Caldera IPA - Caldera Brewing Company

MattSlem

California

2.94/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.75

Appearance - Golden orange color with some small debris (looked like hop stems)
Smell - Piney, a bit of grapefruit, a vegetal quality to it
Taste - Diacetyl, grassy, hint of grapefruit
Mouthfeel - Light carbonation which makes this beer a little heavy and sweet for the style
Overall - I have had much better IPA's than this. Not terrible, but not nearly my go to IPA either. I thoroughly enjoy the cans though!

Serving type: can

04-14-2013 00:18:46 | More by MattSlem

Roman5150

Michigan

4.06/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

tried out of can, prety damn good, this review is poured into a tulip glass

Appearance: Orangish Ruby Amber color, large white fluffy head, lots of lacing

Smell: grapefruit, citrus, very piney (simcoe hops possibly?)

Taste: lots of hop flavor bursting out right away, followed by a smooth dry somewhat bitter finish. lots of grapefruit and earthy pines. Also got some lemon notes at the beginning.

Mouthfeel: pretty light on the carbonation, sits very light, very refreshing

Overall: A solid, hoppy, west coast IPA, I honestly think I like this one out of the can better. Is that weird? The cool looking cans caught my eye, so i gave it a try, and it's probably gonna be another buy. However, I don't think I'd purchase this if Stone IPA was also available, or even Ruination.

Serving type: can

04-11-2013 06:58:15 | More by Roman5150

Somebody_Else

California

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Drunk straight out of the can so IDK about the appearance.

The smell was very light. Kind of lager-y from cold to end-o'-can.

The taste started out fairly nondescript, straight out of the refrigerator, but as with most IPAs, the flavor opened up quite a bit after a few minutes at room temperature. There was an odd cheese-like component to the taste -- sort of an aged Swiss or Gruyere. I see where another reviewer mentioned a "butter" flavor so I don't feel completely out of touch with this observation. Odd but not bad at all.

The mouthfeel was great and the best part of this beer was the lingering hops oils on the tongue. Great after-taste!

Overall, not a first pick, but a reasonable sailing bear as it's in cans and only 6.1% ABV so suitable for drinking all day on a summer's sail. That cheese flavor would make me hesitant to give to a newbie as an introduction to hoppy IPAs but other than that, pretty durn good!

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 20:31:41 | More by Somebody_Else

Immortale25

Florida

4.49/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. No freshness date but there's a sticker, no doubt put there by the liquor store, that say 2/12/2013.

A- Pours a dark amber with a 2 finger off-white head that retains a good long time before eventually making its way down to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a large tuft of surface foam. .

S- Moderately hoppy aroma with a great deal of cereal grain sweetness from the malt. It has just as much citrus punch to it as it does caramel and brown sugar.

T- Such a delicate balance between subtle yet effective hops and that wort-like sweet barley flavor. Notes of caramel as well as grapefruit. Bitterness is strong and lingers but is fully complimented by the malt backbone.

Sharp and oily from the hops with a bit of creaminess from the malts. Medium carbonation and a notch above medium for the body.

O- I use malts and hops a lot in contrast for this review because this is a prime example of the two fused together nearly seamlessly. An excellently balanced IPA.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 02:59:59 | More by Immortale25

Cubatobaco

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Copper in color with a deep haziness. You can pick out some carbonation through the fog of the glass. Light lacing and and about an 1/8 of an inch head.

S: Slightly muted in the nose with hints of sweetness. Others here call it "candy", but I'm getting a "butter-like" aroma. Light citrus and pine notes are there as well.

T: The taste is very different in the sense I am getting the same "butter-like" note on the back end, just behind the classic West Coast IPA tastes of citrus fruit and pine.

M: Oily with light carbonation. Enjoyably bitter on the sides if my tongue. There is a light foaminess that coasts my mouth which leaves a pony aftertaste.

O: A very well made West Coat IPA. I would definitely buy again. With the distinct flavor, I could optically pick this one out of line z

Serving type: can

03-14-2013 02:40:04 | More by Cubatobaco

JClarson

4.24/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Nice off white head. Rich coppery color.

S- Sweet pine, melon, and candy.

T- Hops smack you in the face on first sip and follow through on the finish. The sweetness from the aroma doesn't carry through to the palate as I expected it would.

M- Dry and delicious with a hoppy aftertaste. Slight sweetness after licking the lips.

