Caldera IPA - Caldera Brewing Company

tripelhops

Missouri

3.33/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a can into a tulip glass. There was no date on the can so I'm not sure how fresh it was, and thinking my can was a touch old based on my perception vs some of the other reviews.

Aroma - slightly cloudy, murky copper, decent foam that faded quickly but left some lacing around the top of the glass

Smell - very little hop aroma, maybe just a hint of citrus and a little more pine, but really had to work to smell it

Taste - malty sweetness then bitterness, but nothing outstanding in the way of distinct flavors

Mouthfeel - decent carbonation, lower alcohol for an IPA, easy to drink

Overall - I had this at a tasting not too long ago and remembered it being much better, so I'm thinking the can I bought may have been old. That said this is a decent IPA, nice that it's in a can, but also nothing stands out about it, either.

Serving type: can

06-03-2011 13:32:55 | More by tripelhops

harrymel

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Can date:unk

A: Pours a copper ale with two fingers of peanut head which falls slowly to a thick quilt of the same. Cobweb lacing. Excellent clarity.

S: Mango and papayas with some citrus notes and some resinous notes as well. Malts are sweet and subdued.

T: Lightly bittered, oxidized malts. Some raisin notes and some nice citrus (grapefruit and orange) flavors. The malts are quite oxidized and that's just not cool. Not bad, but not great either.

M: Medium bodied with surprisingly low carb. Lightly slick finish.

O: About average. Good nose, but taste is nothing to call home about. Decent hit for a can.

Serving type: can

08-02-2011 15:07:21 | More by harrymel

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.35/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from can into pint glass. Golden orange color with nice chunky foam head. Good lacing. Strong hop aroma with fruityness to it.
Taste is of bitter hop bite with some malts. Slightly soapy and lightly fruity.
Mouthfeel is dry and bitter...
Its ok...not great and not missing this brew in NY. Sorry caldera, but not for me.

Serving type: can

02-14-2012 01:43:14 | More by DrinkSlurm

Phelps

Arizona

3.4/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a small snifter.

Light sunset orange color with perfect clarity and a grayish-white head that deposits speckles of lace.

Honeyed biscuits and spicy hops in nose. Clean, understated and balanced.

Caldera’s website says this was brewed with Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo -- which has me confused, because my taste buds are calling these hops earthy and spicy, with none of the usual snap of American-grown hops. Perhaps it’s the abundance of malt throwing things off — there’s a lot of toasty biscuits, bread and uncooked pale barley before the clean, dry finish.

The medium body exhibits a very light touch of carbonation and soft silky fizziness. Lightly bitter.

I found Caldera’s IPA very similar to their pale, with maybe a half step up in each category. While both beers are enjoyable enough, they lack the hoppy bite I crave in American-brewed versions of this style.

Serving type: can

07-25-2011 23:13:00 | More by Phelps

HosP

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this as an extra from Rhettroactive. Thanks buddy!

A- Pours nice deep golden shade. Bubbly white head, clings to the edge of the glass with bits of lace sticking.

S- Big burst of orange and mango aromas. Tough to even pick anything out over the great smells coming from it. A little sweet malt at the end.

T- Not what I was expecting after the nose. Some citrus hop flavors up front but very subdued. Sweet malts quickly take over and mix into a sweet almost tangy taste. Where did all the juicy hop flavors I thought were coming go to?

M- Lighter side of medium body. Little carbonation. Very mild bitterness. Kind of metallic after taste.

O- It started off so great. Fizzled out with the mediocre taste. Was really wanting big juicy hop flavors, but just weren't there. Thanks for the try Rhett!!

Serving type: can

12-15-2011 03:50:48 | More by HosP

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. can tried 20 Jul 2009.

Poured in the 0.5 L Adambrau becker. Extra large fizzy beige head. Light carbonation. Faintly hazy golden orange color. Citric and buttery toffee aroma. Grapefruit pithiness to start and throughout. Moderate caramel and toastiness. Somewhat buttery (A is ok with that in an IPA). Bittersweet lingering aftertaste. Moderate ethnanol. Medium body.

Just don't like the butteriness in IPAs...

