Vas Deferens Ale - Caldera Brewing Company

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Decent malty brew. Served with a nice sized, light tan head that slowly settled and a bit o' lace. Color is a clear, dark cherry brown. Aroma is roast, malt, fruit. Flavor's like nose, plus nutmeats. Body is superb and ditto carbonation. Finish is like flavor, not that long, but exceedingly drinkable. Killer brew!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 03:01:52 | More by drpimento

GRG1313

California

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

I believe that this is not going to be a rotating beer but that this is a limited one time brew. Just my belief subject to confirmation but this is part of the Caldera Kettle Series, a "Limited Small Batch Seasonal Release."

Pours a dark copper red with a yellow/white head.

Sharp smokey spice sweet cherry cola nose.

Mouthfeel is thin/medium thin with a light "elegant" carbonation. Light creamy character.

Flavors follow nose; all smokey, spice sweet cherry cola and lots of cocoa flavors. Very well balanced in that there is a hint of bitter sweet chocolate that goes to a bitter sweet chocolate finish.

Flavors do have definite undertones of the orange bitters and blood orange zest.

Nothing stands out but this beer if really welcoming and immensely drinkable; you just want to keep drinking more. A much more complex brew with loads of flavors profiles that sneak up on you. Very nice effort.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 04:06:24 | More by GRG1313

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Seriously fucked up label, yo! Love it.

Appearance. Pours a dark red-brown with a finger of thick off-white head.

Smell. Brown sugar, oranges, some dark fruits. Smells really nice actually!

Taste. Brown sugar and caramel malts, some sweet darker malt, oranges, chocolate and raisins.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, below medium very smooth carbonation.

Overall. Really surprised how enjoyable this one was. I figured it was just a novelty but it's a decent beer to say the least.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 03:30:47 | More by Rutager

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Pours mahogany with an amber hue and a half inch head of tan. A whisp of foam on the surface and a few dots of lacing thoughout the glass.

Aromatics lead off with raisins, chocolate-laced malt, cloves, bubblegum, and plums. Hints of citrus, smoke, espresso, and cocoa follow through.

Medium bodied with a slick, chewy mouthfeel. Extremely light carbonation for the style. Tacky and a bit syrupy.

Plump malt, caramel, brown sugar, and raisins start the palate. Dark rum with orange oils follows through along with hints of roast, peppercorns, and booze.

Finishes with rum-soaked raisins, sweet malt, and a citric undertone.

Tasty enough but there's an odd bitterness that lingers. The spicing adds a nice touch but the beer drinks more like a "Gran Cru".

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 00:15:33 | More by brewandbbq

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer poured from a bottle into a beer mug. The beer pours an extremely dark brown with a foamy, light 2" head. The beer has smells of alcohol, citrus, and heavy malts, but all well blended together. The beer has a robust burst of flavors, again well blended like the smell. There are flavors of malt, sweetness, citrus/orange, and a little bit of molasses undertone. It's impressive that these bold flavors all blend so well, and the beer still manages to be smooth in mouth. There is an alcohol tinge to the flavor, and it is rather pleasant along with the rest of the beer. There is a very smooth finish, as well, and the beer is surprisingly easy to drink despite all the strong flavors and the decent ABV. Pretty decent brew, and it's unfortunate that this is a rare release. I think this could be a decent flagship beer for the brewery. If it weren't for the sticker price, I would bring home a lot of this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 23:29:06 | More by GarthDanielson

CHILLINDYLAN

Washington

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber with an awesome label.
Clear deep amber with razzberry and apricot highlights. A big dense tan head with decent retention. Tight sheets of lace.

Blood orange, caramel, dark candi sugar/brown sugar, toasty, spices, pie crust. Some fruity Belgian yeast esters.

Sweet toasty caramel, brown sugar and spices, pie crust. Bitter blood orange. Nice and bitter, counters the sweetness.

Smooth, no bite. Full feeling medium body. Slow med carbonation.

Very drinkable and interesting brew. Complex, lots of flavors, and very enjoyable. Hilarious name and label.

bomber enjoyed 9/12/10

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 22:41:40 | More by CHILLINDYLAN

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - brown with a reddish hue; short-lived, soft, white head

S - bready, caramel, some alcohol

T - caramel, nutty, faint roasted, light bitter finish, some spiciness, warming alcohol

M - medium to full bodied, smooth, well carbonated

Not a bad beer. It's nutty and caramelly like a brown ale. The oranges don't come through for me. The alcohol is noticeable but doesn't detract from the flavor. I liked this but I don't like the Belgian label. They may have used Belgian yeast but it comes across more as a brown than a BSDA. Worth a try nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 18:40:01 | More by tdm168

bbb099

California

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Impressive, clear reddish amber color with a foamy white head.

S - Licorice, dark fruits, and cocoa. Almost imperial stout-like.

T - Smoky roasted malt and dark fruits with an orange-finish.

M - Low carbonation, full-bodied.