O- Wonderful brew. Classic west coast style IPA. Hops are prevalent and last all the way to the last drop. If you consider yourself an "IPA guy" this is a must try. Very hard to find by me on the east coast.

Serving type: can

02-11-2013 22:14:39 | More by JClarson

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Clear copper body, white head has good retention and lacing.

S/T - All around good IPA with pine hops up front with the caramel/bready malt providing a nice backbone. Finishes bitter with hop flavor, never getting too sweet.

M - Medium body, medium carb, smooth and creamy, finishes dry

O - Simple straightforward IPA. Drinks easy, no off-flavors, up front pine hops with a little citrus.

Serving type: can

01-24-2013 20:15:41 | More by garuda

tut2528

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

once again, thanks to Jaap for sending me this one!

A: pours a deep dark orange with some brownish hints to it. pours a nice 1/2 fingers worth of head formation that dissipates rather quickly, but with a couple swirls of the glass, it quickly rises again.

S: awesome citrus (orange peel and lemon zest), some grapefruit, pineapple and even mango. terrfically balanced with a blast of hops. i also pick up on a sweet caramel backbone that holds this brew together.

T: big earthy hop bitterness, sweetened malt and a subtle peppery spice in there as well. the fruits aren't as nearly prominent here as they were in the nose, which is probably the most suprising aspect.

M: big carbonation, solid medium bodied, the palate is left with the dry hop bitterness and a slight touch of citrus.

O: if you like big bitter hopped up brews, this one is a must try. the aroma of this brew is amazing with the big tropical fruits, and I wish it carried over into the taste. Instead, as previously mentioned, the hops become the dominant player and the fruits take the back seat. Nonetheless, this is a great beer, that is has fairly high drinkability.

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 20:35:22 | More by tut2528

vashooter

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving : 12 ounce can from Total wine served in a tulip (large one)

Appearance : Beautiful clear dark honey color, about what I would expect from an IPA, nice 2 fingers of head when poured into glass subsiding to a small half inch of sticky head that seems to want to hang out with me.

Smell: Is not quite as hoppy as a BIG IPA but lots of caramel blending, hop notes are somewhat subdued as the beer warms up but more hop nose when first poured.

Taste: Initially straight malt, sweet but, lots of hop character that is not overpowering or rude. No hint of Diacetyl or vegetable notes in my sample. Actually this beer is well made and well balanced, not as large as a lot of IPA's that rely on brutish hop levels with out good malt balance.I actually think there might be some demarra sugar in this brew.

Mouthfeel: Actually reminds me of a cross between an ESB and a IPA, the sweetness is there but the hops are there also, just not in your face hops. Warming to the tongue with a little bitterness in the finish. Wonderfully balanced beer. Someone put a lot of love into this recipe.

Overall: I give it a 4.5, However this can become one of my favorites very easily. Cheers

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 06:26:11 | More by vashooter

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

rawfish

California

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Amber with three fingers of rocky and whipped head forming excellent lacing all over the glass, very nice beer.

Caramel, whole grain bread, husky and raw malt. Pine, green tea, and earthy hops hints of pineapple and caramelized onion, very rugged.

Husky malt, bready and grainy that complements the earthy and herbaceous hop profile. More tea leaves, bitter herbs and pine. Dull lasting bitterness that dries and scrubs the palate.

Medium bodied and lower end carbonation, works very well with the flavors here. No hint of alcohol and dries perfectly.

Flavorwise it doesn't wow like some other ipas but it's memorable for other reasons, it seems raw and built for the outdoors from the canned beginning. Balanced and earthy, very tasty one of the better cans out there.

Serving type: can

01-08-2013 03:32:03 | More by rawfish

nUgZ

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce can poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a mostly clear copper color with a 3 finger head and excellent lacing.

S: Citrus and pine hops, malt, alcohol, and also the aroma of tea. There's something about the smell that I don't quite like...maybe the tea smell.

T: Fairly heavy malt flavors but with enough hops to balance it out. Nice bitterness in the finish. Somewhat piney flavor.

M: Light bodied with a good amount of carbonation. A little lighter than my ideal IPA but very easy to drink.

O: Overall, this is a very drinkable IPA. Nice balance and good flavor. Lighter than my usual IPA's and the smell leaves something to be desired. A good option for when bottles won't work.

