Beer Me! — Big Rock Brewery — Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Big Rock Brewery

Big Rock Grill

5555 76th Avenue SE
Calgary AB T2C 4L8
Telephone: +1 403-720-3239
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30am-1:30pm. Reservations are recommended. Brewery tours are available Tuesday-Thursday at 1:30pm. Reservations are required.
Brewer: Paul Gautreau
[Contact] [Update]

Notes

Opened: 1985

Annual Production: 450,000 hl

Contributors: Brenda Sgaggi, kolin krokis

Updated: September 20, 2007

Beer List

Alberta Genuine Draft

American-Style Lager
Albino Rhino (discontinued)

American-Style Pale Ale
- Date: June 27, 1993 (#100)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA
  
  Score: 15½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Looks a lot like a Pale Ale. Smells a lot like a Pale Ale, too. Interesting hops, though...more later. Thick, smooth. What's that flavor...? Maple! Tastes like breakfast. Pretty sweet. Good beer, but just too sweet to be habit-forming. The maple is a nice touch.
- Date: February 7, 1993 (#2520)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA
  
  Overall Impression
  Very red. Not as thick as their other beers. Very malty. Very strong.

Black Amber Ale

5.00% abv.

Buzzard Breath (discontinued)

American-Style Pale Ale

5.00% abv.

Date: April 22, 1996 (#1383)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 12½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Nice amber, good carbonation and head. Hoppy aroma, maybe a little stale. Good body, malty. Hint of oxidation, especially in finish. Fresh Buzzard is hard to beat.
Date: September 19, 1994 (#431)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow-amber, good carbonation and head. Fruity aroma...like peaches?!? Big and malty. No fruitiness in flavor, but definitely in nose. Clean.
Date: June 13, 1993 (#78)

Package: draught

Place: St.Mary's College Beer Festival, Moraga CA

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow. English hop aroma? Good body. Malt and hops both very assertive, but still very well-balanced. Very nice indeed...but their McNalley's is better.
Date: January 25, 1992 (#2511)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Very light. Fruity. Tastes more like a light lager.

Cold Cock Porter (discontinued)

Robust Porter

Date: December 27, 1994 (#662)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 13 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Red, not brown. Good carbonation and head. Fresh, clean hop aroma. Not much malt. OK body. Some black malt in finish...almost subtle. This is not a "big" Porter.
Date: December 18, 1993 (#2526)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Very red. Unexpectedly fruity. A little sharp.

Grasshöpper Wheat

South German-Style Kristall Weizen/Kristall Weissbier

5.00% abv.

Date: April 3, 1995 (#839)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 12 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Yellow, low carbonation and head. Citrusy nose, but faint. Citrusy flavor, sweet. Pretty clean, but unremarkable.

Date: August 26, 1995 (#1144)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 13 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Amber clear, high carbonation, low head. Very slightly vinous aroma. Big blast of rye flavor, then it's gone. Makes you want to lick your own face, like a cat does.

Date: April 28, 1996 (#1404)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 13½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Red-amber, pretty low carbonation, OK head. Big caramel nose. Malty, with a hefty dose of diacetyl. It's a tasty beer, but it could certainly do with a lot less diacetyl.

Date: March 18, 1995 (#813)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden-amber, very low carbonation, good head. Caramel aroma, with a little spice. Thick, good balance with bitter (but not too bitter) finish. A bit cloying too.

Date: February 5, 1995 (#755)

Package: draught

Place: Pacific Coast Brewing, Oakland CA

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Amber, sparse carbonation. Some alcohol in nose! Nice and malty. Big and sweet...quick bitter in middle. Long sweet finish. Big beer.

Date: July 28, 1993 (#213)

Package: draught

Place: Dublin Pub, Beaverton OR

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Dark amber yellow, hazy. Tons of crystal malt aroma. Some coffee notes. Thick. Bitter. Crystal-sweet. Good carbonation bite. Very tasty.

Date: April 8, 1998 (#2702)

Package: bottled

Place: Siebel Institute of Technology, Chicago IL

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber brown, low carbonation, thick head. Brown malt aroma, diacetyl. Medium body, malty and bitter. Smooth beer with a slightly roasty finish. Nice Brown Ale.

Date: December 28, 1994 (#671)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Very nice amber, fairly low carbonation. Spicy aroma, like a Winter Ale. OK body...a touch light. Good caramel-hop balance. Some alcohol.

Date: April 28, 1996 (#1403)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, fairly low carbonation, good head. Very malty aroma indeed. Big malty beer. Odd taste in background...a little peppery. Still, pretty tasty. Could use a bit more carbonation, and a bit less diacetyl.

Date: February 23, 1995 (#789)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow-amber, good head, sparse carbonation. Fruity-malty nose. Big, thick...citrus note in middle. Nice malty finish.

Date: February 6, 1994 (#305)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber-red, fair head, few bubbles. Sweet, caramel, hoppy aroma. Typical BIG Big Rock beer. Tastes just like it smells...could do with more bitterness. Very good beer!

Date: June 13, 1993 (#79)

Package: draught

Place: St.Mary's College Beer Festival, Moraga CA

Score: 12½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Deep yellow/pale amber. Not much aroma. Almost heavy. A thinner but darker version of Buzzard Breath?