Moxie's Big Life Amber Ale - Big Rock Brewery

trevorwideman

Manitoba (Canada)

3.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pint samples at the Moxies in Polo Park, Winnipeg. I'm filing this under the Big Rock entry for this beer (not the Sleeman's), because everything about this beer seems like something Big Rock would brew, and has little of the Sleeman's qualities I've come to know and (love, hate?).

Poured with a 1/2 inch head that disspated quickly but left a decent lace all the way down the glass. Colour is a very deep amber. Smell is on the weak side, some caramel maltiness, earthy aroma hops barely in evidence.

Taste is inoffensive, not mindblowing. dark roasted malts, a slight awkward soapiness, apple caramel sweetness, mild hop bitterness in the finish. Exactly what you'd expect in an ale brewed exclusively for a generic yuppie restaurant. Body is very full with a dryness in the finish. Not a super exciting beer, but not bad either. Good for a night out and may be one of the better beers that Big Rock brews.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2006 20:19:10 | More by trevorwideman

lwadd

Ontario (Canada)

1/5  rDev -69.2%

01-06-2013 12:20:20 | More by lwadd

Alberta_Beer_Guy

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

07-16-2012 00:51:54 | More by Alberta_Beer_Guy

hjblanchard

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-31-2012 23:00:08 | More by hjblanchard

joefinnigan15

3/5  rDev -7.7%

05-25-2012 05:30:46 | More by joefinnigan15

duceswild

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev 0%

05-09-2012 02:31:32 | More by duceswild

Screwball

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +23.1%

04-10-2012 03:36:47 | More by Screwball

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +23.1%

11-17-2011 00:56:21 | More by tbeckett

CrazyMike

Alberta (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Dark amber appearance with minimal head. Smell is minimal, picked up caramel and toffee though.

Taste is much like the smell, toffee and caramel. Picked up malt and bread as well. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Aftertaste is malty and bitter.

Overall, Not bad. Darker and favorable but drinkable, although the bitterness at end hurts it. Worth a try if your at Moxies.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 02:47:59 | More by CrazyMike

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours clear amber with copper highlights. Has a one-finger head that eventually settles to a ring. Leaves quite a bit of lacing.

S: Not a very strong smell. But what I do smell is a floral hop aroma with a bit of caramel.

T: I taste caramel malt along with a bit of a grainy taste. I also get a little bit of hops in the taste.

M: It has medium carbonation with a medium body. Goes down very easy.

D: Had this on tap at the Polo Park Moxie's in Winnipeg. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but it ended up being pretty good. It was nothing mind blowing but was really good for a place like Moxie's. Next time I'm at Moxie's I'll have to try the Big Life Euro.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2010 06:49:36 | More by marty21

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Grabbed one of these at a recent visit to Moxie's.

A - Pours a crystal clear amber colour, thin film of head with no real retention or lacing and decent body carbonation.

S - Scent is dominated by sweet caramel malts, toffee and buttered bread.

T - Taste is much like the scent, with toffee and caramel coming through and the bready malts lingering on the finish.

M - No issues here, decent carbonation which fills the mouth, goes down smooth and the finish is nice and wet.

D - Overall I was pleased with this one. By no means mind blowing, but a tasty enough beer to complement your meal. The flavours and scent are both on the mild side but one of the better beers available at Moxie's.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2010 05:34:09 | More by andrenaline

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Draft poured into a pint glass

Appearance - The beer pours a clear amber colour with an average size fizzy and slightly frothy white head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing, and there isn't very much lacing. The head stuck around for 2 or 3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - a rustiness, corn syrup, malts, light caramel

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation on the tongue, and the beer seemed slightly watery. The most evident flavour is a sweet rustiness and a metallic flavour. It also has a sweet brown sugar flavour and a fair amount of malts. It finishes with a sweet aftertaste.

Drink - Not something I'd order again, but it was one of the only reasonable beer choices on the menu at Moxie's.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2010 01:57:12 | More by spinrsx

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at the southside Moxie's in Edmonton...

This beer appears a medium golden amber colour, with one finger of soapy off-white head, which leaves some fairly consistent, but sparse webbed lace around the glass as it duly dissipates. It smells of mild caramel nougat, and earthy floral hops. The taste is caramel malt, some soft edgy graininess, a bit of sour fruitiness, and very tame dry floral hops. The carbonation is moderate, the body medium weight, and a bit zippy, and it finishes off-dry, the sweet grain tempered somewhat by the residual weedy hops.

Not a bad amber ale, it just doesn't have a whole lot to raise it above the average expectations brought on by the vast majority of domestic offerings.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2010 21:46:14 | More by biboergosum

EatsTacos

Yukon (Canada)

2.93/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a dark amber red with a nice creamy head and good lacing on the glass.

The aroma was all caramel malts with no hops that I could smell.

The taste is pretty straightforward malty without being overly sweet. Not balanced out with any bittering hop flavour but thats somewhat expected. Kind of a papery/wet cardboard taste, and finished somewhat dry. A decent beer to go with some of the food at Moxie's, but nothing to get excited about.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2008 05:39:12 | More by EatsTacos

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Went out to dinner at Moxie's in Calgary on Friday night for dinner. Brewed by Big Rock for the Moxie's restaraunt chain.
Clear amber/caramel color, arrived with a thick head of white foam. Head slowed shrank but left thin lace down the glass. Smell had some yeast (like the Euro), and some caramel malt. Taste is a bit fuller, roasted caramel malt, slightly fruity sweetness. Body and mouthfell about average. Slightly more flavorful and a small step up from their Euro.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2008 15:02:43 | More by BigBry

GrimmReaper

British Columbia (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one at Moxie's in P.G. was quite surprised,very good brew.Deep amber reddish in color with 2 finger tan head and stuck around for a while too,nice lacing,very good appearance to me.
Aroma was a little faint but i did get a trace of malts,sweet toffee and some almond like smell in there,Taste was pretty damn good,fresh nutty flavor with hints of toffee,a little lite burntness all going down with a very creamy feel to it and a touch of sweetness.
Overall i quite enjoyed this one,it went down rather easy and I could easily drink this all nite.Very good brew and i recommend trying it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2007 05:50:35 | More by GrimmReaper

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this at the local moxie's...

nice copper color with a 1 finger width head that stayed around long enough to say hello. Great lacing that stuck to the glass even when there was only a couple of swallows left.

No real identifiable smell...

which after tasting it.. i could see why...fairly bland and unassumming beer. I noted some very faint carmel malt and a hint of hops..but over all not much here

an easy to drink brew that won't offend anyone who is used to drinking local macros. At least it didn't have the 'Big Rock Apple Malt' flavor that I'm really starting to dislike.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2007 06:26:37 | More by Shadman