IPA - Lucky Bucket Brewing Co.

Zaimejs

Nebraska

4.78/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have been looking forward to trying Lucky's IPA and I finally had the chance at Shuck's Oyster Bar (Absolutely Fresh!). The green label on the bottle hints at refinement and almost a throwback to a better time. Maybe I exaggerate, but there was something nostalgic about it.

Anyway... the beer. I asked the waitress for a glass so I could see what I was drinking. I was not disappointed. The pour was glorious. The rich, dark ale poured smoothly, foaming just enough to release the aromatic overtones of hops and undertones of fruitiness.

I was pleased to find that the IPA was not overly hoppy or biting. It was smooth and quite drinkable. I love a strong IPA, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for something a bit more special from Lucky, and I found it. Sometimes, after starting with an IPA, I like to switch to something a bit more mild, but in this case, I was fine sticking with this brew. It had a clean finish full of flavor without an overload of bitter.

Good beer. Enjoy! Can't wait to try it from a tap.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 12:21:48 | More by Zaimejs

Greggy

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Orange color body, hazed with a little fine yeast sediment. Head is off white/very light tan. Decent retention and some sparse lacing.

S- Hoppy grapefruit/pine and marmalade.

T- Starts with nice earthy hoppiness plus grassy/pineapple notes. After about 15 seconds, this beer comes alive and transitions into a nice hop dryness while the palette gets swallowed by great hop oils.

M- Appropriate carbonation, big body and great finish.

O- Great IPA, definitely try this.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 05:43:38 | More by Greggy

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Got this as an extra from grownfool in our excellent trade-- Thanks man!
Poured into tulip pint (my go to glass for IPAs!)

Wow. The head on this thing rose a solid finger ABOVE the rim of the glass... And it held on tight. Not a drop was lost. It was thick and foamy, huge bubbles around the edges with microbubbles in the middle. It reminds me of a root beer float-- at least in terms if head. The body is slightly hazy coppery orange that really glows when backlit. The creamy tan head is frothy, and as it subsides the giant bubbles disappear leaving a thick froth-- almost looks like it was served on nitro! Pretty decent lacing to boot! The color is a tad darker than I like, but this is a great looking beer nonetheless. The retention is damn nice.

If the color can be any indication, I'd guess this has a decent amount of malt... Mmmmm... Nice strong backbone of caramel malt. The hops are here too-- grapefruit mostly, perhaps a little orange peel. The flavor is just as I'd hoped-- sweet caramel malt with an assertive hop profile of citrus notes that dries it out and keeps it refreshing through and through. Very strong bitterness at the finish, but doesn't linger too long... That makes this a great brew to drink.

I can't detect any alcohol on this one, so couple that with a nice medium body and carbonation, and I'd say we have a winner.

If I lived in Nebraska, I'd be proud. Well done gentlemen. I'll be happy to drink this again, anytime.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 01:56:29 | More by AleWatcher

SaCkErZ9

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I think this may be my first foray into a brew from the great state of Nebraska. BA used to have all my reviews where I could look them up by state, but no longer :( If the beer is anything like the college football (used to be), this should be a treat. Purchased a sixer of this from Bearden Beer Garden in Knoxville, TN.

Pours from the 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Golden amber in color with a stiff, creamy, one finger sized head. Gentle lacing with nice retention.

Aroma is as an IPA should be. Hops fill the nostrils followed by a decent bit of maltiness. The maltiness doenst smell sweet but smells more biscuity, letting the hops do all of the work. Great citrus nose.

Spot on flavors for the style. I like my IPAs bitter and this one foots the bill nicely. There is some slight earthiness in there but the majority of the flavors coming across are citrus in nature. Slightly floral.

A great IPA if you ask me. My only complaint is that the mouthfeel is a little thin. I dont know what the rest of the beer in NE is like, but this was a sure winner. I would certainly drink some of this anytime, anywhere possible.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 20:26:54 | More by SaCkErZ9

wagenvolks

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz stubby bottle into a Sam Adam's perfect pint glass. Daps & handshakes to ballz50401 for a killer Nebraskan extra!

