Ashland Amber - Caldera Brewing Company

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Dark ferric oxide coloring, dense in clarity, with a spongy light tan head that didn't hold on long. Slow methodical rise of micro-effervesce with a weak splashy lacing.

S: Nose of sweet buttered caramel with a fresh grassy and herbal scent.

T: Really sweet with a buttery caramel flavor and honey bread. Munich with syrup sweetness. Hints of fresh floral hops, and sweet lemon-rose scents come on the close.

M: Syrupy mouthful, malty fullness with a good deal of carbonation. Powdery reisidual coating.

O: Overall not bad, but a bit overly sweet for my liking. Limited multiples due to sweetness.

Serving type: can

11-20-2012 02:05:35 | More by beerthulhu

sj660

California

4.95/5  rDev +31.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

You need to drink this on tap, in Oregon. Never even seen it in a can. Forget that.

Copper-orange color with a medium-low head. Amazing fresh taste (tap in Ashland, Oregon). Some typical citrus/pine hope aroma, but that isn't the entire point of this one, unlike most of its regional colleagues.

A good complex of nuts and bread.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2012 01:54:14 | More by sj660

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass form a 12oz can.

Pours a nice slightly dark amber color with some nice copper orange edges. a big 1 inch head forms that is nice and dense with some intermingled medium sized bubbles. Its a bit off-shite and as it recedes slowly leaves some nice lacing on the edges of the glass.

Aroma of bready grain. NIce toasty malt notes with some slight sweetness to it. Earthy and yummy. There are some grassy hop notes on the back end that gives it a nice refreshing profile.

Taste starts off with toasty bread notes. Grain, grain and more grain followed by some nice caramel sweetness. A mild grassy hop note accentuates the back but the refreshing and light yet flavorful malt dominate. Body is light and crisp and slight resinous ned to it is perceived.

Overall this brew is good flavorful but nothing special. Their IPA and APA are a bit more special.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 22:45:32 | More by JoEBoBpr

UCLABrewN84

California

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear copper color with a 1 inch foamy orange-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, herbal hops, and some alcohol aromas. Taste is of toasted malt and herbal hop flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is easy to drink but nothing all that exciting in my opinion.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 01:24:49 | More by UCLABrewN84

KajII

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

[Best served in a Shaker glass]

The pour was a cloudy medium orange with a slight pink hue and an average sized (1-2 finger) off white frothy head that receded slowly, down to a thin cap with a large collar creating some good streaky lacing.

The aroma was moderately heavy of a biscuit malt, floral and cascade hops and an earthy yeast with notes of caramel, citrus (grapefruit) and a mild fruity ester (apple).

The taste was lightly malty sweet with a hint of caramel from the onset, becoming a light bitter sweet with a nice touch of hops and citrus towards the end. The flavor was somewhat short in duration with a light sweet grapefruit flavor left behind.

Mouthfeel was light in body and watery in texture with a light to medium carbonation.

Overall a tasty Amber Ale that was lightly fruity sweet with a nice hoppy feel and a great drinkability...

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 16:47:14 | More by KajII

slassy

Ohio

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark caramel/bronze color. Finger sized head, very white and frothy top. I am new to canned craft and micro brews, so this can is unlike anything I've ever seen or drank from before. Trippy.

S: Straight hops with some pine and floral notes.

T: Much maltier than it smells or than what I was expecting, and definitely not as hoppy as I would have predicted. The pine I smelled earlier and some caramel flavors lingers around the most afterwards. Lot going on here.

M: Extremely smooth, and light carbonation you can feel on your tongue and back of the throat. Not thin, but not heavy...just right. Creamy almost.

O: Never been big on reds, but this is far and away the most enjoyable one I've had in my limited sampling. Definitely not a session beer, but absolutely something I would have one or two of to start out a night. Really makes me want to try more crafts and micros from the Pacific Northwest.

Serving type: can into a chalice (it's all I had!)

Serving type: can

05-24-2012 00:52:37 | More by slassy

flagmantho

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz can into a pint glass.

