Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
San Diego, California USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Pours a reddish/copper sort of color. Aroma is quite malty with a bit of hops present. Has a malty flavor up front with a hint of sweetness. Turns bitter and a few hops show up at the back end.

Brilliant copper. Whipped foam yields gobs of webby lacework. Beautifully blended aroma of vibrantly citrusy hops and jellied malts. Soft, creamy body. Opens with an exquisitely tender hop profile, but sharply tinged with medicinal sweetness. Stiffly grainy and toasted, yet with just enough tropical fruit softness to soften brisk malt blow. Malt husks and sweet nutty malt flavors culminate at the center and disperse the juicy hop flavors. Less bright and hoppy finish is surrounded by burnt toffee and overly firm graininess. Onslaught of bready malt richness prevails after the finish to absorb some of the harsher malt textures. Good, but would certainly benefit from a more focused hop backbone to thwart the "unspentness" of the malt.

Small tan head, good retention with a fair amount of lace. Clear amber/red hued ale. Spicey, malty nose, sorta nutty. Medium body, somewhat silky. Light sweet maltiness, caramel notes and a hint of butterscotch. Lightly hopped, but right. An almost dry finish. A nice easy drinkin amber. Thanks to sdbruboy for the trade.

Dark reddish-amber with a small minimized head. Perfect blend of citrus and hint of vanilla or extract. Not a creamy palate but a smooth refreshign one that has me enjoying every sip. I’m like a fish with bait cuz now im hooked on Ballast Points fine amber ale.

beer pours a very pretty amber under a billlowy white head, with a tint of orange. nose a nice combination of spicy hops and toasted malts-a nice change from the usual American Amber citrus bomb. the hops come through more in the flavor, with a spicy and lightly citric tang backed up with a sweet, toasty malt body. mouthfeel is reasonably crisp (the hops dry up the malt nicely), and the balnce makes for good drinkability.

Cloudy brown, thin sandy head. hoppy, vegetable aroma. slightly woodsy hop flavors up front, then malty, bready base. Some caramel and toffee flavors, but then a hoppy, dry finish. Thanks to Drunkasaskunk for this trade.

22oz bombers-pours a deep copper hue with nice tan head-darker than usuall head for an amber ale. Light carbonation for this style, but still plenty to go around. malts give a toasty aroma, with slight smoke notes as it warmed. hops are dry and piney (cascade/chinook). Very well balanced! Finish is woody and dry. A very tasty amber if you can find it!

Dark red in color with a large off-white head. Smell and flavor are consistent: caramel sweetness with a touch of floral hops. Flavor is a little over sweet and is difficult to finish an entire 22 oz bomber.

Copper in colour with a large head depositing a sheet of lace. Nose is malty with floral hops. Flavour is same with a long aftertaste.

Amber ale? Whatever. This poured a nice copper with a tannish head. The aroma was hops, malt, caramel, floral, creamy butter. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Flavor was hoppy and malty and refreshing and clean. Very drinkable.