Caldera IPA - Caldera Brewing Company

organicbrewer

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Full bronze. big light tan head. brilliantly clear.

S-Some toasty malt. Light citrus hop aroma. Not a lot going on.

T-Carmelly malty. Firm bitterness but more balanced to the malt than their Pale ale. Not much in the way of hop flavor. Lots of bitterness but not much flavor.

M-medium bodied. medium carbonation. No alcohol burn.

D-An average tasting IPA. Needs more hop flavor and aroma. Bitterness and malt are spot on. Still not a bad beer.

Serving type: can

02-16-2010 01:35:14 | More by organicbrewer

sendsilk

Florida

3.05/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Can recieved in a recent trade as en extra.

A: Decent head, takes a minute or so to settle down. Very clear light orange colored beer. Some lacing.

S: Fruity scents with not too much hops present in the nose.

T: This beer just is not a solid example of the style. Really not much of a hop presence at all. With what I have heard about Caldera 'Old Growth' I was hoping this would be a pleasant surprise. I'd skip this one if I was looking for a solid IPA

M: Low to medium carbonation. Slightly oily mouthfeel.

O: Move along, nothing to see here.

Serving type: can

08-04-2011 14:16:58 | More by sendsilk

Arbitrator

California

3.08/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Chilled can into a glass. An extra courtesy of bvc. Thanks!

A: Pours a clear amber body with active carbonation up the glass. Has an inch off-white head with good retention, and it leaves some spots of lacing down the glass.

S: Citrus and pine hops, with a slight resiny and earthy/dirt/grass undercurrent to it that is a bit of a turnoff.

T: As the nose suggests, the taste is dominated by citrus hops, with pine coming second. Caramel malt fleshes out the mid-taste, but toward the end, an earthy and grassy blend takes over and pulls throught into the aftertaste. There is a lingering resiny bitterness as a result.

M: Sticky, with bitter resin coating the mouth. Sometimes I like this, but here it's too grassy and earthy to enjoy.

D: I really wanted to try this, and I'm glad I did -- because I'm satisfied that I don't need to have it again. It's apparently pretty pricey, and there's nothing in here that justifies that to me.

Serving type: can

06-23-2009 03:47:05 | More by Arbitrator

velosuds

Oregon

3.08/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz can into a clear pint glass. No freshness date. Single purchased at local health food store for $1.49. My first craft beer from a can.

A-Clear amber-orange with 1 1/2 finger, off-white head with average retention and moderate lacing. Very pleasing appearance.

S-Piney hops with some citrus aroma present. Very inviting.

T-Somewhat disappointing since the flavor does not match well with expected smell and is dominated by earthy bitterness that is ultimately unbalanced. I couldn't discern any malt backbone. Very bitter, persistent after taste. Not very pleasant. Unsure about freshness, but this has not been a concern from the seller/distributors. I like hoppy IPAs, but prefer balance too. Balance was absent.

M-Begins well but ends up being harsh because of the after taste. Low to medium carbonation gives is it a smoothness that is unfortunately emasculated by the bitterness.

D-An average West Coast IPA. Okay, but I won't buy again. The bitter aftertaste nearly gave me heartburn.

If offered one to drink I would drink it but only after concluding nothing better is available. A bit pricey compared to better Oregon brewed IPAs. I bought this today because I wanted to try some different IPAs on hot day in the Willamette Valley. Overall, I was nonplussed.

Serving type: can

07-26-2009 00:30:37 | More by velosuds

generalnotsew

Tennessee

3.08/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I got a nice head on the pour but the coloring is a much lighter and watery looking amber color than that is expected of most IPA's. The smell is pretty nice. Mostly sweet pineapple but the hops aren't that noticeable. Very sugary as well. But I do have to give it points for being pretty strong in the nose even if it isn't showing bitterness. The bitterness is fairly sharp in the front but it fades into a kind of cheapish sweet corn and cereal like lager. Aftertaste also leaves a lot to be desired. Actually after the initial bitterness there really isn't much other flavor besides the corn and more bitterness. Pretty one dimensional. A bit too overcarbonated and kind of leaves a bad feel in your mouth. Well it is easy drinking. I can give it that. Heard a lot of good things about this beer. It failed to impress me. No canned/best by date so who knows how fresh it is. At $12 a six pack this beer is total fail! I didn't even see the price til it rang up and I thought it was a mistake and had to look at the screen to make sure. Even if it was pretty good that price is pretty bad.

Serving type: can

03-13-2011 04:24:32 | More by generalnotsew

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

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.15/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. canned poured into a pint glass.

Appearance - Dark gold to light amber body with a substantial white head. The foam sticks to the glass and the lacing is decent.

Smell - I get hops, some grapefruit and some pine. It's more of a biscuit malt aroma, though. Kinda smells like an ESB.

Taste - Hops at first, more pine in the flavor than in the smell. Malty behind it. Biscuit malts and a touch of caramel. Not sweet at all, but malty nonetheless. Tastes like an ESB, too.

Mouthfeel - Just a tad heavier than medium bodied. Feels heavier because of low carbonation. Has the feel of an ESB, too!

Overall - Not as hoppy as I would like from an IPA. Better than the other Caldera beer I've had, though. Not something I'd look for.

Serving type: can

07-23-2011 01:16:15 | More by Alieniloquium

mjl21

California

3.18/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 ounce can poure into a snifter. Purchased from Bear Creek Beers in Medford, OR for $1.65. Comes in at 6.1%. No bottling info is given.

A-Pours a fairly clear amber with orange and peach highlights. Has a 3/4 finger off white head that fades fast into a small filmy patch.

