Big Rock Traditional Ale

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:52 pm

I tried this when it first came out (some 15 years ago) and found it a little light. I bought some today on a whim and was most pleased. It is still on the light side for a microbrewed beer but has the same, butterscotch-like flavour. Unlike 15 years ago though, it seems more stable. There is nary a hint of damp paper or other faults in it. It is clean, tasty, satisfying, a good session ale. I thought some of the Big Rocks (the draughts, maybe?) were brewed locally under license. But the label on this one states the brewing is in Calgary. Anyway, excellent beer, good value.

Gary

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:13 pm

I've consumed oceans of this stuff in Calgary on tap...it went hit and miss for a while there when BR got the bug to thin out their beers toi max the $$$...but the complaints brought it back. It's nice to hear it's retained it's session ale status.

BR is hardly what I'd call a micro...somewhere in between...they are as big a Sleeman operation-wise...but not as over extended in brands or desparate to sell spare capacity...big time draft sales....they prosper because the OWN a majority of the tap handles in Alberta commercial pubs and restaurants.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:13 pm

I use to revisit that occasionally. I thought it had a strange earthy flavour, which I wasn't particularly fond of.

Ale's What Cures Ya · Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:55 pm

Derek wrote:I use to revisit that occasionally. I thought it had a strange earthy flavour, which I wasn't particularly fond of.

Totally agree. The six pack I bought of it had an earth flavour that was completely revolting.

This was about 2 years ago though, and I haven't had it since.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:49 am

I have to assume you both got older samples at the end of their shelf life. The "earthiness" you detected was the proprietary ale yeast BR uses in this beer. When fresh it's presense is well disguised with other flavors from the malt sugars, alpha oils and esters ... you may detect the subdued yeast presense when fresh as a sort of "wet hay" aroma and bready-nuttyness in the finish...as the flavor profile drops out in a bottle that sits past a month the yeast tastes become more detectable.

Seems OF got a very fresh sample because he says he got some diacytl ( bitterscotch) in the aroma...I have exprienced that from this beer from time to time..it indicates it's fresh but also it was rushed out of the fermenter a tad too soon.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:59 am

The last time I had this beer, I detected a metallic undertone that made me not want to re-visit. I also recall feeling the same way about this beer a few years ago when i first had it.

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:20 pm

I am sampling this right now. It has some earthiness, yes, but in a way that seems very ale-traditional to me. It reminds me of a number of bieres de garde sampled in France, in fact, say, like a milder Jenlain.

I think it may be the yeast that does this, but I am not sure.

It is a beer flavour I can see not everyone would like, but I enjoy it, it is full-flavoured and nutty but on the light side. The hops add, I think, the metallic undertone noted. It is the kind of hops that underpin the other flavours but aren't strongly flavoured themselves.

This beer reminds me too somewhat of Anchor Steam Beer and the way the hops work in that beer.

Gary