Caldera Brewing Company - Hopportunity Knocks® IPA

Hopportunity Knocks® IPA by Caldera Brewing Company is a bold, old-school West Coast-style IPA that leans fully into the character of Centennial hops. Built on a malt bill of Premium Two Row, Munich, and Crystal malts, it is hopped with 100% Centennial for a distinctly piny, perfumy profile. With a bracing 100 IBU, this is very much a beer for drinkers who enjoy assertive bitterness and classic hop intensity. In the glass, Hopportunity Knocks pours a deep amber to dark copper shade with a sturdy tan head, signaling the malt backbone that supports all that hop character. Beyond the pine, layers of orange peel, floral notes, lemon citrus, and a touch of bready malt give the beer more depth than a one-note bitter bomb. That balance is part of its appeal: the Centennial hops drive the experience, but the malt bill keeps the beer grounded and satisfying from first sip to finish. The result is a flavorful, hop-forward IPA with a firm Pacific Northwest personality—resinous, aromatic, and unapologetically bitter, yet still rounded enough to remain highly drinkable for fans of classic American IPA.

Caldera Brewing Company is one of Oregon’s most storied and important breweries. As a young man, Caldera’s founder, homebrewer Jim Mills, went to work at Rogue – another one of Oregon’s famous breweries, whose Dead Guy Ale is a West Coast icon. Initially a bartender, he ended up eventually working as a brewer’s assistant before being elevated to Rogue’s head brewer in 1994. The next year, he started working on a business plan for his very own brewery, and in 1997 he launched Caldera with himself as head brewer, producing and selling its first beers in kegs.

Initially, Caldera produced their beer exclusively in kegs to service regional draft accounts, but soon demand had developed to the point that a retail expansion was warranted. In 2005, Caldera made the bold choice to embrace cans, becoming the first West Coast brewery – and one of the first in the country – to do so. Aside from the superior protection from damaging light, the cans were much lighter than glass and easily recyclable, helping to fulfill Caldera’s goal of sustainable beer production. In 2011, Caldera opened a brand new 28,000 sq. ft. facility including a full restaurant in addition to a new 30-barrel brewing system. Additionally, their original 10-barrel system remains in use to this day to craft smaller-batch, experimental beers.

Caldera currently produces a wide array of year-round and seasonal beers, in addition to a line of hard seltzers, plus craft sodas and sparkling waters. They believe their mountain water and dedication to using whole flower hops instead of the more common, cheaper, and easier hop pellets, are among their major differentiators, especially with IPAs and other hoppy styles. After enjoying their beers greatly, we find it hard to argue with that! For more info on their brewery and restaurant, visit them at calderabrewing.com.