Serving type: can

09-18-2010 06:26:00 | More by htomsirveaux

dannydetox

California

3.45/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

grabbed a sixer of these cans for the drive to punk rock bowling since the bright yellow can looks quite innocent - an ideal road beer. the packaging makes me think of grapefruit soda...

as for the beer itself, well, it is ok. i think i like it better out of the can, but this review is for one poured into a sam adams glass. darker amber color with a decent inch of head that stuck around until the end. smell is a mix of caramel malts with some floral, fruity hop qualities. not much citrus or pine like i would expect from a west coast brew, the caldera ipa reminds me of the english approach. pleasingly bitter on the finish. the 6.1% abv makes this one an easier drink with a lighter body and mouthfeel. good as a roadie if you value discretion, but there are many superior ipas for less than the $11 per six price tag. i think next time i will opt for the equally inconspicuous point the way ipa from local brewers golden road; they make a six pack of talls for the same price.

Serving type: can

06-12-2012 00:57:37 | More by dannydetox

cvm4

Mississippi

3.46/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a pretty much clear amber in color with a white two finger head. Great lacing and retention.

S - Light citrus hops, pine abounds, there's a buttery or cheese quality as well as caramel malts.

T - Orange peel and grapefruit peel with a good helping of hops. Lemony afterwards with pine hops following. Interesting... The buttery/cheese still sticks in the taste. Odd considering it's the morning and I have yet to eat anything.

M - Light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation. Not sticky, very easy to drink.

O - Honestly I doubt I would buy again. I always like trying different offerings and once the opinion is formed it's hard to deviate from it.

Serving type: can

04-28-2013 15:53:51 | More by cvm4

ccrida

Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. can poured into a nonic, the Caldera's IPA is a clear bronze with a moderate sized white head that quickly fades to a thick skim, leaving scattered lace. Like their Pale Ale I just reviewed, this is the first time I've ever not had this beer in a can, but I'm not nearly as impressed. Served at fridge temp.

Smell is pure, resiny cannabis - ah, Oregon! To be more specific, it's more of the cat piss style, which you probably won't care for unless you have the mental association. I was just working on my goggle tan at Mt. Ashland this past Wednesday, and by the number of heads goofing off with me on a work day, it's obvious this town operates on a slightly slower speed. With a smell like this, I think Caldera's trying to remind us there's always time to chill...

Taste is pungent, resiny hops, firm malt backbone with a big bitter finish. The slightest touch of sweet caramel malt loses the battle to the big buds, which pack enough lupin to knock out Bobby Brown on a 3 day coke binge.

Mouthfeel is creamy but dry and crisp, with a heavier body.

Drinkability is average. I like a lot more hop flavor then bitterness, and this IPA is pretty much the opposite, and a bit thick for my taste as well. I'll still give it bonus points for the can, not to mention that dank aroma that I never noticed from the can.

Serving type: can

04-05-2008 06:49:06 | More by ccrida

mugglesandhops

California

3.48/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Super clear orange body with a frothy sticky head that lasts the whole beer, very impressive appearance. Smells sweet, pine, citrus, biscuity, earthy. Taste is very malty with very little bitterness which i was not expecting as this is an IPA and should have more hop profile the taste. A little too malty for my liking.

Serving type: can

10-31-2009 04:13:26 | More by mugglesandhops

Risser09

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz can poured into a goblet - fridge - 2009

Appearance: Pours a golden orange color with well, orange highlights .The head soars to 3" and has an ivory hue to it. It shows great retention and tons of foamy lace gets left behind on the glass. Tons.

Smell: Piney and citrusy hops are strong. It smells like Centennial or nugget hops. It's hard to discern the malts that are lying behind the hops. Very fresh, especially from a can. No metal aromas!

Taste: King of mineral and earthy, doesn't really live up to the aroma. Still quite tasty though.

Mouthfeel: Bitter, earthy, yeasty and a little boozy. Lingering bitterness.

Drinkability: A good IPA. Not good, but very drinkable and worthy of a sample. I would revisit.

Serving type: can

06-12-2009 12:10:33 | More by Risser09

Docer

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Snagged a can of this at my local Vancouver, WA By the Bottle...

- Crystal clear new copper penny color... bit of fluffy white head, down to a little bit of white lacing... some big bubbles in the head....

- Rich caramel malts.. sweet, brown sugar..Some bittering hops, and a bit of a pee smell... or mildew... something of the sort.

- Sweet caramel malt, dirty water, mildew, earth, and some light bitter hop notes, little bit of pine, and roasted and/or burnt malt.

