Big Rock McNally's Winter Spice Ale

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sorry to disagree with the other reviewers of this beer, but I found this to be perhaps the best I've had from this brewery, and I am a two-time former Calgarian, so there's no homerism here. Nice looking, bright dark amber body, pleasant spiced aroma with a matching taste, and a nice finish. Pretty decent mouthfeel, too. I'd drink this year 'round.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

On tap: taps a gold-amber smallish cap light lacing. Aroma dominated by cinnimon, caramel graininess light grassiness. Light cara-malts in front standard golding bite light spice no off tastes. Thin, bland for the style and forgettable. Jim McNally should retire if these bland offerings are all he can muster.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

What below average brew has Big Rock offered me this time ah I see it’s a winter spice I like those maybe they’ll do good?!? Maybe?!?! Maybe??? One can only hope! Clear copper body with a thin pathetic looking bubble ring around the outside edge, the look of the beer made me feel sad almost like the day a realized that my mom was screwing my dad in a Santa costume and it wasn’t Santa himself she was getting busy with. Loads of sour ginger bread in the nose with cinnamon raisin oatmeal, actually not that bad just wish the sour wasn’t there. Brew has a good thick feel to it with a nice soft taste. Very bready with mild amounts of spice the spice was much stronger in the aroma. Cream cheese, nutmeg, some coffee, bla, bla, bla, bla, I’m no bored with this beer I just lost complete interest in it. actually wasn’t that bad but it could have been so much better, might drink it again if I can find it on tap.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

After giving an unusually careful pour on a Big Rock product I was treated with a thin but very velvety light white / creme coloured cap that left exceptional silty, messy lacing and was retained without notable loss of body. The beer itself was an average looking darker amber that is crystal clear. The aroma is pretty decent if you are into cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon but the sweet toasty malts leave an aroma that is off base. The cinnamon smells powerdery. A vigorous swirl brings an abundance of sweet caramel to the surface. As it warms the spices take over. Taste wise there is a good dose of spices (as noted above) with the cloves and ginger (to a lesser degree) dominating. The caramel malts that hit in the middle seem unattached to the rest of the flavours - stark and singular. Finishes on the rough side, with a watered down finish in comparison to the blunt spices. Very little carbonation, bitterness that fits well by being noticeable but minimal. For the spice content and relative dullness this is quite drinkable but probably not beyond two bottles. I wonder how my farts will smell?