O - Decent aroma and taste. The orange didn't come through as strong as I thought, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 20:29:27 | More by bbb099

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

650ml bottle poured into tulip 9/5/13 cheers Rutager for the bottle

A if I was judging a book by its cover this ones a "5"for sure, the Devil pumping out a vasectomy by chewing through the Vas Deferens? fucked up to say the least. The beer has a reddish brown color with plenty of streams feeding a short lived finger of foam that leaves some random lace

S hazelnut and brown sugar with a little yeast and coco, I get the the orange after it warms, and it has some earthy notes, smells simple but I like it

T cola comes out and the brown sugars a little burnt, molasses I didn't smell and some anise and plum to go with it, smells good but I thought the nose was kicking ass

M medium bodied and very slick after the fact, bubbles give a little life but it could use a little more, no heat but slimy after the fact, orange peels nutty and lingers faintly

O I thought this one was a good example of the style and even though this was a want based purely on the label the beer itself was pretty good

I myself was sterilized by the devil when I hit puberty, I was told it was for the good of my species. I'm not bitter about it or anything like that I'm just disappointed with the artists interpretation of the event.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 06:14:31 | More by wordemupg

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had to get this one for the name, Grabbed a bottle when I came across it at the store. The pour was a murky orange brown color with a fluffy tan colored head on it. The smell of Belgian yeast was prominent, along with some citrusy aromas and earth too. The taste of the beer had some sweet notes up front with the fruits and brown sugars that might be in there. The finish was a little on the dry and spicy side. The mouthfeel I thought was just a little thin. Overall the beer was worth the try for sure. I would probably buy this one again in the fututre.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 03:17:48 | More by Knapp85

chumba526

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appears dark brown with a medium light brown head.

It smells of oranges, chocolate, nutty malts and it strangely smells a bit like cherries.

It tastes strongly of oranges. The orange flavor almost has a fresh taste to it. The malt taste to the beer is a bit nutty and chocolate like. There is a noticeable amount of Belgian yeast flavor. I get a tangy almost chalky flavor from the yeast. The yeast also seems to add some fruity characteristic to the beer. This most orange tasting beer I have ever had. They must have added a lot of orange zest to the beer.

The carbonation is medium low in this beer. It has a smooth carbonation to it.

The drinkability is pretty good for the how high it is in alcohol. The beer has a smooth flavor so it is quite easy to drink.

Overall, a distinctive creative ale that has some minor flaws but overall is a nice tasting beer. This is an interesting take on Belgian strong ale. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 03:31:16 | More by chumba526

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A different Belgian. Aging this several months, in Tim's ideal garage helped mellow the yeasty part, leading way to the blood orange taste. Cross-style. Earthy. Very good drinkability.Not too sweet, more like a "juice not from concentrate".

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 03:11:49 | More by northyorksammy

sgsmfdoom

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smell is light, almost non-existent, must be trapped in the dark amber. Very light head tops a thin effervescent surface. Taste is belgian yet bitter, with very little of the promised oranges. I'm getting a lot of roast out of this, which normally would be a compliment but it just doesn't fit what I was expecting. Aside from the bitter notes the beer is pretty good, it's almost like a belgian strong dark coffee stout ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 03:35:54 | More by sgsmfdoom

match1112

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: dark brown with amber highlights, no head or lacing.

s: dark malts, medicine, little orange and rubbing alochol.

t: malts, caramel, no medicine but dark fruits, other than bitters no other orange taste detected.

m: full body with some bitterness.

o: worth trying once, dont think i'll seek this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 00:15:50 | More by match1112

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a deep amber hue deep and dark with only a finger of head that quickly reduces to nothing.

S - Smells like a Belgium Brown ale with chestnuts and fruity yeasts. Maybe a mild twang of citrus bitterness.

T - Quite good the orange like zest is kind of bittering and mixes well with the typical fruity flavors of a Belgium ale. A slight touch of chocolate and brown nutty malts as well.

M - Medium and chewy yet easy to drink.

Overall totally worth the 6 dollars to try. A tasty Belgium brewed with blood orange.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 00:36:06 | More by DrDemento456

mjyoung

California

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Drank 11/5/11

A: A slightly reddish amber hue, with a head that dissipates quickly and completely. Intriguing simply because it's a different color.

S: It smells like an orange chocolate bar. Not what I was expecting at all, but I like it. Not the most exceptional or complex beer I've had, but it's good.

T: Again, orange chocolate. Mmm mmm good. Very well balanced, and not a hint of booze.

M: Good intermediate body, but nothing special.

O: I enjoyed this beer, but I much prefer Caldera's other offerings.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 04:58:55 | More by mjyoung

pitasoup

Tennessee

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours clear dark brown with a hint of ruby. one finger of white head, very fine buttles that are slow to subside, no lacing.

S: barley malt, orange zest, pumpkin spices? i'd almost want to guess summit hops without the onionyness.