Serving type: can

11-17-2012 17:55:34 | More by nUgZ

kawilliams81

Illinois

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

Poured from a 12 oz can into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours copper with a 2 finger white head. Nice rings of small bubbles remain on the glass.

S- caramel, lemon, orange, some spice and pine.

T- toasted caramel, slight onion, citrus and good amount of pine bitterness.

M- medium body and carbonation. Some effervescence tingles the tongue.

O- ok ipa. Not sure how fresh this is so won't bash it too much. Not a fan of the onion flavor and could use a little more citrus.

Serving type: can

10-03-2012 01:18:05 | More by kawilliams81

FickleBeast

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz can poured into a pint glass.

Pours a clear copper color with two fingers of foam. Nice sticky lacing. Aroma is nicely hoppy, tropical fruit, pineapple, apricot.

First sip is a nice explosion of hop flavor, with a solid burst of bitter flavor, but finishing clean without any harsh lingering bitterness. Substantial malt backbone helps round out the beer, but it just serves as a backdrop to showcase the tropical fruit hop flavors.

This is a very pleasant, enjoyable IPA. Balanced, drinkable, and satisfying. Would buy again.

Serving type: can

09-07-2012 00:20:03 | More by FickleBeast

Josiah2729

Tennessee

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Can poured into pint glass

Appearance: Orange with 3 finger white head that settled to 1/2 inch. Excellent lacing throughout, clear with minimal effervescence.

Smell: Citrus and Pine, slight malt aroma

Taste: Citrus and Piney hops, slightly sweet malt finish.

Mouthfeel: Light body with low carbonation.

Overall: Delicious IPA with a strong hop presence that is not overpowering, great beer.

Serving type: can

08-23-2012 04:45:59 | More by Josiah2729

homebrew311

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into NB globe glass. Appearance is dark gold with moderate clarity. Thin white head forms and retains a layer nicely. Tons of lacing is left behind. The nose has notes of graham cracker, earthy hops, and dashes of lemon and grass. Taste starts bready with malt sweetness, quickly becomes earthy and bitter. Notes of pine and wood come through on the finish. Mouthfeel is medium with high carbonation. Overall, a nice flavorful IPA here with an interesting cracker component.

Serving type: can

08-12-2012 05:25:11 | More by homebrew311

jegross2

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewing the Caldera IPA from the Caldera Brewing Company out of Oregon.
Score: 88

Unknown canning date with can code "1 813 113162A." This can was received as an extra from a friend just a week or two ago. Served in a tulip glass and enjoyed on 08/08/12.

Appearance: Pours a bright honey orange color that is a like a slightly darker "Blind Pig IPA" color with a finger-plus of soapy white head that settles to a film of head atop the beer. Excellent lacing, retention and cling. Just an absolutely beautiful looking IPA, honestly. 5/5

Smell: Orange-y tropical citrus and piney, slightly earthy, hops. A little sweet caramel, a touch of spice, and grapefruit. Really nice IPA aroma. 4/5

Taste: Juicy citrus, peach, spice, and a touch of wood. Nice piney hop bite. Sweet caramel malt backbone. Very smooth and balanced IPA. Not very aggressive at all. 3.75/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with a low amount of carbonation that lets the bitterness from the beer sit and layer on the tongue. Oily, almost watery, mouthfeel. Bittersweet finish. 3.5/5

Overall: If I had to guess, I would say this beer is just a touch past its freshness prime. Regardless, this is still a delicious brew that I would definitely order again at a bar if I lived in the pacific northwest.

Recommendation: A nice starter IPA for casual beer drinkers. Give this one a whirl if you see it on tap. This was a nice extra, but it is not a beer worth trading for.

Pairings: Spicy Indian food.

Cost: $9.99 for a six pack.

