Beer Review – Rolling Rock
May 22, 2009
I always told you we’re not only a craft beer blog! If it’s beer, The Brew Club will try it! Sometimes this works out, and sometimes I just have to take one for the team.
Case in point, the Latrobe Brewing Rolling Rock Extra Pale Beer. I was actually happy to review this beer initially because like the Bass Ale, Rolling Rock was my ‘go-to’ beer when I was looking to have a lager instead of a ‘fancy’ beer like Bass. 
(This was before my beer exploration days with The Brew Club)
Apparently Rolling Rock was owned by the brewing giant InBev, and it was purchased by Anheuser Busch in 2006 and the brewing process was moved from Pennsylvania to AB’s Newark, New Jersey facility. As we all know, InBev later acquired Anheuser Busch which brought the Rolling Rock label back into the InBev fold. It seems more recently, InBev is again looking to sell its Rolling Rock brand! Sweet story.
Speaking of labels… The Rolling Rock bottles were always a little different in that they are green which is less common than brown or even clear I think. The label, if you can call it that, is still painted on and it not a sticker. The interesting part of the label reads “Rolling Rock – From the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe, we tender this premium beer for your enjoyment as a tribute to your good taste. It comes from the mountain springs to you.” … “33″
There’s lots of speculation what the ‘33′ means. Some think it refers to the year prohibition was repealed, but others say it’s the number of characters in the quoted slogan above. Very mysterious indeed. Still, I feel like I somehow made a good choice picking the Rolling Rock to drink because of my good taste in beer – it says so right there on the label! It also says on the label its from Latrobe, but we now know its from Newark.
So, lets check out the beer.
Pouring the Rolling Rock, it looks like a regular pale beer, typical macro lager style. Very clear light golden color with a crisp white fizzy head that soon disappeared.
Regarding the smell, again, quite typical. If you’ve smelled a macro lager before, this will not shock you in any way. It might come off a little sweet and there is some faint hops in there, but its been so long since I’ve had a Bud or a Coors its hard for me to make a comparison for you. Still, nothing really special, but nothing horrible. Kind of how water isn’t offensive.
Drinking this Anheuser Busch Lager, there was some sweetness like in the smell, but overall the flavor was simply the bland beeryness that people have come to associate with American beer. At first I was thinking “OK, it isn’t so bad” but I found myself liking the beer less and less as I drank it.
So, there you have it. I admit Rolling Rock was my American Lager of choice before The Brew Club. I used to like the beer, but now I don’t think I’d have it again. There’s three reasons why I could be giving this beer 1.5 stars. A) It actually sucks? B) I’ve grown spoiled? C) Maybe it was somehow better in years past when it was brewed in Pennsylvania than it is in Newark?
Really. Is the water the same? What about the glass-lined tanks? Did they make the move? I remember liking this beer. Anyone else think the Rolling Rock was better years ago, or did it always suck?
Rating: 
Scott-TheBrewClub
Posted in 1 Star Reviews, All Brews Reviewed, American Beers, Lager
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May 22nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Rolling Rock used to be better so I think you might be right – I’ve heard other people say the change in brewery locations killed the beer, not that it was ever really great!
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Not a big fan over here. I would rather drink a ‘triple hopped’ miler light
But, just like miller light tries to pass itself off as somewhat of a craft beer by exaggerated claim (triple hop my arse) so does Rolling Rock (pale ale my arse).
I tried to drink this in college, pre-beer-education, because it was trendy and cheap, but just never found it palatable. Too bad, because I think Rolling Rock is a great name for a beer.
nate’s last blog post..Beer Value & Etiquette – Beer Trading (2 of 5)
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:42 pm
When I think of beer I think of ….. Newark?
My go to lager has always been Yuengling lager. It at least has some taste to it that other big lagers lack.
Mike’s last blog post..Shipyard Imperial Porter (Pugsley’s Signature Series)
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Mike, I have a Yuengling Lager ‘on deck’. You would think being from this area I would have tried one before now!
Scott-TheBrewClub’s last blog post..Beer Review – Lion Stout and Lion Lager
May 25th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I use to think Rolling Rock was good, then I turned 21 and was able to have a choice and discovered the error of my ways, but that was many many years ago. Choices are the best things in life.
Yuengling Lager is my all time favorite beer.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
What can you say? Bad beer, taste neutral beer and even worse wording. The bottle says “Extra Pale”, which gives people the impression that it’s actually a Pale Ale. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Oh well! Words don’t seem to mean anything. Seriously (and since I brought it up), here is a link to our Pale Ale article. http://thankheavenforbeer.com/2008/12/22/style-series-pale-ale-india-pale-ale/
Michael Reinhardt’s last blog post..Goose Island’s Matilda Review
August 12th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
> “Kind of how water isn’t offensive.”
Haha. Great way to put it.
Note that Rolling Rock is packaged in a green glass bottle, similar to Heineken, and Corona which comes in clear bottles. That means these types of beers are automatically getting skunked any time they get exposed to sunlight or UV light. Brown glass blocks the harmful rays better, which is why 99% of bottled beer comes in brown bottles.
August 12th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
@Patrick. Good points! Good reasons why beer is cans is a good idea actually. No light at all!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Newark gets its water from some very clean watersheds, just like most of pennsylvania. It’s not city water at all.
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:44 pm
You are an idiot sir. Rolling rock is nothing like your description. You must be one of those beer connoisseurs that think a beer needs to be loaded with hops to be good.
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:15 am
@Nate, I know – I used to live in the town next to Newark and the water is indeed pretty good. I didn’t question the quality of the water used, I was only wondering if it being different, well, makes a difference! I think it did.
@Codo, thanks for your input, but actually you would be wrong about my taste in beer. I don’t really like beers that are overly hopped, just like I don’t like beers that are overly watery and plain like this one was. To each his own, right?
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – Beer Review
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 am
I just finished my breakfast…a nice big bowl of hops in milk…Anyway,
Beer is in the eye of the beholder.
nate´s last blog ..Yes, It’s a Beer Belly
December 12th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Rolling Rock was much better when it was made in Latrobe. This is a shame since Rolling Rock was the only beer I could ever stand to drink to begin with. Some of my friends have noticed it too. Its still better than Budweiser however so I still buy it on the rare occasions that I buy beer. But i’d prefer for it to go back to Pennsylvania.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I’ve been drinking Rolling Rock for a few months now and I have to admit that I enjoy it, but I’m also not picky with my beers. As long as it’s not hop hog I’ll be ok haha.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:08 pm
been drinking for yrs its the only beer i want. 33 forever!
March 13th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I tend to like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and most of the Sam Adams line of beers but I will admit that every spring I’ve got to have ole number 33. Perhaps that’s because several years ago I became very thirsty on a warm spring day and drank one. Very refreshing it was!!
Now every spring I get a taste for Rolling Rock. Weird I know.
I’d drink it even more if they took it back to Latrobe and gave those people their jobs back.