Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale 6Pk Cans

Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale 6Pk Cans is a 5.3% ABV American brown ale brewed in Missoula, Montana, packaged in a six-pack of 12 oz cans. As the flagship beer from Montana's largest brewery, Moose Drool has earned an 84 on BeerAdvocate from nearly 3,000 ratings, cementing its reputation as one of the most recognized American brown ales on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.3%  |  Origin: Missoula, Montana, USA  |  Style: American Brown Ale  |  Brewery: Big Sky Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Big Sky Brewing Company operates out of Missoula, Montana, where it has grown into the state's largest brewery. All Moose Drool is brewed and packaged entirely on-site at their Missoula facility, a practice they have maintained since 2003 to ensure complete production control. The malt bill layers pale, caramel, chocolate, and whole black malts, while a trio of English and American hop varieties — East Kent Goldings, Liberty, and Willamette — provide restrained bitterness. The beer is brewed to an original gravity of 13 degrees Plato, yielding a moderate 5.3% ABV that keeps it firmly in session territory for a brown ale.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Warm caramel leads the nose, followed by subtle cocoa and a faint candy-like sweetness. A gentle roasted grain quality sits beneath, grounding the aromatics without turning acrid.

Taste: The entry is malty and smooth, with roasted nut and warm brown sugar flavors arriving on the mid-palate. Chocolate chip cookie-like sweetness develops alongside a hint of molasses, while the caramel and chocolate malts provide depth without heaviness. The hop presence is measured — just enough to prevent the malt from running unchecked.

Finish: A gentle bitterness emerges at the close, driven by grassy, herbal hop character that balances the residual malt sweetness. The finish is medium in length with a clean, slightly toasted quality that invites another sip.

How to Drink Moose Drool

Moose Drool drinks best poured into a pint glass or English tulip at around 45–50°F, where the malt complexity fully opens up. For a straightforward approach, enjoy it straight from the can on a cool evening. It also works well in these beer cocktails: a Brown Ale Shandy, where the malt sweetness pairs naturally with fresh lemonade; a Black and Brown, layered with a dry stout for added roasted depth; and a Beer-a-misu float, where a scoop of vanilla ice cream amplifies the chocolate and caramel notes already present in the ale.

Best For

• Introducing a friend to craft brown ales without overwhelming bitterness
• Pairing with a backyard barbecue or campfire cookout
• Stocking a mixed craft beer fridge with a reliable, drinkable staple
• Bringing to a Montana-themed gathering or cabin weekend

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Moose Drool taste like? Moose Drool is a malt-forward brown ale with roasted nut, warm brown sugar, cocoa, and chocolate chip cookie flavors, balanced by gentle herbal hop bitterness on the finish.

How does Moose Drool compare to Bell's Best Brown Ale? Both are well-regarded American brown ales, but drinkers who have compared them frequently describe Moose Drool as maltier and hoppier than Bell's Best Brown. Bell's tends to be slightly lighter in body, while Moose Drool leans into its chocolate and caramel malt character more assertively.

Is Moose Drool good for craft beer beginners? Yes — its moderate 5.3% ABV, smooth malt sweetness, and restrained bitterness make it an approachable entry point into the brown ale style without sacrificing flavor complexity.

Where is Moose Drool made? Moose Drool is brewed entirely at Big Sky Brewing Company's facility in Missoula, Montana, where the brewery has maintained full in-house production and packaging since 2003.

What foods pair well with Moose Drool? Smoked brisket or pulled pork, where the caramel malt complements smoky char. Sharp cheddar cheese, which contrasts the malty sweetness. Grilled burgers, a natural match for the roasted nut notes. Chocolate brownies or pecan pie, which echo the cocoa and brown sugar in the ale. Roasted root vegetables, whose earthiness aligns with the toasted malt backbone.

What sizes does Moose Drool come in? This listing is a six-pack of 12 oz cans; Moose Drool is also commonly available in six-pack bottles and on draft at select locations.

Is Moose Drool worth the price? Moose Drool sits comfortably in the everyday craft beer tier — priced in line with other widely distributed regional craft six-packs, it delivers more malt complexity than most macro brown ales at a fair value for the style.

Why Moose Drool?

Moose Drool stands out in the American brown ale category because of its deliberately layered malt bill — four distinct malts creating a progression from caramel sweetness through chocolate and roasted grain, rather than relying on a single flavor note. The use of East Kent Goldings alongside American Liberty and Willamette hops bridges English brown ale tradition with American craft sensibility. With over 131,000 ratings on Untappd and an 84 on BeerAdvocate, it has one of the largest and most consistent track records of any beer in its style. For a brown ale that balances accessibility with genuine depth, it remains a benchmark from the Northern Rockies.