Serving type: can

08-09-2012 04:39:43 | More by jegross2

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served from the can into a nonic pint glass

A- Poured a mostly clear dark rust orange color with a two finger fluffy head that sticks around for a little while and left webbed lace

S- Huge grapefruit, citrus peel, big pineyness, some floral notes, pretty pungent and aromatic

T- Big citrus hop flavor, pronounced caramel malt character, some earthy and light piney notes, some soapy flavor, lingering bitterness

M- Light to medium bodied, a little lower carbonated than other IPAs, and lighter in body, finishes a little watery

O- Well apparently it is International IPA day, not like I need an excuse to drink one but thought I would crack open a canned IPA from my new home state of Oregon. I love the aroma on this one, a little lighter boided than I like for the style but this could be a great hot summer outdoors beer.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 04:00:43 | More by Hoptometrist

UCLABrewN84

California

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly murky dark orange with a 1 inch foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus zest, slight tropical fruit, and some dank herbal hop aromas. Taste is mainly of citrus zest and earthy herbal hops with a slight tropical fruit flavor. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with solid aromas and flavors that make it super easy to drink.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 02:47:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

TheHoppiest

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Snagged this on a recent trip to DC, as you cannot get this in Ohio.

Poured from a 12 ounce can into a mug. Pours a very clear amber orange, with a 1 inch off-white thick head, that is slow to reduce. Leaves a fair amount of lacing around the sides as the beer is drained from the glass.

Has a slightly spicy aroma, with hints of citrus and some grassiness.

Has a grainy malt taste, with grapefruit pith and oak leaves. Has a rather hoppy finish, which is neither piney nor citrusy, but is just simply better.

Has a softer mouth feel you would expect, with almost soapy texture and they dry finish.

I like the IPA. It has a nice hop character which is uncomplicated, and a softer mouth feel that makes it quite drinkable. I also like the look of this can, and could easily see bringing this on a camping trip if it were readily available.

Serving type: can

07-26-2012 01:36:37 | More by TheHoppiest

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-oz. can into a nonic pint glass at Henlopen City Oyster House in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

A: Hazy and very bright, sunny orange-amber color beneath a creamy and frothy two-finger head of white foam which left some good chunky lacing in its wake.

S: Very hoppy, bright and piney with some spicy, herbal additions and mild, tea-like scent.

T: Fresh, fruity and juicy hops grip the palate almost from the get-go. A hot cereal-like malt flavor keeps things balanced at first, before that tea-like, herbal bitterness creeps back in, making the approach to the bitter finish a bit more mild.

M: Medium bodied, smooth and creamy with enough balance to keep things in check before the bitter finish.

O: A very nice canned American IPA that showcases some of that Pacific Northwest flair in the form of piney, spicy, almost spruce-like and citrusy bitter hops through and through. The 6.1% ABV keeps a strong enough malt backbone on this brew to make it a little creamier in the finish, which was nice to have.

Serving type: can

07-16-2012 22:22:44 | More by Gambrinus1184

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

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Can from Beer Deluxe. From notes.

A - Poured copper and bright with light carbonation. One finger of fluffy beige head. Good lace rings and a film of retention.

S - Citrus and toffee, fairly light.

T - Citrus, strong grass, some toffee, pineapple. Not great, just seemed standard.

M - Medium body and good carbonation with a bitter pineapple finish.

O/D - This beer was alright. Seemed like a run of the mill American IPA with no one element really surprising me at all. A little underwhelming and plain. Nothing special but a decent enough IPA.

Serving type: can

06-11-2012 06:36:33 | More by tbeckett

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

First had: Philly Beer Scene Tasting panel with Matt Falco at Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA

I was privileged enough to be on the tasting panel for PBS Magazine, along with Bill Covaleski of Victory and Greg Ramirez of Exton Beverage. This was one of 21 beers we sampled during the session.

Clear orange-copper pour with a thin layer of bubbles for a head. Aroma of citrus and leafy hops, light pale malts. Taste reflects the nose: solid malt base, leafy hops, light and tea-like; pretty basic, but not as flavorful as I like my AIPAs. Advertised as being "brewed with plenty of body." Well, something must've happened between then and now, because the body on this was very light, kind of watery in the mouthfeel. Crisp and fairly refreshing, but lacking in most vital areas that make for a good beer.

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 03:28:25 | More by Rifugium

WesM63

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz can poured into a Bell's Tulip

Many thanks to a great fellow BA, 4balance.

A: Pours a copper-orange color with a slightly off white 2finger head.

S: Smells of pine and hops. A tiny bit of citrus is lingering about.

T: Sweet caramel malt up front, some piney hop bite with a citrus finish.

M: Medium body with decent carbonation.

O: Overall a decent IPA in a can. It doesn't quite hold up to some IPA's, but it's easy drinking with great flavor. Also, It's in a CAN!

Serving type: can

05-23-2012 01:55:09 | More by WesM63