I was really, really surprised I didn't care for this beer as much as I thought I would.. I've seen it on the shelves before around Cincinnati and I had been meaning to try it. After receiving it as a surprise in a box, I decided to give it a whirl.
It pours a nice crystal clear amber-red with a fluffy head. As it recedes, it leaves a nice lacing. The smell is fruity hops with a sweet, malty undertone.
The taste is what put me off this beer. It has all of the hoppiness of the smell with none of the sweetness. It doesn't seem particularly balanced to me, especially when the finish is so bitter.
The body and carbonation are about typical for an American IPA: medium and medium-light, respectively.
Over all, this beer is just not balanced enough, in my opinion. The very bitter finish is unappealing to me. I realize it is a West Coast American IPA, but the best beers of that style always have a strong malt backbone to even out the hop overload. Not in this case. I give Caldera IPA by Caldera Brewing a B-.
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.1%
IBU: 94
Beer Advocate: B+
Ratebeer: B+
Acquired via a box from a very generous Beer Advocate in Oregon. I believe I have seen this in Cincy/NKY before, though, so you should be in good shape if you would like to try it.
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