Lucky Bucket's IPA pours nicely to form a sizable tuft of fluffy, meringue-colored head that hardly budges from its perch atop a clear amber-golden liquid. Lots of carbonation and sticky lace. Aroma suggests pungent hop aromas of pine resin and grapefruit zest. Big backing of amber & pale malts adds some caramel sweetness. Really liking this beer thus far...

Oh, wow! A bold hop flavor hits the palate hard with bitter tree sap and herbal, almost minty-tasting hop cones. Excellent balance of pale malts adds just the right amount of sweetness with a kiss of honey biscuit and toffee. Mouthfeel is perfect in every way--tight carbonation level rolls effortlessly through a medium-thin body and crisp, semi-dry finish. Lots of hop flavor all the way through, and the hop profile is unique enough to make this IPA stand out. Definitely a must-try for any fan of *Humulus lupulus*.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2010 04:59:21 | More by wagenvolks

phenomenologian

Nebraska

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lucky Bucket brews in La Vista, Nebraska not far from where I live so I can get whatever they brew at pretty much any store. this IPA is my favorite IPA at the moment. I poured this in a beer glass. The head is rather thick. its a wet and large head with a sort of beige-ish white color. More beige than white. The color of the beer is very amber dark. it is sort of orange brown dark hue. its not cloudy and you can see the bubbles rise upward. the smell is amazing because its full full of hops. it has a nice bitter hoppy smell to it that you can smell without even having to put your nose up to the glass. its very robust and has a lot of character. the taste obviously hoppy and just has a nice overall bitter taste. that sounds negative but its entirely not. its not smooth but its kind of a beer that you drink slowly and enjoy the flavor. I really like this beer because how strong and hoppy it is. if you dont like strong beers this is not for you of course.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 20:07:59 | More by phenomenologian

adman08

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours slightly hazy golden amber with ample off-white head. Nice fine bubbles.
S-Slightly sweet aroma with a strong citrus hop scent. Slightly herbal hop aroma as well.
T-Very hop forward with a nice malt balance, slight caramel malt flavor. Strong citrus hop flavor with a slightly earthy hop flavor, matches the aroma.
M-Medium body with a distinct malt sweetness. Dry finish probably from the hop bitterness. Good carbonation.
Overall, a very nice IPA. Maybe a little too sweet but very good hop flavors. Slightly hazy, could be more clear.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 22:09:12 | More by adman08

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a pint glass at the Broadway Brewhouse in Nashville, TN. Clear, light orange/yellow body with a one finger off-white head. A few rings of lacing as I work my way down the glass.

Definite piney and grassy aroma up front that features the hops. Just a bit of sweet malt in the background.

Boom! Nice bitter hop bite right away. Pine resin, cut grass, lemon, and a hint of orange citrus. Only a bit of balance from the malt, but this is one serious "in your face" hoppy IPA. I like it.

Medium thickness in the mouthfeel. that drinks pretty easily, for a true hop-head. Well done, Lucky Bucket.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 00:18:15 | More by FanofHefe

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

"A nation trying to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle."

--Winston Churchill

Dark bronze-like orange with sunny pumpkin highlights. Nearly two fingers of pale caramel colored foam was produced on the pour and looks good at all points in its lifespan. Here's hoping that abundant lace means abundant hop resins.

The nose keeps the happy train chugging right along. LBIPA smells like a caramel-malted brew that uses a generous amount of American hops. Amarillo, Centennial and Cascade (great choices all) add the usual white grapefruit and orange zest. If the proportions between malt and hops is on the money, this should be damn good beer.

Ain't no holes in this (Lucky) Bucket. This is solid ale from front to back and side to side. As always when it comes to American IPAs, the three most important gotta-haves are quality ingredients... of sufficient quantity... and in the right proportions. How hard is that? It must be fairly difficult because relatively few pull it off this well.

Any AIPA that uses the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale blueprint (whether intentional on the part of the brewers or not) has a better than 50-50 chance to be hugely enjoyable beer. Plenty of caramel and toasted malt on the bottom end, plenty of biting citrus zest on the top end. What could be better than that?

The mouthfeel would be big enough even if the ABV was 7.5%. My big beer bias is not easy to please sometimes... and these guys did it with room to spare. Excellent carbonation as well.

