Calico Copper Amber Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

bambam2517

Arizona

3.99/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint and drank waiting on the grill to warm up. Served at 45F.

A - Dark ruby to garnet red, with a nice biscuity foam on top. Pretty still body though.

S - Some sweet malts with a hint of apricot, a little bit of pine and floral in the background.

T - I see it as a hoppier amber ale offering, where others see it as a malty IPA. Certainly lower in hop character than a West Coast IPA, but that isnt what its trying to be. I like the hop level here, puts it apart from the typical Ambers out there.

M - Nice roasted flavors build up to a bitter hop mid, and mildly dry and clean finish. Easy drinking, as I find Amber ales to be in general.

O - Summing it up: I'm a Ft. Collins native, I cut my craftbeer-lovin teeth on Fat Tire and Alaskan Amber so amber ales are near and dear to me. I have to admit, Ballast Point has a deft touch when it comes to this style too!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 05:03:24 | More by bambam2517

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

*Insert calico cat joke here...I'm above such feline references. Clearly.* This stuff pours a clear sunset amber topped by a finger of lightly off-cream-white foam. The nose comprises perfume-y toffee, very light mint, and a hint of flowers. The taste holds notes of mild greens, mild flowers, sweet toffee, and some orange peel in the back, resulting a sort of off, funky mess. It's hard to put into words beyond that. Just know that I took it as a negative. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a strange little amber, one that just didn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 19:44:38 | More by TMoney2591

T100Mark

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 ounce bottle poured into a shaker pint glass.

Appearance - The color is somewhere between ruby red and copper. High clarity. Nice head. Stickage is moderate at best.

Smell - Malty sweetness combined with a nice citrus hit. Slightly smokey. This beer has a very nice nose.

Taste - Like the nose, this beer combines a smooth malt flavor with just the right amount of hops. Not much else happening here. Chugable.

Mouth - A bit oily. A bit tangy. Clean.

Overall - A simple, tasty beer. Nothing too fancy or sophisticated. Imagine a classic California pale ale (Sierra Nevada or Firestone) with a touch more malt and a bit less hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:36:33 | More by T100Mark

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Having on draft at The Avenue.

Appearance: This beer poured a small head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a dark copper color with good clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass. Nice lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: Creamy, caramel, toffee, hops, bready, and fruitiness.

Taste: Same as above with some lingering bitterness and chewy notes. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth, low to medium carbonation, medium bodied, a little chewy, and easy to drink.

Overall: Pretty solid amber/red ale. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2013 04:16:24 | More by Flounder57

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear and reddishn amber in color, with a frothy white head....the beer has a very malty and earthy hop smell. Aroma intensity is stronger than. Expected, which is very welcomed. Malt, toasted and breads, plays a large part in the profile of this brew. Hops are there, but malt is centric. The taste is balancedm with a toast crust and bitter hop. Some fruit...apricot and peach in the shadows. Firm body. Slightly carbonated. Long and bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 02:06:14 | More by Suds

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.31/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

on tap at revolution house

Brilliant copper color with a slender topping of lightly tanned head. Decent retention, leaving some patchy lacing on the glass while consuming.

Malty sweetness in the nose, toasted bread crust and grain. Caramel with a soft suggestion of hops.

Toasted grain, slightly sweet malt and caramel. Dark bread crust, hint of fruit and a thicker backbone. Finishes a little sweet.

