Ballast Point: Black Marlin Porter

Let me get right to the point: this is a smooth porter. Everything about this beer is silky. Black Marlin Porter comes in 22oz bottles at select liquor stores and when poured fills out with a solid black hue but with little to no head. With 6 oz to spare I tried to stir up some bubbles with an aggressive pour but coaxed very few.

The taste is subdued for a porter exhibiting little hop bite, greatly reduced smokey flavors, and only a touch of the coffee sensation. The aftertaste exhibits most of the coffee bean tastes and I was only able to really draw out the cafe flavors with that obnoxious mouth smacking breathing after a sip. As the beer warms, more hop resin flavors emerge but nothing crazy.

That all being said I really did enjoy this beer. As a personal preference I prefer other ales to porters (you've probably noticed from my prior posts). I find at times that roasted malts in porters can be too smokey and drown out hop and malted barley flavors. That is just not the case with Ballast Point's porter. I found it pretty easy to suck down a bomber of this brew and there was just enough hop resins to remind me of my other favorite west coast style beers. If you are into a smooth porter I'd recommend that you 'get to the point' and grab the black marlin. Cheers.

Ballast Point Brewing Co: Calico Amber Ale

I can't believe I've gone this long without posting on an amber ale. One of my favorite beer styles, I sometimes can't resist picking up an amber I've never tried before. That was exactly my thought process when I saw Ballast Point's Calico Amber Ale. Described as a ale brewed in the "American Amber style", I couldn't wait to give it a shot.

This beer fits the brewery's description. The taste starts off with a ton of soft malt flavors. Very light caramel malts fill the pallate which typify the amber ale flavor. The second swash in the mouth brings out a ton of hop bite, which balances nicely with the malts. This 'second taste' is probably why the amber gets it's "American" description as it is still quite hoppy despite not being a pale or india pale ale.

Overall very flavorful and easy to drink. I could definitely sit down with a sixer of this SoCal selection and not get bored or turned off. Cheers