I'm sure you're wondering by now how Great River Brewery managed to get the name of this beer approved by the powers that be. Hell, you might have only gotten this far because of that. Well, before you assume something childish and immature you should know that the name is one that pays homage to the Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Male pheasants are known as "cocks" and a "big cock" is...well you get it by now. Sure, it's a name that will turn some heads but the good news is that it's a pretty tasty beer and some of the profits are being given to a worthy cause. Cheers!

From the CAN:

"Changing habitat conditions have taken a toll on the populations of the beautiful and delicious ringneck pheasant. We donate a portion of the sales of our IPA to Pheasants Forever and named it as a prompt to other outdoorspeople to continue that support. True to the style, our IPA is brewed with pale malt and fiercely hopped, the perfect beverage after a day afield."

Here we go...

POUR: auburn colored liquid fills our glass and a very rich and creamy head erupts on top leaving some streaks of lacing as this IPA recedes. Carbonation levels look great and this is clean and clear. Very nice looking pour.

AROMA: lemon peel, powdered sugar, caramel, grilled pineapple, mandarin oranges and caramel.

TASTE: first sip we come across what appears to be a very balanced IPA with a rich, malty backbone backing up less pronounced hoppiness. Some flavors of orange and grapefruit are there and the finish is one with lingering bitterness and mouth drying potency. A little light in body but certainly not an IPA to turnaway or put back on the shelf. 

OVERALL: solid IPA. Not a huge amount of pine or grapefruit and its not a hop bomb by any means but its a very drinkable and balanced hop-forward beer. We wish it had just a little more oomph to propel it into greatness but that's just us. Cheers! We really do love everything from this brewery.

NOTES: Great River Brewery has now canned six different beers. The brewery utilizes a shrink wrap type label for their more limited releases and have printed cans for both their 483 Pale Ale and Roller Dam Red Ale.