Lucky U IPA - Breckenridge Brewery

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.56/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a dark orangey/amber color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of bitter citrus notes with semi sweet malty notes is quite nice. Taste is a mix between some semi-sweet malt backbones which is fuller then expected with some citrus notes and a medium bitter finish. Body is quite full with good carbonation. Hops profile is not as explosive as I would have been expected with more residual sugar then I usually like in my IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 20:11:30 | More by Phyl21ca

beergoot

Colorado

3.39/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

An older bottle (unknown date) that was sitting in my garage refrigerator for over a year or more.

Cloudy orange body with a few brown flecks (yeast, I'm assuming) dancing around the carbonation and topped with a thick, creamy white head; sticky rings adhering to the glass sides. Musty, malty, slightly sweet (like molasses) scent. Malt forward flavors, very caramel-like; slight esters lingering about; nice, mellow hop bitterness. Medium-bodied, smooth.

Not a bad beer, but not too exciting either. Despite its relative old age, it still had good malt presence and a decent hop bitterness, although the hop aroma was lacking a bit.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 00:59:57 | More by beergoot

kangarooAdam59

Maine

2.6/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Thanx Aaron:

Into a pint glass:

A: cloudy orange body, one finger white foamy head rises and falls leaving some clingy spider web lacing

S: faded hops and malts somewhat bitter yet combined

T: bland bittersweet through previously mentioned flavors, dry sweet aftertaste, dry finish

M: light to medium, sessionable

O: well, I`m not sure how fresh this is, something seems off, so until then only seek again fresher

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 19:35:19 | More by kangarooAdam59

GoldHorde

Minnesota

2.46/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I've had a Breckenridge beer before - I don't recall exactly what it was - but I know it wasn't this one. I think Brekenridge's Lucky-U-IPA is a nice ale-ish beer and I'd be content to have it over many other ales EXCEPT that it says that it is an IPA - and I am forced to review it in the IPA style. And in my book, IPA's have a couple of high notes that need to be approached or hit but NEVER MISSED.

1. AROMA is for me the #1 keynote - it ANNOUNCES the IPA - you should be able to say while blindfolded - "prob'lee an IPA". This beer had a hint of something light & grassy but was essentially vaporless.

2. FLAVOR must ring of herbal, floral or spicy hop accents and aftertastes. Lucky-U-IPA approaches here. It has a hop sting with grassy aftertaste - nice summery edge to it. I'd place it much higher in the Pale Ale category than I can in the IPA category - only because there are so many excellent IPA's readily available.

In other notes:

APPEARANCE = Hazy amber
HEAD = One finger fading fast, some open lace
MOUTHFEEL = right up the middle where it ought to be with a hop sting

If you are looking for an unoffensive Pale Ale - here you go. If you really need an IPA, keep shopping.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 05:24:01 | More by GoldHorde

hardy008

Minnesota

2.46/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Cloudy amber with a one finger off white head with decent retention and spotty lacing. The aroma has caramel malt, and light citrus hops.

Tastes more caramel malt forward than citrus hop forward. There is also a bit of earthiness, and bread malt. There's nothing which really stands out.

Light to medium bodied with average carbonation. Not worth seeking out again.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 02:19:24 | More by hardy008

Thads324

Connecticut

3.71/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear and bright orange. Only semblance of carbonation is a thin line of bubbles around the edges.
Aroma is of mellow caramel malt and slight citrus hops. Faint pine and earthy hops as well. Not very strong, but enticing none the less.
Flavor is much of the same. Very malty, with an overlying hop presence that mixes slight citrus, zesty pine and a bit of rose and floral hop too. The malt is bready and sweet caramel tasting. Bitterness is the lower end of medium.

Mouthfeel is a bit heavily carbonated. despite the lack of head. A little soapy towards the end, but nothing cloying. Medium body, good bitterness at the end that lingers nicely and tingles.

A pretty good beer. The hops weren't overpowering, but as I maneuvered through the pint it got hoppier. A good enough ipa to warrant buying again.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 22:04:20 | More by Thads324

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Slightly hazy orange brew with a nice, decently long lasting tan head that leaves a good lacing. No complaints.

Smell: A lot of citrus and floral notes, almost like a toilet cleaner...

Taste: Piney, citrusy, hoppy, malty... In that descending order. An interesting IPA. but not a particularly strong one. Not completely like others I've had in any way. I can dig it.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, smooth and almost syrupy with a good bit of carbonation. Similar to PA's Troegs' Perpetual IPA, which is also a very "piney" IPA.

This is a little different... in a good way.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:36:08 | More by ColdWaffles

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Nice transparent medium amber body. Thin tan head that leaves a layer of bubbles and some lacing.

S- Piney hops with a hint of citrus and some sweet malt.

T- Very piney hop flavor up front along with a hint of lemon. Light toasted malt towards the end, but this one is definitely hop forward. I will have to look up the type of hops used, because this one has a lemony taste to it.

M- Medium bodied, medium to high carbonation. Slight sting on the tongue.