Lighter medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and crisp on the tongue. Pretty straight forward malty amber ale, slightly forgettable though.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 17:54:42 | More by xnicknj

RyanTeeter

New York

2.65/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

a: A beautiful nut brown color with a wonderful thick cream head that dissipates but does not disappear.

s: I could not get any aroma. Full discloser - I poured it and did not smell it for 15 minutes because work came up. So, I can say that if there was an aroma, it vanished.

t: Grassy malt flavor with a tingle of hops on the end. Very nice and very clean. Traces of spice are present throughout the tasting. Interesting flavors but not necessarily in a good way. It's a beer that makes you think - that's for sure.

m: An extremely pleasant mouthfeel. Slightly oily but not overdone. Just enough to get a coating of flavor around the mouth so the flavor sticks a little longer.

o: Overall this beer was not a great choice for my palate. Complex flavors overwhelmed my desire for more.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 01:48:55 | More by RyanTeeter

Ranz

Texas

3.74/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Golden-copper, nice and translucent. The head flees a bit quickly, and the lacing is slightly thick.

S: Sharp malt is a bit heavy here; there is a tinge of some spice that I can't quite place. Maybe hints of all-spice?

T: Good hop spice with a thick malt backbone--really well balanced. It's got that bitter aftertaste that many ambers are known for. Quality.

M: Nicely carbonated and prickly on the tongue, this brew still has a creamy undertone.

O: This may not be my favorite from Ballast, but it's a solid offering nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 22:43:38 | More by Ranz

mactrail

California

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

On tap at Mitch's Seafood in San Diego where they seem to never run out of this stuff. Dark amber, near brown in the pint glass. Quite decent foam that lasts well down the glass. Plenty of malt in the mouthfeel followed by some scratch hoppiness. Aromatic hops provide some resiny and earthy notes.

A fairly substantial sweetness makes up the malty backbone, with an aroma of lemon and caramel. The bitterness makes its way forward for the long finish. Quite an acceptable quaff of a more robust sort of Amber Ale. While nothing special, this defines the style. This should appeal to those liking a hoppier Amber, but it's definitely in the maltier vein with a murky aftertaste.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2013 06:19:16 | More by mactrail

StJamesGate

New York

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Shining ruby with pitted off white froth.
Strawberry and blood orange nose.
Fruit compote, a bit of chocolate, a bit of toast, some burnt sugar, then big fresh OJ, resin, and evergreen hops.
Red berry and raw cocoa bean finish and pine bark bitterness.
Lt-med, chewy, a bit of oil.

Maltier than expected for Ballast Point - this is definitely not from the Lucky 13 school of ambers. A bit thin for the style, too - this is 5%, not 6.5%. An American ESB?

Balanced, but I don't want that from San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 11:10:30 | More by StJamesGate

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Appearance - fuzzy iced tea amber to this one. A watery light tan head with some large bubbles but holds a thin cover pretty well.

Aroma - nice pine and orange, disappears after setup. Sort of a metallic, grainy smell going on.

Taste - somewhat sweet biscuity graininess, followed by some soapy hop flavors and some astringency that I'm wondering about. This could be a little off with infection, I'm not sure. More metallic and mineral flavor that I picked up in the nose. A thin watery finish with some fading astringency. The hops improve with time (and warmth) to show some pluck. Pleasant pine and orange rind bite.

Mouthfeel - very carbonated, the bubbles almost overflowed the bottle before I poured. Decent smoothness and body, good for the style.

Overall - didn't care for this one much. It's about 9 months old, it shouldn't be too old to show what it has. I do pick up some good hoppy flavors and to its credit, once my palate sort of adjusts, some of the subtler off flavors are minimized. I'd try it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 04:08:44 | More by brewdlyhooked13

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Damn best by 11/20/12 so this has to be over 6 moths old. Very little sediment in the base of the glass though...

A - Very sticky head, great lacing but just a 1/4 inch of it. Beer is a dark copper brown with tons of sediment floaties.
S - Smells slightly metallic with citrus hops (mild) and some caramel malt. Smell is faint.
T - Taste is fairly balanced, hops are somewhat acceptable with some citrus and piney goodness. Some sweetness to balance but far from caramel more like a sugary yeast. Finish is great with bitterness clinging to the palate but alright overall.
M - Medium, somewhat balanced. A OK Amber.

