So I find myself having created a bit of an unintentional theme this week. Monday's Ruination and Wednesday's Hop Head Red both hail from one of the greatest craft beer cities in America, (And my brother and sister in law's soon-to-be new home. No I'm not jealous, not at all.) San Diego, California. After I realized this I thought I ought to find a third for today for an impromptu San Diego beer week here on the blog. So while at the Kroger in Hyde Park (What an amazing craft beer selection for a grocery store!! I picked up some other good ones that you'll be seeing in the coming weeks) I looked for a third San Diego beer and found this one. Ballast Point Calico. An amber ale that I honestly know nothing about. But it's from San Diego! Let's hope it's tasty! To the beer!
Calico pours a beautiful crystal clear ruby brown color topped by a massive layer of frothy, rocky off-white head that laces very nicely. A very pretty, very inviting beer indeed.
The aromas on this beer almost remind me of an English style bitter. Toasty biscuity caramel notes hit you first but a slight earthy floral hop aroma bring it back around to a west coast beer.
Calico is a pretty light bodied beer and eminently drinkable. Quite smooth with a really nice creaminess. Don't think that that's it though. For all of that smoothness and easy drinking-ness (?) there's something very interesting and intriguing going on with the flavor in this beer. There's a great bready, sort of burnt caramel flavor coming from the malt. And that floral hop flavor returns as well. Calico isn't super bitter but finishes rather dry with a slight lingering bitterness that just leaves me wanting another sip every time I set the beer down.
This is a very elegantly constructed beer. None of the flavors are huge, they're all subtle and measured but they work great in concert. Calico is an interesting and delicious take on an amber ale that you'd do well to try out.
HD
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