O- Good IPA. Like I mentioned before, this one has a different flavor profile than most IPAs, but it works.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 01:26:35 | More by stephenjmoore

Hatchman

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A- Golden, good head, nice lacing ring.

S- Floral, piney, soapy. Very promising.

T- Not as good as the smell. Bitter hops and grapefruit, needs a little malt to balance it out. Tastes pretty sour, even for an IPA. Too soapy. Not a great taste.

M- Light body, high carbonation for an IPA.

Overall do not like. Too light and carbonated for an IPA. Not enough hoppiness for an IPA. Taste is more sour than bitter. Needs more malt to give it a little balance. Probably one of the worst IPA's I've ever had. Wouldn't buy it again unless my car was on fire and this was the only thing around I could pour on it to put it out.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 00:38:13 | More by Hatchman

PhantasIPA

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a 1/2 inch head and leaves a slight lacing on the glass. It has a light copper color.

The smell is as malty as it is hoppy. A touch of spice but nothing that really jumps out. Pretty good balance.

The taste is caramel malt, spices and a hint of hoppiness at the end. Good balance but a little straight forward. No flavor is really in control and no flavor is really that amazing, but it is good because of the balance.

Mouthfeel is decent, above average in fact. Not too carbonated and leaves a nice dryness on the tongue.

Overall the beer is above average and worth a try but I would not buy a 6-pack. A single bottle was good enough for me. Pretty good in general.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 20:01:03 | More by PhantasIPA

magine

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic.

Pours a deep dark cooper color; hazy with lots of bubbles cascading to make up a fluffy pocketed head. Head leaves a nice lace layer side to side. Some really good sticky lacing here clings all around and stays the whole drink. Brew looks very good.

Brew smells of good citrus and grapefruit hops, even some piney notes. Some mild caramel malts. A good nose here.

Brew is medium bodied; good blend and balance here. Some peppery hops upfront and a caramel malty middle follwed by a hoppy mildly bitter finish. Good fruits and piney oil slick hops here. Nothing earth shattering as far as hops, but a very solid IPA that drinks very good. Good stuff here.

This is a good, very soild sessionable IPA here. Good flavors and has nice balance to keep all drinkers interested. This is one of the better 'not overly hoppy' types of IPA's to have. Good stuff here.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 01:36:40 | More by magine

mdwalsh

Iowa

4.3/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy orange with a large, attractive white head. Leaves a nice lace.

S: Orange and Resin, very nice. A slight, caramelly sweetness behind it.

T: Taste doesn't hold up as bold as the aroma, but still a nice citrus, maybe more grapefruit that the orange in the aroma.

M; Mouthfeel is super nice, the exact balance I'm looking for in an IPA. Perfect.

D: Pretty darn drinkable, but nt enough to make me drink only this in a night if I have the chance.

Serving type: can

11-02-2012 20:01:14 | More by mdwalsh

delmarfountain

3.33/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased at Beverage Warehouse in Winooski, VT. Six pack of bottles. Oh, yeah.

Served in pint glass with very thin head and lace.

Pretty good-looking, but more carbonated than better IPAs.

Not bitter, but smooth. Not much hop or malt either.

Smell, look, and taste of a solid but average IPA.

Be cool, dogs.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 01:20:02 | More by delmarfountain

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass.

A- golden-orange , slightly hazy body. Small white head that reduces fairly quickly to a white ring.

S- very floral upfront, with caramel and grapefruit notes too. Slightly soapy. Very inviting

T- Citrus, grapefruit, pine notes. Slight malty backbone. Leaves a slight bitter hop taste on the tongue, but I would have preferred a little more hoppy bite.

M- medium to high carbonation, medium body.

A very drinkable, balanced ipa. I really enjoyed this one. Recommendable for the non-hop head beer fans.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 23:49:09 | More by gcamparone

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Hazy orange with a soapy off-white head. Like an average American IPA looks.

Aroma: Sweet candy-like hops. Caramel malt. Smells like a good balance.

Taste: There's some good malt flavor in there but it's overpowered by a sweet hop/wet dog flavor. That makes it sound much worse than it is but it's the only way I can think to describe it. The malts and hops are very well balanced. There is some decent bitterness in there as well.

Mouthfeel: Nice and drinkable. Lighter side of medium bodied.

Final Thoughts: This one left something to be desired. It's lacking some bitterness and good hop flavor. Instead of pine or citrus you just have sweet hops with nothing particularly pleasing about them. Basically this is a good beer but a not so good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 03:26:25 | More by JamesMN

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

2.33/5  rDev -33%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a Victory tulip

A- pours a very cloudy shade of orange with a one finger white head. Boring

S- aroma is essentially nonexistent. Getting a slight bit of pine, but that's it

T- some citrus, some pine, and a whole lot of nothing in between. Finish is abrasively bitter

M- this is actually pretty syrupy...which is weird for a 6% IPA. Not a fan

O- no thanks....very bland. Tons of better options out there

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 00:56:09 | More by bigfnjoe

ninaturner

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden brown with 1-2 finger head.

Aroma: I noticed the floral hops right away as well as the citrus/grapefruit smells.