Appearance: nice amber-orange hue with a touch of haze and a nice effervescence. Head is a finger of frothy ivory foam. Quite good!

Smell: rich malty aroma which is quite biscuity, but is nutty and caramelly as well. It's a bit not to my taste, but seems well-crafted. Hop contribution seems low and earthy in character.

Taste: biscuity malt with some bright, citrusy hops in the middle and a moderately bitter finish. Well-composed, if not to my taste.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a big, well-integrated carbonation which yields a delightful creaminess. Good!

Overall: this is actually a pretty decent amber. I don't love the biscuity character demonstrated here, but overall it is a drinkable and otherwise tasty representation of the style.

Serving type: can

04-26-2012 23:26:23 | More by flagmantho

rarbring

Sweden

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

The beer is almost clear dark amber, a quickly settling off-white head, little lacing and some curtains.

Smells tropical fruits and citric dittos, sweet caramel.

Starts with sweet toffee and brown bread, then mango and orange marmalade, bitter grapefruit peel.

Medium carbonation, medium sized bubbles, a bit fizzy and oily, a smooth dry finish.

Not bad at all, somewhere between amber and IPA.

Serving type: can

04-10-2012 17:19:55 | More by rarbring

avalon07

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a can to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Pretty good lacing.

S: A decent aroma of hops, malt, and some citrus.

T: Tasted of hops, a little caramel, citrus, a grassy quality, and some malt in the finish. The flavor is very underwhelming, a bit on the watery side. Very underdeveloped.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This is simply not that memorable of a beer. It has some good qualities, but fails in some categories.

Serving type: can

04-09-2012 12:06:07 | More by avalon07

Nay

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dis a point ing. Caldera products usually good, maybe this can was old. Smells like oxidized sweet caramel, like a watered down barleywine. Flavors pretty well balanced like an amber but the caramel flavor is off. Finish is hoppy but buttery. This must be an old can.

Serving type: can

03-11-2012 23:28:18 | More by Nay

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A deep amber/apricot flesh color, with a soapy head that sinks very quickly; minimal lace remains.

Lightly hopped aroma with sweet malty caramel. Taste follows the nose, fruity and sweet malt, faint floral hops. Feels underhopped for a contemporary American amber. Medium body, smooth, with moderate carbonation.

Tasty enough and should satisfy fans of this style, but a little blander than I'd like. Sweeter than expected, perhaps, with restrained bitterness. Interesting that as I worked my way through the glass I perceived it as blander and with the carbonation becoming more prickly as I drank...odd. Had higher expectations after absolutely loving Caldera's IPA. A bit disappointing.

Serving type: can

01-17-2012 16:35:12 | More by tobelerone

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.35/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P: Pours a rich copper color with a white foamy finger of fast fading head. Not much lacing on sides once swirled, pretty docile.

N: A sweet malty citrus malt with hints of nuts and floral hops. Maybe some hidden pine lurking in the mix.

T/M: Sweet malt with roasted nuts. Nice addition of floral hops and a dry slightly bitter orange peel finish. Medium body with a touch of tingle on the way down. Comes across much like an IPA.

O: Good mix of bitter and sweet, rolls around the tongue rather nicely. Nice amber for sure one of my favorites thus far. Nice relaxing beer to enjoy. Will revisit soon.

Serving type: can

12-30-2011 00:12:41 | More by Hopswagger

BrewerB

California

4.35/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed this can at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa.

Pouring into a Firestone Walker nonic pint glass. Mostly clear amber hued with an off-white head that formed a couple fingers thick and retains well.

Lightly toasted nuttiness with a piney, citrus-rind hop. Slight salted cracker underneath.

Forward medium to medium-high bitterness with a citrus hop kick. Malt makes itself known, complimenting the hop flavor with toasty/nutty quality. Medium-finish lets the malts linger on in the palette. Dry.

Medium-light bodied with a moderate-level of carbonation.

This is one of the better amber ales I've sampled. Excellent toasty/nutty malt pairs excellent with the citrusy hops. Beautifully balanced, one I'd return to again and again.