It's always a good day when another delicious, drinkable IPA makes it to store shelves in Iowa. I'll still be picking up my annual 12 bottles of Celebration Ale, but Lucky Bucket IPA has the advantange of being available year-round. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 11:45:02 | More by BuckeyeNation

StoneTSR

Colorado

4.16/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

APPEARANCE: The pour is a hazy orange with a strong, egg shell colored head of about a half-inch. It very slowly recedes setting up a very nice lacing…

SMELL: Very solid nose. While this is a bitter smelling, grassy and lemon/citrusy IPA, there also is enough sweet smell to predict that this will be a very well balanced beer.

TASTE: OK, so it isn’t quite as balanced as the nose would have suggested, but that is by no means a bad thing. The grassy and citrus flavors give way to a hint of pine and a subtle caramel finish. As the beer warms, though, the balance does come more into focus with a bigger presence from the malt.

MOUTHFEEL: Medium carbonation, but with a rich, creamy feel. The body is medium to big, but it doesn’t sit too heavy.

OVERALL: Excellent offering from a Nebraska brewery. Lucky Bucket is helping to make the Cornhusker State a destination for beer travelers.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 06:42:09 | More by StoneTSR

DCon

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap @ the Bearden Beer Market in Knoxville, Tennessee for $4.50. Tapped from the a Black Standard Tap Handle (not from Brewery) into a 16oz Highland Brewing Company Pint Glass.

Aroma- The aroma hits hard with citrus and pine. Strong like a 2X IPA and enjoy this! Can't get much better.

Appearance- Received with a 2 finger head that dies quick. Has a dark orange colored body with good clarity. Leaves good lacing behind.

Flavor- The hops are very strong in this one. Very sweet as well with a medium-high bitterness level. Nothing but good fruit and hops hanging around.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Medium-High Carbonation, Smooth, and finishes with tons of pine!

Overall Impression- A VERY nice IPA! Enjoyed so much, I could have gone for another one but got here during last call. Will be looking for more Lucky Bucket soon. Recommend this one!

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 20:30:38 | More by DCon

climax

Kansas

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is my second Lucky Bucket beer, started out better than the first (lager). The relaxed pour yielded a massive foamy head that faded slowly with large craters and dollops of lace. The color was a rich dark copper/red.

The aroma definitely hinted at a West Coast IPA. Lots of pine and citrus was a given, but an interesting spicy pumpkin note and sweet caramel brought balance and capped off an enjoyable nose.

Balance is further proved with the flavor, which is good and bold. Toasty malt and spice does a commendable job at challenging the hop bill.

The resinous feel makes the medium body feel thick and viscous. Carbonation is perfect, a crisp accent but knows it's place. Good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 01:16:43 | More by climax

RedHaze

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber, pretty dark for an IPA, with a one finger layer of foam. The lacing is pretty thick, leaving a nice sheeting on the glass.

Smell; mmhhhmmm, really nice hop aroma. Citrus, pine and lemongrass meld into a nice caramel and bready maltiness, This smells really damn good. I could sit here and just smell this for hours.

Taste; bitter and fruity all at the same time. Citrusy, without focusing on any particular fruit. Oranges, grapefruit and a hint of lemon. Grassy with a faint touch of lavender, becomes just a touch sweet, with caramel and a touch of brown sugar. Very balance for an IPA, and not one for those seeking a pure hop bomb. Very balanced, and exactly what I've been looking for lately for an IPA.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with q smooth natural feeling carbonation. Drinkability is very good. If I were a session drinker this one would be near the top of the list.

Easily the best IPA made in Nebraska, and one of the more balanced that I've had in a while. Hoppy with a nice malty backbone. Definitely a beer I will be keeping on hand at all times. Zac and Co. have a real winner on their hands as far as I'm concerned.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 02:58:29 | More by RedHaze

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

We were going to have an Omaha weekend with a brewery tour on the agenda but a snowstorm canceled those plans, so I went ahead and picked up some LB bottles. I'm glad I did.