Overall not something I would seek out again its somewhat heavy, balanced, yet not close to Nugget Nectar or any sweeter amber I prefer. It's very hard to judge being this old but other reviews agree it's far from exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:22:56 | More by DrDemento456

57md

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance is a nice amber/copper color with a finger of beige head. The head had good retention and it left extensive lacing on the glass. There is a touch of malt and a touch of hops in the nose. The taste is similar, but I'd say more hop forward than malt forward. The whole offering was a touch thinner than I would like, but it is a really nice blend of flavors none-the-less.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2013 20:54:38 | More by 57md

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

This brew pours a beautiful cloudy reddish brown with a two finger head which lasts a long time. Fairly heavy lacing on the glass until the end.

The smell is strong with sweet malts, orange, carmel, peppery hops and a funky yeast smell.

The taste is sweet malts, orange, peppery hops, carmel, oily hops and a funky yeast taste. This brew loses some points for the tastes hitting all at once instead of coming one after the other.

The mouthfeel is thin and oily with good carbonation. Oily hops remain on the tongue after swallowing.

Overall this is a good amber ale, it seems as though the maker attempted to blend a lot of sweet malt with a good amount of peppery and oily hops. Except for all of the tastes hitting the tongue on the front end the maker largely succeeds. There is a funky yeast taste that I don't really like and I don't believe fits this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 00:51:22 | More by microbrewlover

bcsbeer

Florida

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into my Terrapin shaker pint glass.

Copper in color with a light khaki head. Fluffy with big bubbles and good retention. Did not get a lot with the nose, some caramel malts , orange zest. Taste showcased the sweet malts, bread caramel and little orange. Med mouthfeel with good carbonation. Very good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:24:38 | More by bcsbeer

obrike

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bought a single at Round Rock World Market.

Poured a dark amber with a reddish tint. A fairly small head that didn't last too long, but a nice whispy ring that remained for the duration. Good looking beer.

Scent is a bit subdued... I'm getting a some malty sweetness with a small amount of tropical fruit in the end. A little spice as well, but overall, pretty tame.

Taste follows... Slightly roasted malt and with a good amount of caramel malt sweetness and some faint citrus hops. Pretty easy to drink, but doesn't pop for me. I wanted to like this one more, but it feels like some of the flavor was held back. I prefer a Red with a little more substance and personality...like Red Racer from Bear Repub.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:24:09 | More by obrike

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A - Amber, off-white head has little retention and some lace.

S/T - Sweet and malty, bready, biscuit, grapefruit flesh some pine... It just all doesn't seem to work out though. Can't really put my finger on it too well, but it's like there should be more hops in the finish, but just finishes overly sweet with little bitterness.

M - Medium body and carb. Finishes mostly clean.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2013 13:38:04 | More by garuda

CloudStrife

New York

3.96/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Enjoy by 03/05/13

A: Pours a clear ruby amber with a two finger big bubbled off white head. Average visible carbonation. Takes a few minutes to settle down leaving a few dots of lacing.

S: A good hopping for an amber ale, get grapefruit sort of citrus from the hops and a sweet fruity malt in the back. A touch of mustiness.

T: Good west coast amber here. Has a biscuity malt backing but more importantly a wonderful hop that balances it wonderfully. A bitter lingers in the aftertaste but that keeps you wanting more.

M: Fairly light on the tongue, good clean finish that is crisp from the hops. Mellow drinking and certainly a session beer.

Overall this brewery hasn't let me down yet. They load up their brews with a great hop profile. Great for those who arent looking for something as bold as an IPA. Would be glad to drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 00:55:12 | More by CloudStrife

UCLABrewN84

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On nitro tap at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours a clear dark copper with a foamy tan head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. A foamy curtain of lace coats the entire glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, and herbal hops. Taste is much the same with a floral flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the mouthfeel is not all that great.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-21-2013 05:17:06 | More by UCLABrewN84

ElSid

California

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

The Beers of California

#54

Bottled Date: None

A: Deep amber with burgundy hues and a light tan head with a sheet like lace on the glass.