Serving type: can

11-22-2011 02:56:49 | More by BrewerB

Samp01

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice copper / amber with a medium tan lasting head and nice lacing. Aroma of earthy piney hops, followed by some caramel malt and nice fruity bouquet. Taste is resiny earthy piney hops with some nice caramel maltiness and light fruity notes. Palate is nice crisp medium body with good carbonation. Finish is sweet caramel malt with some fruitiness ending with a good hoppy bitterness. Overall a seemed a bit on the hoppy side but seems to be well balanced, a good drinkable brew.

Serving type: can

11-18-2011 19:29:54 | More by Samp01

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale amber with a mountain of white, dense, foamy head that has great retention. The nose has faint notes of bready malt, citrusy and pineapple hop aromas, and slight soapiness. The taste is slightly bready malt up front with a mellow citrusy, pineapple-like hop finish. The mouthfeel is lighter than expected, moderately carbonated, but smooth and drinkable.

This is an enjoyable beer, but it's hard to classify as an amber. There are notes of mild IPA all over this. The malt characteristics are typical West Coast IPA as are the hops. Overall, despite the style arguments, it's delicious and enjoyable.

Serving type: can

11-09-2011 23:53:09 | More by tdm168

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass on 9/27/11

Clear, honey-brown amber with a touch of copper. One thumb of puffy foam; it starts to dissipate quickly. Tiny granules of lace follow the beer with each sip; many slide right down the glass.

Smells ok; floral hops and hint of leafy hops are blocked by a strong caramel and doughy bread combo. Hmm; perhaps this isn't the freshest. The flavor profile is set up in a similar manner. There is a decent showing of hops, but they are floral and delicate; bitterness is very low. Perhaps a subtle nip of pine here and there. Solid caramel and bread backdrop, but the hops aren't pushed aside. Around medium body with rolling carbonation. Finishes pretty clean.

This is a pleasant drinking amber ale. I'd like to try it super fresh at some point.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 00:20:53 | More by Ryan011235

cbarrett4

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Possibly the best amber I have tasted in recent memory.

Poured from can into Deschutes becker style pint glass.

Really lovely amber hue with reddish highlights, pure white head leaving a gorgeous lace.

Initially comes off metallic, (after enjoying their pale ale), but second sip doesn't have that issue. Lots of bright fruit, bready yeast and malt notes, hint of English style hops and caramel. Really stunning if not overly complex nose.

Richly flavored with emphasis on the malts. Really nice caramel streak with apple, fig, bread, and nutty notes. Gorgeous.

Texture is wonderful, superb grip and wonderful intensity of flavor. Medium to long finish, great balance. Alcohol is moderate so this is nearly sessionable.

This does what amber ales are supposed to do: be enjoyable, complex, and balanced. Awesome stuff!

Serving type: can

09-07-2011 19:39:10 | More by cbarrett4

ReelBigwigFish

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass

A: Transparent dark amber color, very frothy off white head, leaving tons of lacing and the head receding into a fluffy pillow over the beer.

S: Sweet caramel and bready malt aromas, mixing pretty evenly with citrus fruit and pine hops. Smells very good, but would prefer a little heavier on the hop.

T: Delicious blend of the sweet and bready malt flavors with (mostly) piney hops. Finishes on the dry side with pine flavors lingering.

M/O: Medium body, light-medium carbonation, gets a little creamy in the middle. Insanely drinkable. Definitely a great session beer. I prefer my ambers with a little more hop, but this beer is really good.

Serving type: can

09-07-2011 02:31:11 | More by ReelBigwigFish

MTNboy

Germany

4.22/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It has a dark bronze and amber body. The head and lace are full, rocky and tan. The aroma is sweet but there is some yeast spice and little floral accents. It reminds me of a pale ale flavor a bit bitter, grapefruit like but has a sweet melon finish. The mouthfeel is medium. The carbonation had a lot of staying power.