- Bit watery feel, dry, roasty aftertaste... and some dirt.

- Ok as far as drinkability... but really not that great of an IPA... especially just having this after a Green Flash West Coast IPA....

Serving type: can

07-23-2009 23:11:18 | More by Docer

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Wierd tasting IPA, thrown in a trade. Starts OK, and then residual odd hop flavours. Medium yellow body, a quarter inch of white foam. A little hop aromas. Not skunky, but just another AMerican IPA to me, with moe astringency than balance. A bit aggressive carbonation.

Serving type: can

10-03-2010 20:31:24 | More by northyorksammy

HopDiggityDawg

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance - light amber color, just a little darker than I expected from the nose, big frothy head.
Smell - very nice hop, pine, some fruit
taste - nice hoppy grapefruite taste, dry finish
mouthfeel - very even, not too thin, not too chewy for a single ipa
overall - solid, I doubt I will pay $12.99 again for this brew and it probably factored into my rating

Serving type: can

07-03-2011 00:55:08 | More by HopDiggityDawg

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to robbrandes got this extra. Poured into tulip glass...

A- Dark for an IPA. Bronze/copper color with a rocky pale cream head. Sticky lacing remains on the glass and is slowly revealed as the head sinks into the beer.

S- Citrus forward. Lemons and limes, fruit Smarties, and grapefruit. Aroma is a little lighter than I remember, and not much malt behind the hops in nose.

T/M- A slight chalkiness upfront on the flavor before the citrus comes through. Grapefruit and grapes pop prominently. Bitterness is all on the finish, with a nice moderate IBU level that could be about 10-15 higher per my preference. Alcohol announces it's presence, but not over powering. Body is medium, leaning towards heavy. Carbonation is fairly low, leaving this slick and borderline slimy in the mouth.

O- I like this beer now, but I love it when I get it at the bar and don't analyze it as much. Has solid properties, but nothing that makes it stand out against other competitors. Above average, but it gets pushed aside at it's price when Sweetwater, Yazoo, and others are on the same shelf...

Serving type: can

12-06-2011 16:23:40 | More by TheGordianKnot

HalfFull

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass from a 12 oz. can. Pours clear and deep golden/copper in color and offers a nice bubbly half inch of off white head. This settles to a surface cap in a minute or two but doesn't hold up to offer any lacing with the carbonation heading for the hills by half glass.

Nice blend of hops on the nose with some orange citrus and fresh cut pine, with a certain resiny quality in that regard. Hops are quite light and become a bit more elusive over time. Some clean fruity malt notes accompany. Good quality but not quantity.

Smooth in flavor and light in body as predicted from the nose. Finishes with a distinct and lingering orange flavor and just a hint of bitterness follows. Decent unobtrusive feel and drink.

This is an IPA 'Lite' for me. Light hops and malts, well balanced yes, but very light bodied for the style. Would have dubbed this an APA. Wonder what their Pale is like?

Serving type: can

08-27-2009 22:14:01 | More by HalfFull

Overlord

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Eh. A little surprised at the rating here.

Pours a copper, reddish orange. Definitely not the familiar yellowish, golden orange of most IPAs. Large off-white head.

Smells faintly of pine, more strongly of ... well, citrus. Not quite grapefruit, just citrus-y. And there's maybe a whiff of malt. Well, maybe not.

There's a strange toasted after-taste to the malt, and the hop flavoring is a touch muted. Really more like a pale ale than an ipa to me, though not quite that either. Some grapefruit, some random-y citrus notes, and a touch of sweet malt.

Decent, but nothing to write home about.

Serving type: can

12-16-2009 06:35:37 | More by Overlord

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 1/3/2010. Can. Pours a clear deep orange with a thick off-white head. Aroma of piney, grassy hops, some citrus and tropical fruits. Flavor of caramel malt and light citrus upfront with a bitter hops finish. Decent IPA, rather on the bitter side.

Serving type: can

12-23-2010 17:03:57 | More by LilBeerDoctor

Finatic

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz can poured into a chilled Founders pint glass.

A: Pours a dark orange color with a nice white, frothy head that recedes very slowly. Excellent lacing retention throughout the glass.

S: Huge tropical notes up front with grapefruit being the main scent. I also can smell traces of pine and some orange and malt.

T: I taste more orange than the scent gives off. Not as much pine and or grapefruit as the scent had suggested. This beer has a massive sweet malt backbone.

