claims is in IPA. That’s not saying much. This one’s drinkable, but don’t expect bitterness.
Tried from Draft on 22 Jun 2008 at 11:21
patrick767 (7344) reviewed
Traditional Ale from Big Rock Brewery
18 years ago
6.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
tap at Big Rock in Seoul - Pours amber with a very thin white head. It has a nutty caramel malt aroma. The flavor is mostly of lightly toasted malt with some mild hops. It’s medium bodied and pretty enjoyable.
Tried from Draft on 22 Jun 2008 at 11:16