Big Rock McNallys Reserve

Brewed by Big Rock Brewery
Style: Dry Stout
Calgary, Canada

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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I really enjoyed this stout. It had a full mouthfeel and plentiful dark head. The flavour was that roasted maltiness with maybe a slight touch of sweetness. Went down smooth on tap at the KVR pub in Penticton.

I disagree that it is weak in flavour, as Beer Prince says below. Rather I think mr_kimchee, below, is correct that the flavour starts out great but goes thin at the finish. I like the deep brown apearance, the roasty smell, and the tart taste. The weak finish is unfortunate, but not a bad dry stout at all.

We headed out to see a film festival screening of Zack & Mimi Make A Porno, but it was sold out, so instead we hit the Hop-In Brewpub to have a pint. This was on tap. Pours a near-black brown with a creamy light brown head displaying excellent retention and decent lace. Low aromas of roast, chocolate, faint acidic fruit. Creamy smooth roasted malt, chocolate, and a lactic quality make up the palate, which is a tad on the thin side. Overall not a bad beer, but the lighter character had me thinking this was more of a London style porter.

Pours black with an amazing head. Very nice aroma. Roasted malt and burnt coffee. Flavour is very nutty with strong roasted malt flavour. Bitter coffee in the very fresh, Slightly metalic chocolate and coffee ire present but not over powering. This is a damn rine stout. Dry drinkable and very well balanced this is excellent.

This is a bit thin for a stout, but the flavour is prettu spot on. Big rock yeast.... But very clean tasting. I’m not reaaly getting the pepper at all, its sort of a hint of something that could have been there but they made up for it with something else. Not bad but still missinv he bite.

Draft at the Tongue and Groove. Pours black, pale tan 2-finger head, great lacing. Nose is nutty and chocolatey, very dry, a suggestion of oats perhaps? Flavours are rich, with oats, cocoa, coffee, very thick and chewy. A significant improvement over Guinness, but not my favorite stout.

Here’s a recipe for a new cocktail; 1 part water, 1 part Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, 1/4 part fig juice. I call it Big Rock Mcnally’s Reserve! Seriously though, it’s inoffensive but nothing great. That said, I still buy it at the pub, because I love Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, and it’s cheap cause I live in the city where it’s brewed. I also give it points ’cause it’s one of the only stouts I can drink when I’m super thirsty, cause it’s very smooth, like more smooth nitro than canned guinness. There’s nothing WRONG with this beer, but it doesn’t stand out. Drink it! It’s okay!

Draught at Hop In, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Pitch black colour with small tan head. Dry roasted malt, liquorice and mild coffee in aroma. Dry hops, roasted malt, liquorice, salt liquorice, chocolate in dry flavour. Thin.

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.

Pours a black body which resembles used oil. No head upon the pour. Aroma was of espresso and smoke. Taste was weak but there was a light coffee note and the finish was dry and somewhat roasted. Easy drinking beer but was kind of weak in flavour.