[5] A lawyer by trade, McNally was representing a group of barley growers in a legal action against the Alberta Wheat Board in the 1980s.

Through the course of the legal action, McNally learned that the Alberta climate produces 2-row barley that is ideally suited for malting, and had access to glacial water from the nearby Rocky Mountains.

In Summer 1986, when Big Rock had been in production for only a year, workers at the Molson and Labatt breweries went on strike.

Gautreau joined Big Rock in 1986 as its fourth employee and worked in marketing and operational capacities before replacing Kerwin as brewmaster.

McNally retired from day-to-day operation of the company, retaining the ceremonial title "Chairman Emeritus" until his death in August 2014.

It has been designed to replicate the open fermentation conditions of Belgian breweries that specialize in brewing traditional lambic sour beers.

The concert was held in the brewery parking lot and included live music, craft beer, and local food.