My perfect pour glass was filled with a hazy dark copper brew with two fingers of white head on top. The foam stayed for a long time and left some crazy rings on the way down like decending layers of sedimentary rock in the grand canyon. The aroma was hoppy with a touch of citrus. The taste was a nice level of hop with citrus and a hints of floral and perhaps cinammon. The body is right where it should be for the style. It doesn't require choking down but the hops leave their mark. I'd definitely get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 17:12:45 | More by DesMoinesMike

therica

Maryland

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really nice. Came in my Beer of the Month April 2011 box (thanks to BA's ad-banner).

Similar to but better than Sierra's Pale Ale and a lot less hops-acid loaded, and more balanced.

A= golden, active carbonation, nice off-white head.

S= plentiful floral hops primarily of the spicy west-coast variety, decent sweet malts.

T= decent bready malts, a nice blend of floral hops, some grapefruit but not overbalanced in that direction. Decent carbonation, not overdone and it settles down nicely.

M= bitters, malts, hops florals to savor.

O= overall a rather decent entry in the craft IPA market, sessionable. If I lived near the brewery's area I'd probably consider this to be my standard IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 23:24:42 | More by therica

bonkers

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this as part of a BOTMC, I poured into a SA perfect pint. The color is a honey amber, huge, sticky, white head. The aroma has lots of pine, citrus. The flavor has a nice mix of pine and citrus, lingering finish. The body is medium, slightly sticky mouthfeel. A solid IPA, very nice all around.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 01:23:16 | More by bonkers

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lucky Bucket, Est. 2008, Craft Brewery, Full Hop Flavor IPA, Original American India Pale Ale, 6.3% ALC by Vol.
"It's no secret that IPA is all about the hops. American Craft Brewers have been especially adept in the ways the humulus lupus can be used to make a spectacular beer for hop heads to enjoy. Our Original American IPA celebrates this interesting diversity in hop flavor. The final result is big, bold, and, shall we say, in your face….as it should be."

Blah, blah, blah…let's open and see.

Clouded, apricot to amber-ish appearance, nice, large, strong, lasting pillow of snow-white head. Looks good, no question.

Aromatics: Lovely delivery of essential oils and flavors of that aforementioned wolf weed. Piney, prickly, bitter, and only slightly sweet, citrus and tropical fruit associations. Quite a potent thrill in the nose, without going overboard.

Taste: Bam! Hops deployed, bitterness boards the tongue, a trickle and a tickle on the palate, then all is mellow once more. Up with the brew to the lips we go again…and it hits the same. Generous blast of hop, terrific drinka---CONSUMability. Down it goes, happy all the way. Orange and lemon, peach and pomegranate. Grapefruit and mango. Little bitter, little sweet, hoppy all the way up and down.
Medium body, medium finish. A bit creamy in the end, making for a perfectly sessionable IPA. I'd be a happy Nebraskan with this.
One more Lucky Bucket brew to go. Can't wait.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 00:37:59 | More by feloniousmonk

n2185

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a slightly hazy orange with four fingers of white head that recedes into a dense cap with a solid sheet of lacing. Lovely.

S: Some pine notes at first followed by lots of grassy and earthy aromas. There are some sweeter citrus notes mixed in there as well.

T: Similar to the aroma, there are some notes of pine and grapefruit. Grassy and earthy notes dominate, though, with only a light bitterness that doesn't linger too long. There are some slightly nutty notes in there as well, which is unusual but not in a bad way.

M: Medium body and carbonation, it's feels fairly crisp feeling which works with the flavors well.

O: A somewhat unique, but good IPA. I like the earthy flavors with a hint of grapefruit citrus but without a strong bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 19:07:30 | More by n2185

oberon

North Carolina

3.99/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first Lucky bucket beer.Pours into a standard pint glass a clear copper color with a thin white head atop,aromas have a nice resiny sharp hop kick with a big biscuit malt base to hold up to the hops.A pretty big complex hop profile with resiny/piney hops really standing out and a somwhat balancing lightly sweet biscuit base.This is a pretty good American style IPA,the hops are resiny and lightly bitter but are restrained a little with such a big malt base.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 00:13:37 | More by oberon

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a slightly hazy amber with a a white heads that melds into a thin white collar.