M: A bit too syrupy for my liking, medium bodied and it has nice carbonation.

O: Not what I look for in an IPA and quite honestly for the price not worthy of an elite IPA status IMO.

Serving type: can

01-08-2012 14:22:16 | More by Finatic

dbmernin83

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Outta the can, into a pint. Good lace, head. Foggy copper.
Citrusy hops, tropical fruit malts, delicious. Balanced for an IPA, but still hoppy. A signature Colorado IPA.
Appropriate carbonation. Crisp. Dry finish. Canned IPA this good is a beautiful thing

Serving type: can

03-11-2012 01:56:11 | More by dbmernin83

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.54/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pretty dark woody amber, just under an inch of tan head.

Smells of sticky sweet pine, fairly heavy on the malt, some sweet stone fruit or maybe light strawberry or something. Smells good but maltier than I'd like.

Taste is more bitter than I expected from the nose, good dose of pine, some light fruitiness again that's hard to place. Pretty heavy on malt again but much more balanced by bitterness than it smelled. Actually more malty than sweet really.

Fairly thick body, more than I usually like in IPAs, but good carbonation too that keeps it from being syrupy or cloying. Solid.

Solid ipa, maltier than I like my IPAs but pretty balanced and drinkable, a good option for a six pack for a party or something.

7.1/10

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 20:21:23 | More by AlexFields

madtappers

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

one word WOW! this has to be one of the hoppiest beers I've ever had, the hop profile is well preseved inside its 12 oz can.

Pours a warm copper color with a huge floral aroma of hops. I would say the freshness of the hops makes it almost over hopped and hard to drink. But, it is a must for any hop head to try.

Not your average canned beer...try one you love it or hate it...

Serving type: can

05-23-2009 18:09:54 | More by madtappers

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - hazey orange in color with a rocky white head which quickly dissipates to a thin film.

S - the nose is rich with hops. piney and fruity. sweet caramel malt notes and some cherry esters.

T - clean, lightly sweet malt upfront followed by some piney bitterness and a long cherry/sweetish finish.

M - smooth, creamy, a touch watery and a full zippy carbonation.

O - nice IPA with lots of piney notes but could've had a bit more bitterness on the tongue.

Serving type: can

11-10-2011 05:27:02 | More by Teleweizen2

BeerBelcher

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer struck me as a very malt-forward IPA; lots of caramel was evident from start to finish in both its aroma and flavor. Even it's color, in a different sense, could be described as caramel. It was a pretty good beer, but I prefer my IPAs to be a little more hop dominant, and a little less malty. I enjoyed it, but I didn't think it was anything to write home about.

Color was a dark rich amber color, with a good amount of head. Aroma was malt first, with lots of caramel notes and some hoppiness. Flavor was exceedingly balanced, more like an amber ale than an IPA, with the hops just barely peeking out from behind more caramel flavor. Mouthfeel was light, crisp, and pleasant. Quite a satisfying beer, but it didn't really scratch my itch for hops.

A huge thank you to JaBier for gifting me a can of this beer; otherwise I probably never would have tried it.

Serving type: can

07-15-2009 23:57:31 | More by BeerBelcher

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a can that says: "keep cool, just like you"... into a Surly pint glass.

A: Standard pour yields a 1 finger fluffy white head with poor retention, leaving a rather thick, patchy white film floating at the top. Beer is a clear reddish orange. Lacing is frothy, layered, appropriate for a beer this style.

S: Cane sugar, citrus, piney hops. Fresh but very subtle. Not an overwhelming nose by any measure. Slight sourness is also detectable.

T: Opens very crisp, refreshing. Piney hop character presents itself towards the middle as the beer warms a bit. Citrus and cane sugar sweetness is present at the back but is overtaken quickly by an astringent, hoppy bite. Finish is a leafy bitterness, as if I've chewed
a hop nugget. Aggressive!

M: Light bodied, good carbonation but rather smooth. Watery and very refreshing though the finish is a bit overwhelming which takes away from the feel a bit.

D: Light bodied and crispness make this beer more drinkable than it should be. A very unbalanced IPA in my opinion which is not for me, but nevertheless appreciable. I'd reach for it if it was around, but this is a one shot deal for me. A solid beer.

Serving type: can

02-09-2010 00:46:39 | More by SpeedwayJim