Calico Copper Amber Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

DerekP

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Notes from 4/5/12

Bubbly brown with an amber glow. Nougat colored head slims to a rim with spotty bubbles.

Smell is deep with milk chocolate and rich, dark malts. Haven't smelled brown malts on their own before, but an educated guess tells me they're in there. Floral hops round out the aroma. Good to the nose; doesn't ask one to sniff too aggressively to experience what it's offering.

Good blitz of spicy hops flavor throws in immediately, followed by a near-chewy, amber-dark malt bill. A welcome lingering quality from the finishing hops.

Notes: most of this brewery's offerings are considerably more costly by the bottle than your average microbrewery's. Calico Amber Ale was the cheapest I came across at $2.25 a bottle. Taste-wise, it almost crosses over into brown ale territory.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 00:52:35 | More by DerekP

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

touchmeimsac

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

05-20-2013 17:29:46 | More by touchmeimsac

Arsenal0328

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

05-19-2013 23:14:21 | More by Arsenal0328

bcuz7

Florida

3/5  rDev -21.5%

05-19-2013 21:53:37 | More by bcuz7

T100Mark

California

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

A 12 ounce bottle poured into a pint shaker 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 a bit less hops.

Serving type: bottle

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

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-17-2013 12:33:37 | More by InspectorBob

jwk7324

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-16-2013 05:44:02 | More by jwk7324

beersvh23

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-16-2013 04:10:50 | More by beersvh23

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

Zbeetleman

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

05-15-2013 03:39:47 | More by Zbeetleman

Gww1864

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-12-2013 21:09:46 | More by Gww1864

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

05-10-2013 21:50:12 | More by mikeburd1128

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

05-10-2013 14:44:04 | More by twenty5

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

05-10-2013 00:11:36 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-07-2013 22:50:26 | More by blknikon

ESeab

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-07-2013 15:02:40 | More by ESeab

JohnBender

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-06-2013 22:17:58 | More by JohnBender

ItsTheLimit

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-06-2013 03:09:53 | More by ItsTheLimit

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-04-2013 17:23:34 | More by ummswimmin

ChumleyX

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

04-30-2013 07:54:41 | More by ChumleyX

racingkenny14

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

04-30-2013 00:33:06 | More by racingkenny14

HopAttack3

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

04-22-2013 23:16:41 | More by HopAttack3

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