S - Grapefruit, pineapple, orange bitter/sweet, centennial and cascade hops showing, sweet pale malt. Floral woody hop resin surrounding the sides of the glass.

T - Tropical bitterness off the top, pineapple bitter, nice toasted pale malt with notes of caramel, a grapefruit sweetness takes over the the sides of tongue, finishes with a mouth swarming bittering fruit flavor. Finishes with a mix of caramel and strawberry type fruit.

M - Moderate carbonation, medium bodied, a tad too much carbonation.

Great IPA here. Great malt backbone with plenty of flavorfull and bittering hops to back it up. Very balanced with a great hop profile. Excellent!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 00:52:18 | More by StaveHooks

dbossman

Nebraska

3.95/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Hazy light brown to fading golden hue with good head that holds out for quite a while until finally dissipating to a thin film; great lacing

S: Unfortunately the aroma is a bit muted but the grapefruit and pine quality does persist a bit; pleasant but subtle

T: A good balance of grapefruit and pine with a sweet caramel malt finish--a bit of a lemon tartness at the end that detracts from the otherwise balanced finish

F: Very balanced mouth coat and feel

D: A very good IPA from the folks at Lucky Bucket--I'm glad they finally started bottling this great hoppy, session beer

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2010 01:55:52 | More by dbossman

Tballz420

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Slight haze, golden bodied, sizeable head sticks to the glass. Light sweet malts and a floral hop aroma on the nose. Light malt front, could be just a touch bigger but still good, followed by a nice piney floral hop. Medium bodied, pretty wet with a bit of sharpness. Pretty run of the mill IPA, which means its good.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 03:57:11 | More by Tballz420

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, no date to be found but assured to be fresh by the distributor.

Pours very hazy orange/amber with a large pillowy off-white head that leaves tree rings of lacing and maintains a persistent foamy cap.

Aroma is strong on citrus rind and pine, oranges, pineapple, some grassy and floral notes, a bit of caramel malt. Good to very good strength.

Flavor is citrus rind, resinous hops, pine, good caramel malt backbone with mild sweetness, finishes with good lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, oily, medium to high carbonation.

An excellent IPA with all the qualities that I love...hazy, pungent, bitter. I'm impressed.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 23:34:49 | More by elgiacomo

brewdoc75

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an amber-orange color with a 1 and 1/2 inch head on top at first. This dies down to a 1/4 inch head, but lasts for the whole beer. A good lace follows along the sides.

S: Melon and tangerine fruitiness with backgrounds of citrus zest. Some grapefruit notes too. Caramel malts are definitely there too. Good aromas all around, but it finishes just a little lighter on the aroma than I like in my IPAs.

T: Some fruity flavors including orange, tangerine and grapefruit. Some grassiness as well. A little musk melon in the aftertaste. The caramel malts add a reasonable caramel flavor to the beer. They also seem to add just a touch of honey flavor. The bitterness is ample enough to balance everything out without being too harsh. Overall, all the flavors are nice, but nothing stands out too much compared to other IPAs.

M: Medium bodied. Pretty smooth and creamy for an IPA. Finishes a little too sweet for my tastes. I like my IPAs on the drier end. The carbonation is a little on the lighter end.

D: A pretty good IPA. Nothing epic, but nothing bad. I'd drink it again, but in a ever growing sea of great IPAs, this is in the middle of the pack.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 02:52:29 | More by brewdoc75

scoobybrew

Iowa

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - slightly hazy (from bottle conditioning) orange color with a thick off-white head that is very well retained

S - strong, but balanced sweet caramel malt with spicy and citrus-like hop accents

T - strong assertive citrus hop flavor from start to finish (centennials?) with supportive malt sweetness that is fairly simple in nature; slight fruity yeast esters

M - medium-full body with moderately high carbonation

O - Overall, this is a decent IPA from an unexpected location. The malt and hop are somewhat one-dimensional, but are in balance with what is expected of the style. I don't know if I'd go out of my way for it, but I wouldn't turn it down and if I was out Omaha way would definitely enjoy sucking down this local brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 21:52:03 | More by scoobybrew