S-It is a tad weak in the nose. It almost seems like it was not dry hopped. It reminds me more of bittering hops. There is some grapefruit and pine as well as some biscuit malt and some caramel malt.

T-The first part of each sip is pretty good. There is a bracing level of grapefruit bitterness that hits fast. It is definitely earthy/herbal tasting with a tad bit of malt sweetness in the middle. It finishes with some medicinal flavor and leaves an aspirin aftertaste. It also feels a little roasty.

M-It is thinner bodied and the carbonation is fine. It has a roasty and dry aftertaste.

D-The medicinal/aspirin taste is not my thing.

It is hard to tell if this is how it is supposed to taste based on the fact that there is no bottling info on the can. I would only try this again if I knew it was fresh.

Serving type: can

08-16-2009 16:27:15 | More by mjl21

seeswo

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Can pours that golden-brownish color common to malt forward IPAs. Nice big off-white head leaves sticky remnants all over the glass. The nose is mild caramel malts with a restrained, slightly grapefruit hop presence. The taste is pretty mild. Some lightly tropical, but mostly generic bitterness is largely overshadowed by the heavy caramel malt presence (though not a big sweetness - this beer is pretty dry). Seems somewhat out of balance. Mouthfeel is strong in carbonation and a medium body with some malty stickiness. Overall, this is a very drinkable, very (caramel) malt forward IPA with a mild tropical/generic bitterness. Not nearly my favorite, but not bad. I would call it pretty distinctly average.

Serving type: can

06-16-2011 04:12:52 | More by seeswo

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

My main man woodychandler comes through with yet another canned beer for me to try. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a orange/brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is very hoppy, not much else. Taste is also all hops, dry and bitter, not much else coming through. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

Serving type: can

06-25-2011 14:36:36 | More by tone77

biglobo8971

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I dont believe that I tasted the freshest can, I didnt see a date on the can, so cant affirm or deny. Poured from can into a pilsner glass. Nice orange color which fades to yellow on the outside of the beer. 1/4 inch head that laced the whole glass. Picture alone, this looks like an amazing beer.
Smell was barely apparent. I tried several times to get any aroma at all. I do pick up a faint aroma of orange, pineapple and other citrus notes. No pine smell at all.
Taste is average. Not anything surprising or breath taking. No real note supercedes the rest. Faint hints of orange and citrus fade to a very faint sign of pine on the end.
I rated the mouthfeel better after reading the abv. For having 6.1%, its very easy to drink.
My overall attitude of this beer is that it is ok. Not a great one, and not a bad one. Then again I have no idea how fresh my sample was.

Serving type: can

05-29-2011 23:32:07 | More by biglobo8971

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From notes:

Pours a dark golden copper/amber color with dark ruby red edges hen held to a light source and a massive frothy three finger off-white head. Excellent retention, only slowly fading into a thick lasting cap that leaves sporadic chunks of soapy lacing left behind.

Sweet citrus hop aroma with hints of pineapple, range peel, mango along with subtle earthy pine, subtle light fruit and alcohol.

On the lighter end of medium bodied with a nice balance of sweet citrus, earthy hops and malt backbone. Not overly bitter with hints of grapefruit and pineapple as well as some pine needle and biscuit/graham cracker malt. Slightly dry finish. Decent but nothing out of the ordinary.

Serving type: can

01-06-2011 09:25:07 | More by corby112

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Always interested in a can.

Appearance - A deep copper/amber color. Very clear. Half inch of white soapy head. Laces well.

Smell - Some grapefruit hops, with a touch of pine. Also a little sweet malt. The hops are a little subdued.

Taste - Follows the smell. There is some nice hops up front, but the malt really comes through at the end. There is a real sweetness, and a little burnt maltiness on the finish.

Mouthfeel - A little on the thin side. Nice carbonation.

Drinkability - Pretty decent, it's a nice beer, but nothing special.

This is a maltier "east coast" style ipa. It's a pretty good beer, but not necessarily my favorite.

Serving type: can

11-24-2009 07:24:05 | More by callmescraps

Dubbercody

Washington

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

Apperance: Orange-y, light amber. Lacing left on the glass.

Smell: Nice citrus hop aroma that’s pretty minimal of a NW IPA, a nice chance.

Taste: Malt flavor is rapidly replaced with a pretty bitter lasting hop finish. T

Mouthfeel: darn easy drink....

Drinkability: Tasty beer, I’d drink this again.

Serving type: can

01-01-2008 04:47:59 | More by Dubbercody

woemad

Washington

3.33/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz can purchased at Bottles in Millwood for $1.69. No freshness date. First time I'd seen this beer.

Poured a golden orange color with a creamy, two-inches of off-white head. Strings of lace were seen clinging to the sides of my glass.

The nose was citrusy in a grapefruity sort of way, with some peppery notes. Definitely seemed like a WCIPA.

A bit more herbal in the taste than in the nose, and there's a pineyness that didn't seem to come through in the aroma, all in addition to the citrus noted in the nose. Bone dry finish. While diverse in terms of hoppiness, the malts seem a little too anemic for the beer's own good, and the hops aren't beefy enough to be a true scorcher of an IPA.

Fairly light bodied, though with a mouthfeel that is mildly slick with hop resin.

A mediocre IPA. Beefing up the malts to provide a bit more counterpoint would improve it. Should I find myself in Ashland, I'll give this a try on tap. For now, I'm glad I tried it, but this won't make me switch from Laughing Dog's IPA (my local, go-to IPA)anytime soon.

Serving type: can

06-23-2008 00:45:56 | More by woemad

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