Serving type: can

08-07-2011 09:41:03 | More by MTNboy

Phelps

Arizona

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a small snifter.

Honey-colored and perfectly clear, topped with a fizzy khaki head that crackles and pops to nothingness after a few seconds. A tiny sticky ring is left behind.

Sweet nose. Apricot, apple juice, sweet honey-baked biscuits. More sweet than bready.

The flavor seems at first as if it'll be majorly hoppy, with lots of earthy, spicy bitterness. Fruit soon takes over, however, with honey drizzled apple slices. It’s almost like apple or apricot pie, with malt delivering the buttery crust. The slightly drying finish leaves lingering toasted biscuit notes.

Medium-light body, soft carbonation but moderate fizziness.

Caldera has themselves a very drinkable amber here. It skews to the sweet and fruity, with the bright fruit flavors intriguing and bringing you back for another sip, and just enough hops to balance.

Serving type: can

07-25-2011 22:49:56 | More by Phelps

rootbeerman

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: a can of amber liquid that pours to a finger of short lasting head, but does leave a bit of a halo.
S: mostly caramel sweet malt. Then hidden within the sweetness is a nice touch of pine hops.
T: very malty and sweet but has a nice hop background that is mostly piny but not overly bitter.
M: smooth a touch thick but the carbonation.
O: I really like this, this could be my everyday brew.

Serving type: can

07-24-2011 09:52:10 | More by rootbeerman

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A can on the late poured into a pint glass.

A- a stiff pour brings about three good fingers of light tan head that rises above the glass a bit and holds nicely before settling to a thick ring, a thin skin on top, and a few spots of sticky lace. Sunset amber orange in color with a touch of haze to it.

S- a killer juicy fruity hopping up front and a mildly sweet and bready malt backbone. Simple but great smelling stuff.

T- light citrus and tropical fruits on top of a well balanced malt profile that brings some light caramel and toasted bread. Super clean finish.

M- medium body and about the same in carb. Just right for the style. Amazingly thirst quenching and refreshing.

O- great amber right here. I could kill a sixer of these no problem and I will be as soon as I can. I gota find out how much a case of this is for my next beach run.

Serving type: can

07-06-2011 05:29:29 | More by oglmcdgl

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear medium yellowish amber. Cream-colored head, slightly orange tint, and ample. Lots of big bubbles that break fast, leaving a thin layer on the surface. Tons of bubbly streams rising up through the glass. Decent lacing.

Smell is mostly hops. I can tell the malts are there, but I don't really pick them up directly. The initial hop hit after the pour is really nice, with a decent amount of citrus and some pine. After that, it fades, leaving mostly light aromatics.

Taste is a good balance, with no flavors really pushing out from the pack. A solid blend of tangy light malts and gentle barely-bitter hops pretty much all the way through. I like the flavor, I just wish it were more persistent. It disappears rather quickly, leaving some grassy hop flavors for a short time before they're gone completely. Very little bitterness anywhere in the taste.

Medium-light in body, carbonation is slightly less than average. Finish is like soft water.

A good, balanced amber ale. No powerful flavors, but the whole comes out really nice. A well-balanced, tasty beer.

Serving type: can

06-29-2011 04:36:05 | More by zeledonia

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Can. Poured into a tulip glass a fairly clear copper amber color with a 2 finger ligth tan head. The nose has a sweet orange caramel aroma mixed with a slight breadiness. Medium mouthfeel. Starts with a light sweet orange flavor mixed with a some caramel notes. Slight bitterness in the end that lingers for a second. A fairly straight forward amber. Not bad but nothing extraordinary. Some lace left on the glass.

Serving type: can

06-02-2011 22:35:14 | More by kbutler1

loren01

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an amber color, good sized bubbly white head with nice lacing down the glass
S: Nice hop aroma is the first thing I notice, also some honey sweetness in there
T: Biscut malt flavor up front followed by a nice crisp hop flavor.
M: Light to medium bodied carbonation is just right
D: This is a very drinkable beer, goes down very easily...very tasty amber.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 03:04:42 | More by loren01