Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

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

At Mondiale 2008. Neutral malt aroma. Amber with little foam head. Creamy mouthfeel, bitterness is in the aftertaste. Above average carbonation. Lacey. The malt profile is interesting, there is some dark malt.

On tap at home brew mart. Amber color. Some mild hop aroma. Decent amber ale. No off flavors. Pretty drinkable.

Bottle. Pretty nice aroma, sweet, fairly rich malt, toffee, fruity, bittering/floral hops in the background. Flavor was ok, same balance of largely sweet malt with the bittering hops holding things together, but sort of died out as the glass went down. Not bad, and I must say I probably would have rated this higher had I had it as a two ounce sample...

Bottle. Pours a deep amber with a light head. Aroma is fruity, like a Belgian ale. Flavor of sweet malt, some dark fruit (plums, raisins). This beer got a bit bland at the end and I didn’t care for it too much. Lots of bitterness, but not in a way that complimented the beer. In the description on the bottle this beer was advertised as an amber ale (as the name also implies) and it didn’t quite taste like one, although now that I learn that the beer is classified as an ESB, this makes things even more confusing to me...But bottom line, decent, fairly drinkable, but boring.

Beautiful clear dark copper with a large firm orange-to-tan head. Nose of nuts and caramel. If it had been hazy it would have been an Oktoberfest oar a Marzen. Nutty taste with earthy notes that I don’t like in a Marzen either, caramel, and malts, with both European and American hops that somehow just don’t work together. Not a favorite!

Very hoppy and piney for what i was expecting, its says amber ale but its listed as a Bitter? I dont get it.. neither did i get the taste. A mix of an IPA with some amber ale and spices. I got an ethery aftertaste with some yeast mixed in. Strange beer.

Pours a cloudy amber color with a thin head and some laceing along the sides of the glass. The nose is a nice floral hop smell with vanilla and pine. Initially it has a sweet carmel malt with some citrus and pine that pop on your palate. The beer has a floral aftertaste with loads of hops but a nice sweet finish. I like how it is noce and earthy yet still has a sweet finish and is not that watery.

Amber color with a medium head. Aroma of caramel malts and some earthy hops. Flavor is classic ESB with caramel malts and a rather agressive (for an ESB) earthy/citrus hopping. Nice finish. Solid example of the style (in my opinion - my 2 favorite ESBs are this and Alesmith’s. so maybe not true to style, but damn tasty!)