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{{short description|American lager}}
{{ infobox beverage
| name         = Rolling Rock
| image        = Rolling Rock logo.png
| type         = [[American lager]]
| abv          = 4.4%
| proof        = 
| manufacturer = [[Anheuser-Busch InBev]]
| distributor  = [[Latrobe Brewing Company]]
| origin       = 
| introduced   = 1939
| color        = Golden yellow
| flavour      = 
| variants     = 
| related      = 
| website      = [http://www.rollingrock.com/ rollingrock.com]
}}
'''Rolling Rock''' is a 4.4% [[abv]] [[American lager|American lager beer]]<ref>[http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/174/567/ Rolling Rock Extra Pale - Latrobe Brewing Co.]</ref> launched in 1939 by the [[Latrobe Brewing Company]] in [[Latrobe, Pennsylvania]]. Although founded as a local [[Western Pennsylvania]]n brand, it was marketed aggressively and eventually became a national product. The brand was sold to [[Anheuser-Busch]] of [[St. Louis]], in mid-2006, which transferred brewing operations to [[New Jersey]] while continuing to label the new beer prominently with the name of Latrobe.

==History==
From 1939 until July 26, 2006,<ref>[http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_747254.html ] {{dead link|date=December 2015}}</ref> Rolling Rock was brewed at the [[Latrobe Brewing Company]] in [[Latrobe, Pennsylvania]], a small city 34 miles southeast of [[Pittsburgh]]. As stated on the bottle, it was brewed with a distinctive soft local water in large glass-lined tanks, which had been state-of-the-art at the time of its introduction.<ref>(March 3, 1935). "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19350303&id=7qhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2430,6404168 Inside of a Huge Glass Lined Beer Tank] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908205436/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19350303&id=7qhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2430,6404168 |date=2019-09-08 }}". ''[[Milwaukee Journal]]''. Retrieved on April 7, 2014</ref>

On May 19, 2006,<ref>http://www.anheuser-busch.com/s/index.php/anheuser-busch-buys-rolling-rock-brands-from-inbev/ {{registration required}}</ref> American brewing giant Anheuser-Busch purchased the Rolling Rock and Rolling Rock Green Light brands from  Belgium-based [[InBev]] for $82 million<ref name="wsj">[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123956245254011681 The Wall Street Journal: Anheuser Explores Sale of Struggling Rolling Rock ]</ref> and began brewing Rolling Rock at its [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] facility in mid July, 2006, marking the destruction and end of true Rolling Rock. The final batch of Rolling Rock was shipped from Latrobe on July 31, 2006. Union leaders in [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland County]] organized a nationwide boycott of Anheuser-Busch and InBev brands because of the move.<ref>Scott, Rebekah (May 24, 2006). "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06144/692526-28.stm Latrobe brewery's boosters calling for boycott]". ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]''. Retrieved on April 15, 2009</ref> Anheuser-Busch has said that Rolling Rock's original pledge on the label will be preceded by these words: "To honor the tradition of this great brand, we quote from the original pledge of quality." In July 2008, InBev acquired Anheuser-Busch, creating [[Anheuser–Busch InBev]].<ref name="wsj"/>

In 2009, Anheuser-Busch InBev announced that it was exploring the sale of the Rolling Rock brand.<ref name="wsj"/> In 2015, Anheuser-Busch stopped brewing bottled Rolling Rock in glass-lined tanks. Only the canned beer was being brewed using the traditional process.<ref>Bresswein, Kurt (January 27, 2015). "[http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2015/01/anheuser-busch_newark_goes_all.html Anheuser-Busch Newark goes all aluminum, says goodbye to Rolling Rock bottles from 'glass lined tanks']". [[The Express-Times|lehighvalleylive.com]]. Retrieved on August 14, 2016.</ref>

