He grew up in Lethbridge and worked as a farmer, rancher and lawyer. So how did Ed McNally become Alberta’s Beer Baron?
"We had a close friend here from Germany who bought a ranch and we got to know him pretty well," recalled McNally. "He loved living in Canada, except there was no (good) beer here. So I said: 'Otto, why don’t we start a brewery?'"
The rest is hops history. Calgary-based Big Rock Brewery was born in 1985 from rather humble beginnings. Starting with just three flavours – Bitter, Porter and Traditional – McNally’s operation worked out of an 1,800-sq.-ft. facility on Barlow Trail. "It was really pioneering," said McNally. "We were offering people something different."
After four years of steady growth Big Rock moved to its present 14-acre site in Calgary’s southeast, and has been brewing premium craft beers ever since. Big Rock is now the nation’s leading craft brewery and the second largest Canadian-owned brewery, offering a dozen hearty flavours including cider and seasonal beers.
What makes Big Rock different? For starters, Big Rock beers are made with local ingredients with no additives, preservatives or pasteurization.
"In Alberta and Saskatchewan, we grow the best malt barley in the world," said Shelagh McNally, Ed’s daughter and a high-spirited Big Rock leader who calls herself the brewery’s Chief Task Master and Registered Beer Fairy. "All of this malt was being shipped overseas to China. Only a (small) percentage was being used in domestic beers."
Shelagh noted that grain producers have really taken ownership of Big Rock's products. "The farmers are so proud, it’s basically their beer."
But it's not just the barley that makes Big Rock beer special. "Alberta has access to this fantastic water right off the Rockies," Shelagh added. "Calgary has really, really high mineral content which is perfect for making ales. We have these incredible products right here. Ed just went with nature."
The artwork featured on Big Rock labels also stands out. When he first opened the brewery, Ed hired Dirk Van Wyk, a local artist, to create labels for each product, a tradition that continues to this day. "The labels looked like they were hand-made so they (customers) had an expectation as soon as they opened the bottle that they had something unique," offered Shelagh. "Each label had a story and we made a decision for the community to really support the arts."
Hiring Van Wyk to design labels is only a small part of how Big Rock supports the arts. In 1993, Ed decided to hold a TV commercial contest for independent filmmakers. It was dubbed 'The Eddies'. The first event was held at Calgary's Uptown Theatre with a budget of just a few hundred dollars.
"I didn't know what was going to happen," remembered Ed. "I was standing out on 8th Avenue and all of a sudden people started to arrive in limousines, in costumes. We had a small prize but they came all dressed up. It was very interesting to see happen."
The Eddies has grown into a full-blown short film festival, attracting entries from all over the world. "We have a collection of over 1,000 TV commercials," Ed said proudly. "Some of them are very ingenious and very well done."
Of Big Rock's support for local artists, Ed said: "If we do something for them, they certainly appreciate it, because so many of them have a hard time getting any recognition. It's a good investment, in my mind."
Big Rock is also a strong supporter of Canadian musicians. Its Untapped music program was created to provide new audiences for up-and-coming Canadian musicians who need a leg up to reach the next level of their careers. The brewery also co-sponsors the Untapped Alberta concert series with ATB Financial. The two companies worked together to create the series, as opposed to putting their names on something already established.
"There's just huge talent out there, especially in Alberta," Shelagh said. “Whenever ATB is doing a promotion, they look to involve us. That kind of relationship means that we can help them and they can help us. It's great. What kind of bank offers that type of opportunity to create win-wins for both parties
ATB Financial has also provided Big Rock with corporate financial services since 2004.
"ATB made it a relationship," Shelagh said. "They customized their approach with us. They really listened to what we were looking for and tried to come up with solutions."
