My brew exploration of San Diego came to an end with Ballast Point's Calico Amber Ale. My journey to that point had included brewery tours of both the Karl Strauss Brewing Co. and the legendary Stone Brewing Co. So going into that last day, I needed something in between local gem and international wonder. Ballast Point seemed to fit the bill as a locally themed brewery with a decent amount of peppered distribution around the country and abroad.

In the glass, the Calico Amber Ale has a rich amber coloration that is a shade or two darker than average. It comes with a creamy white head that dissipates gradually. There wasn't much on the nose other than the standard sweet malty smell. The hops profile was very faint and tended to fade into the background. Going into that first sip, I was expecting a pretty standard amber.

At first my expectations were correct. I immediately grabbed hold of the sweet malty taste which was laced with caramel notes and a tiny bit of grassy citrus. Unfortunately from there, everything went downhill. The hops profile darted in and out throughout the flavor train. Sometimes front heavy, sometimes warm in the middle, sometimes big on the exit creating an abnormally bitter finish. The inconsistency really threw off the beer's overall balance and made each sip a bit of a nervous experience. The mouthfeel was pretty standard for an amber, decently smooth with a mid-level body.

Overall, Ballast Point's Calico Amber Ale is a decent amber. I would certainly enjoy more if for no other reason than to further dissect the hop profile. I can't bash it as a bad beer, but there are many better amber ales on the market. The main downfall of this beer is its imbalance, so keep that in mind if you find one in your hands. All the baseline amber qualities are met and it's certainly better than those mass-produced garbage beers, so enjoy it for what it is: another decent amber interpretation.