==Pony bottle==
Rolling Rock was once famous for its {{convert|7|U.S.floz|ml|0|abbr=on}} [[pony bottle (beer)|pony bottle]], which was the largest selling  {{clarification needed span|text=premium beer|reason=What is a "premium beer", supported by a reliable citation.|date=September 2025}} pony in Pennsylvania in 1952.<ref>''The Pittsburgh Press,'' Oct 21, 1952, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19521021&id=2l8bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pE0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6165,2606515 p. 4]</ref> Pony bottles got their name from small 19th century American [[pony glass]]es,<ref>''Americanisms'', Farmer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RTdcQOlzjXAC&dq=%E2%80%9Cpony+of+beer%E2%80%9C&pg=PA430 p. 430] cites ''New York Journal'', 1885 August; see ''[[wikt:pony|pony]]'' for details.</ref> named for their diminutive size.<ref>''Notes and Queries'', August 8th, 1896, [https://books.google.com/books?id=BIEjZLt7zxYC&dq=%E2%80%9Cpony+of+beer%E2%80%9C&pg=PA126 p. 126]: "It seems probable the origin is due to the diminutiveness of the glass;"</ref> The term further spread to include [[pony keg]].

Rolling rock discontinued its pony.{{when|date=September 2025}}

==Quality pledge==
[[File:Original Rolling Rock Bottle.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Rolling Rock bottle with original quality pledge]]

Rolling Rock was known for its quality pledge:

{{Quote box
|quote=Rolling Rock - From the glass lined tanks of [[Latrobe, Pennsylvania|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.|source=—Current pledge{{as of when|date=September 2025}} written on the Rolling Rock bottle|width=350px |align=center}}

Which appeared on its bottles:

{{Quote box
|quote=A little nip from the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe. We tender this package as a premium beer for your delight and economical use. It comes from the mountain springs to you.|source=—Original pledge written on the Rolling Rock bottle|width=350px |align=center}}

==Rolling Rock Red==
Anheuser-Busch introduced a [[amber lager|red lager]] version of Rolling Rock called Rolling Rock Red,{{cn|date=September 2025}} described on its bottle as a "Finely Crafted Lager".

==In media==
Rolling Rock is a significant symbol in internet celebrity [[James Rolfe]]'s series ''[[Angry Video Game Nerd]]'', where his character, the Nerd, takes a sip from a bottle of the drink to calm himself down when getting angry at bad games.<ref>{{Citation |title=AVGN Drinking Compilation | date=7 September 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhYFiTQqoWM |language=en |access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref>

Rolling Rock also appeared occasionally on episodes of ''[[The Sopranos]]'', which was based in New Jersey.

In the 1978 film ''[[The Deer Hunter]]'', [[Robert De Niro]]’s character (Michael) offers [[Meryl Streep]]'s character (Linda) a Rolling Rock.

Rolling Rock is prominently featured in the 1986 film ''[[At Close Range]]'', which takes place in rural Pennsylvania.

Red Forman is occasionally shown drinking Rolling Rock during dinner scenes in ''[[That 70's Show]]''.

Rolling Rock is also featured in the movie ''[[That's My Boy (2012 film)|That’s My Boy]]'', which has the father of the main character double fisting bottles of the ‘rock.

Rolling Rock is featured as the beer that the main character, Jonathan Banks, drinks in the movie ''[[Side Effects (2013 film)|Side Effects]]''.

Rolling Rock is shown as the beer of choice for Kate Winslet’s character and others in the series [[Mare of Easttown]] which is set in suburban Philadelphia.

Rolling Rock is shown as the beer of choice for the technicians Stan and Patrick in the movie [[Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind]], while performing the memory erasing of Joel.

==See also==
{{Portal|Beer}}
* [[Iron City Brewing Company]]
* [[Rolling Rock Club]]
* [[Rolling Rock Town Fair]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.rollingrock.com Rolling Rock official website]
{{Anheuser-Busch InBev}}
[[Category:AB InBev brands]]
[[Category:American beer brands]]
[[Category:Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1939]]
[[Category:Latrobe, Pennsylvania]]