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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crit200 (5396) reviewed
Maibock from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
5.4/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
Sparkling gold, fast fading beige head. Grainy astringent nose. Foretaste is corny, finishing rather metallic.Large bead. Rather gassy. Nowhere near the quality of the old Springbok Re rate: Nov 9/05 Obviously a different beer than the first I tried. Brown this time, small beige head. Light malt nose. light sweet malt profile with no discernable hops. Considerably better this time around, but still nothing special This should be listed as a separate beer, 03/04 were golden. and a totally different beer.
Tried on 16 May 2003 at 16:38
crit200 (5396) reviewed
McNally's Reserve from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
5.4/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 8 Flavor 5 Texture 2 Overall 5.5
Black with no head. Great chocolate coffee nose. Unfortunately it smells far better than it tastes. Rather thin and weak light coffee flavor with light roasted finish
Tried on 08 Apr 2003 at 21:52
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Alberta Genuine Draft from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
4.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 4 Overall 4.5
Saw this tonight at my local hangout, which means its poured through dirty lines. A short history....Big Rock now owns Whistler. I strongly suspect this is a revamped version of Whistler Lager with slightly less malt and slightly more hops. Will re rate when I find it at a decent bar
Tried on 28 Feb 2003 at 22:32
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Warthog English Style Mild Ale from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
5.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 6
At one time I rather liked this...especially on tap. Now, as there are more and more beers available, I find this rather bland, but still quaffable
Tried from Draft on 14 Jan 2003 at 12:58
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Hakai Pale Ale from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 7
Nice looking beer. Deep amber,lasting off white head. Small bead.Light hop nose. Malt flavor with too few finishing hops
Tried on 08 Jan 2003 at 13:45
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Chinook Pale Ale from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
4.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 2 Overall 5.5
Pale Amber,off white head. Dry hop nose. Rather bland light hop flavor......
Tried on 07 Jan 2003 at 14:01
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Session IPA (India Pale Ale) from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
5.1/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
Amber with thin white fast fading head.Large bead. Corny,grainy nose. Corn and malt flavor,very few hops, certainly not an IPA
Tried on 01 Jan 2003 at 14:25
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Traditional Ale from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
5.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Light malt nose and flavor with very little hops. A session beer............
Tried on 19 Dec 2002 at 08:59
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Köld from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
3.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 3 Flavor 3 Texture 4 Overall 4
This is about as close to mainstream lager a microbrewery can get...........
Tried from Can on 19 Dec 2002 at 08:57
crit200 (5396) reviewed
Grasshopper Kristallweizen from Big Rock Brewery
23 years ago
4.4/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 4 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
really didn''t care for this one. Not much to recommend itself..............
Tried on 19 Dec 2002 at 08:55