Taste: Taste is similar to the smell in that you can pick up on the floral hops. The taste is very light and then you can taste the bittering hops toward the end.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium mouthfeel--not thick at all.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable IPA.

Overall: Overall, good IPA. Could be improved with more citrus tastes.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 23:20:16 | More by ninaturner

MeowTom

3.55/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- A hazy amber color with a light foamy head that is about an inch or so high. It sticks around for a little bit and then turns into a nice lacing around the edge and spots in the middle.

S- Pretty good, nice hopiness. The more I dive into the scent there is a maltiness that develops over time.

T- Smooth hopiness that turns into a big bitterness as it sits on the tongue.

M- Pretty solid body for an IPA with a light carbonation that blends well with the hops.

O- It's a standard IPA that isn't shockingly good, but I would drink it again.

Serving type: can

08-12-2012 18:10:38 | More by MeowTom

kojevergas

California

2.48/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a nonical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average given the brewery.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head of decent cream, pretty decent thickness, and above average retention. Colour is a semitransparent vibrant copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Piney hops and a really bad off-note - a bit putrefaction-esque. Really unappealing. Pretty strong.

T: Piney hops and clean malts alongside pleasant cream. A bit sappy on the backend, evoking pine twigs and oily character. A strangely built IPA. Not particularly balanced, and certainly not complex or subtle. Meh.

Mf: Oily, smooth, and wet. A bit overcarbonated. Too thick as well. The oily quality doesn't work for it, and even evokes a vague medicinal character. Watery - the kiss of death.

Dr: A mundane IPA. I wouldn't bother with it again. Drinkable but bland and unremarkable, even a bit off-putting.

D+

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 00:45:50 | More by kojevergas

brentk56

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with an inch or so of foam on top; decent retention and lacing

Smell: A wallop of caramel malt with a fruity aspect; some leafy hops in the back

Taste: Fruity and malty, up front, with equal parts stone fruit and caramel; the leafy hops hit in the middle, bringing a rather complex range of American citrus and earhty English flavors; nice balance in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation; a little flabby

Overall: Call this an Americanized ESB and I am very happy with this beer; as an American IPA it is very middle of the road

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 22:28:59 | More by brentk56

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: This IPA has bright orange color with a 2 finger soapy head, also has a hint of amber. Head dissipates dramatically, but leaves some nice lacing.

S: Aroma is of citrus hops with some pine resin. Also has a hint of honey and some sweet malts.

T: Nice bitterness upfront, some tangy orange and pine in the initial flavor with a grapefruit aftertaste. Some spice and earthy type hops present as well.

M: Very medium bodied for an IPA, very drinkable. Get all of the flavors without it being over the top.

O: I've had quite a few IPA's and this is the way the style should be. Not to mild, not too bitter. Definite balance in flavors for this beer makes it another hit for the Colorado Brewing Company!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 01:35:52 | More by SouljaSaia17

JonathanW

3.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A nice refreshing IPA that is crisp, citrusy, and more restrained on its hopiness. Upon pouring into a pint glass the color was a nice amber hue with a very thin head which quickly dissipated into the crisp looking beer. The aroma was nice, citrus and mellow malt; it produced a heady feeling- like grapefruit aromatherapy. The citrus is first tasted than a slight bitterness from the hopps which is followed by an almost earthy aftertaste. Overall a nice ipa. Its not a rockstar of a beer but factoring the taste- price ratio this beer definitely has a place in our craft your own six pack rotation.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 03:45:41 | More by JonathanW

ruckus232

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 Ounce brown bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Slightly hazy light amber color with little head.

Smell: Slightly sweet and slightly bitter citrus smell.

Taste: There is a slight mellow sweetness that finishes off with a bitterness that is not too bitter but pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 21:52:18 | More by ruckus232

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to my bro for gifting me a bottle of this.12oz poured into a snifter. The brew appears a copper orange with yellow around the edges. A tan finger of froth leaves parches of lace sticking to the glass.

The aroma has herbal hops with a bit of floral component and fruits coupled with minerals and sulfur. A bit of toasty grain is noticed mingled inbetween the hops. Overall not bad smelling.

The taste is mineral-filled with some bitter rindy fruit flavoring. Sulfur and cheese is there coupled with some toasty grain backing. A contrasting floral flavoring of hops lingers in the mouth. Unfortunately the main character throughout this brew though is minerals.

This is medium bodied and modestly carbonated. It is worth a try but not something I would return to if given choices.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 18:12:03 | More by stakem

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.98/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out to a good lathery white head and prominent lacing all the way down. Color was orange-amber and very cloudy. Lots of floating chunks in this one. Aroma is mostly floral and grassy hops, with a bit of citrus and pine along with it. Sweet malt, graham crackers and caramel also in the nose. Flavor is low-key for the style with the bitterness more balancing than bracing, the aforementioned aromas also translate to the tongue with some alcohol sweetness also. Mouthfeel is medium and "smooth" with some warmth and slickness from the alcohol and hops. Now some may say this is not much of a US IPA because it lacks the perceived high IBU's and grapefruit/pine assault. I say it is a very solid brew and worth having again.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 17:43:03 | More by EagleTalon