T: slight hop bitterness at first, then smoked and barley malts, vanilla, bread, campfire, caramel, honey, and lingering hops. a touch of minerallyness, perhaps crystal hops?

M: slightly astringent from the carbonation that quickly subsided to smooth medium bodied barley malt. marginally tart on the tongue afterwards.

O: bottle says orange bitters and zest - i only taste zest, and not that much, which may have been better replicated w/ appropriate hops. a fun beer overall, i'd drink it again, but not at the large-bottle price. if it sold itself as a brown ale, i'd like it more. belgian yeasts arent as present, and the intended spicing is overwhelmed by roasted barley. i liked this a lot, despite being oddly unfitting to any style.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 03:48:12 | More by pitasoup

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish brown. Fairly clear with a bit of white head. Smells orange heavy and sweet dark carmels malts. Vry rich and dark . Brown sugar sweetness. Almost a burnt caramel on he tongue, the orange is not as strong as i would like. Thick and full bodied. Overall very nice compared to what I expected

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 00:59:43 | More by Urbancaver

DeanMoriarty

California

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Somewhat disturbing but hilarious label - the devil ripping a vasa deferentia in two, thus completing a vasectomy, hence the name "Vas Deferens". The label states, "A belgiian-style ale with a unique twist incorporating a little snip of this and a little snip of that."

Poured this from a 220z bottle into a Brouwerij 't Ij tulip.

A: Deep copper, reddish hue (i'm assuming this is from the blood oranges) with a 1" head that dissipates slowly and leaves small amounts of lacing. Really nice looking.

S: Sweet cherry, citrus and chocolate with some spicy herbals in there as well.

T: The orange is there with a heavy chocolate flavor and creamy stout characteristics that are very prevalent (roasty and malty). Not as strong of a flavor as the look and ABV would suggest.

M: Medium bodied but on the lighter side for this style of beer. Mellow carbonation with a spicy bight.

D: Looks like it would be an intense beer, but it's actually smooth and easy to drink. Good dessert beer after a nice dinner.

My only gripe is the price - $10.49 a bottle! Come on guys, seems like you could drop the price on this a bit. I understand it's limited release, but there are far better beers in the $7. range (which would be a much more accurate price for your product).

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 06:29:19 | More by DeanMoriarty

Mora2000

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bman1113vr for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a clear brown color with a tan head. The aroma is heavy on the toffee and not too much else. The flavor is toffee, leather, tobacco, wood and dark fruit. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A decent beer but nothing too exciting.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 05:08:51 | More by Mora2000

emmasdad

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to inflatablechair for sending out this great extra last month. Shared with a few others last saturday night. Poured a nice reddish brown color, with a bit of tan head on top. Aromas of toasted malt, caramel, orange zest and yeast. Medium bodied, with flavors of orange, caramel, toasted malt and yeast.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 19:30:57 | More by emmasdad

vande

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: a coppery, somewhat bronze type color with a nice thin layer of lace left atop.
S: Malty and some dark fruit notes... plumb/fig..but a sweet
T: the malty sweentness blended with the dark fruits do make for an interesting tasting beer.
M: medium bodied dark ale, relatively easy to drink...
O: pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 00:39:13 | More by vande

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear russet color with a rocky head that leaves a fair amount of lacing

Smell: Brown bread, chocolate powder and orange

Taste: Tastes as it smells, with the bread and chocolate forward and the orange developing by mid-palate; adds some caramel sweetness, after the swallow though the finish has an odd, phenolic character

Mouthfeel: Medium body and moderate carbonation

Overall: Let's be honest, here - as a BSDA it is a pretty weak effort but I still rather enjoyed the beer; call it an English Brown with a twist and I would be inclined to rate it higher

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 21:54:54 | More by brentk56

beer2day

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had to give this a try, based on the name and the label. A bit disturbing, if you dwell on it too much.

Ruby brown with 1-finger pale cream head. Light lace and just a touch of head left at the bottom of the glass. Great color, though.

Nose is caramel and brown sugar with a touch of Belgian yeast. Getting the orange zest about half-way through the glass.

Orange much more evident in the taste, with more blood orange than zest. Lots of caramel malt and sweet molasses here. A bit of roasted toffee, too. Touch of bitter orange in the finish. Nice twist.

Feel is pretty solid. Very creamy with just a touch of carbonation.

Overall well worth trying. Just got to get past that label.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:00:46 | More by beer2day

Bendurgin

Maine

3.6/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I got this one from Lazerlobe a while back in a BIF. Thanks again! Poured into a tulip. The beer pours a dark mahogany with slight red hughs and a small off white head.

Interesting aroma here. I get dark chocolaty malts with a hint of orange zest. Don't really know where the chocolate is coming from but this smells pretty good. Choclate taste without much noticability of orange flavors as the label of the beer would indicate. Strong malt flavors here.

The feel is pretty good, soft carbonation and a full body help this a lot. Good beer, kind of a sipper and it's not so much what I thought it would be as the label indicates but an interesting effort.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 22:00:47 | More by Bendurgin