S: Syrupy caramel sweetness and biscuity malt. There is a fresh pine scent which pairs with the malt in a balanced way.

T: Caramel and sugar thick up front transitioning to a mostly earthy, leafy, and pine bitterness with a tinge of citrus zest.

M: There is both crispness and smoothness which adds to the medium body. The carbonation is moderate and there is a nice linger on the palate.

O: The balance and smoothness makes for an extremely drinkable and sessionable brew. Although enjoyable the beer fails to stand out. A beer that I will enjoy when around but not one that I will actively seek out.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 03:17:48 | More by ElSid

socon67

New York

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - amber pout with a high beige foam. The carbonation is noticeable. Lacing on this is a beast and painted the glass.

S - Scents of pine cones, hop resin, and malt. This is a typical west coast amber.

T - Good tasting beer that has a slight citrus flavor before going into a real bitter hop finish. Full bodied malt gives this a robust flavor.

M - Easily sessionable and feels beefier than its ABV. Balance is about right. Very enjoyable.

O - Solid beer and I'd love to have more of this. Calico gives just enough hoppy bite to make it interesting, plenty of malt for the body, and is sessionable enough to have a few. Great every occasion beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 01:49:56 | More by socon67

Brad007

Vermont

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up earlier. Ballast Point offerings just became available in VT.

Pours a nice reddish-copper color with a huge, thick head into my glass. Very nice presentation as far as color goes.

Surprisingly hoppy with a touch of pine in the nose. Some butteriness underneath but otherwise, it's all about the hops here.

Not as hoppy in the flavor though. A bigger focus on malt with lightly buttered bread as the main indicator. Toasty?

Carbonation is high but it does not detract from the experience. An amber ale can be so many things as some are hoppy, some are sudued, etc.

Very good!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 01:27:41 | More by Brad007

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 1/18/2013. Pours lightly hazy reddish copper color with a nice 2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, caramel, toast, biscuit, toffee, floral, orange zest, grass, and herbal. Very nice and pleasant aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of caramel, grapefruit, toast, biscuit, orange zest, floral, toffee, light nuttiness, and light herbal spiciness. Light herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, caramel, toast, biscuit, toffee, orange zest, floral, and light herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice balance of hop/malt flavors that feel fairly robust; zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with almost zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice amber ale. Very nice malt and hop flavor balance with good complexity; very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering, no complaints at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 06:02:58 | More by superspak

NODAK

Tennessee

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Initially, the aroma was fairly floral in natural. Like a pale ale, really. Once it opened up, more notes of sweet caramel and a hint of bready goodness was present. Definitely an amber ale, but fairly hoppy on the nose at least.

Pretty crisp upfront...nice hit of floral hops at first...giving way to a fairly, but not overpowering, malty sweetness I'd characterize as mildly fruity than anything...with a hint of earthiness. Bready qualities are slight. Wraps up solidly bitter for an amber and fairly clean with little lingering bitterness.

Solid effort...an amber that leans more to the hops than most that I've had, so that if that's what you're looking for this would be recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 03:01:32 | More by NODAK

lsummers

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured with a fantastic white head, fairly clear yet dark red/amber color.

Smells of malty caramel, cereal, and candy corn. Smells sweet actually.

Taste hits very smoothly, with a bit of sweet, touch of roasted grains. Middle is when you can taste the hops with ends with the dryer caramel notes and bitter roasted character. All of these flavors are not strong or overwhelming and blend nicely.

Mouthfeel is great and allows this beer to be very drinkable. It has a faint touch of stickyness, but can't compare to an ipa's sticky sweetness. Which is great for a red ale. I would definitely love to try this on tap, not only to get a fresher hop profile but also to see how the mouthfeel changes.

Overall it's a great beer and one I will go back to.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 04:50:29 | More by lsummers