Calgary’s Big Rock Brewery Celebrates 40 Years of Community and Great Beer

Calgary is a beer-drinking city — just look at the more than 40 craft breweries that have exploded across the city in recent years. But long before the explosion, there was Big Rock Brewery.

Big Rock was founded in 1985, a time when most beers were simple lagers produced by large companies. Founder Ed McNally, originally a farmer and a lawyer, was looking for more choice. At the time (and still to this day), some of the best barley in the world was being grown in Alberta, but little of it was being used for beer. McNally flew over Big Rock’s original brewmaster from Germany, began brewing beer with his own barley, and the rest was history.

Still independently owned to this day, Big Rock is an Alberta brewery through and through — it even took its name from the iconic Alberta landmark, Big Rock, near Okotoks — and has grown to be one of the province’s biggest brewers. Big Rock celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is still sourcing Alberta malted barley and brewing in Calgary.

Today, Big Rock’s core beer lineup is available across Canada. The Traditional Ale was one of the first beers Big Rock produced in its early days — the recipe remains the same 40 years later and it’s still winning awards, most recently taking gold in the brown ales category at the 2023 Canadian Brewing Awards.

“[Big Rock was] one of the first to [brew craft beers] in Canada, let alone Alberta,” says Dave Maess, Big Rock’s marketing manager. “Our [Alberta] spirit and everything that started with our founder, we’re really looking to lean into that for our 40th anniversary and into the future.”

One of the biggest recent developments at Big Rock is the company’s rebranding. The new packaging waves goodbye to the classic Big Rock rooster, instead opting for a simpler, bold and eye-catching look (though the rooster remains on Traditional Ale cans as a nod to the brewery’s roots).

“We really wanted to lean into our Alberta roots, tell our story and reinvigorate why we started in the first place,” says Maess. “But it’s not just about refreshing the packaging, but looking inward and seeing who we are, what we’re about and making sure we express that.”

Another part of Big Rock’s anniversary plans is the Rewind Series, which brings back some of the brewery’s out-of-production beers for a limited time at Big Sky BBQ at Big Rock Brewery. The most recent revival was Warthog, an English-style ale, and the next release is Purple Gas, a wheat ale flavoured with Saskatoon berries.

“We’re also having a bit more fun with our seasonal beers,” says Maess.

Finally, community outreach and events are a big part of Big Rock’s future plans. “We’re bringing back the Barn Burner festival, which turns the brewery into a huge one-day festival where we bring in Canadian artists,” says Maess. Barn Burner was on hold for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the festival returns on September 13, 2025 with artists like Matt Mays and Daniel Romano’s Outfit.

Big Rock’s impact on Alberta’s brewing landscape is undeniable, and with everything from the rebranding to the community events, the future is bright.

“We were the original craft brewers in Alberta,” says Maess. “And we’re excited for the next 40 years.”

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