Lucky Bucket - IPA

Tonight I'm going to review an IPA from Lucky Bucket Brewing based in La Vista, Nebraska.  This brewery is completely new to me, I'd never heard of them until I came across this 6-pack at the local craft shop yesterday.  They first opened up back in 2009, so they've been around for a while and I'm guessing they are just now starting to distribute here in the Twin Cities.  So, why the name Lucky Bucket?  They explain the origin of their name on the website, "In the days before kegs and bottles were available, the only way to get beer was to take a bucket to the local brewery, fill it up and lug it back home.  We admire the work it took to enjoy a great beer.  Our name pays homage to our humble beginnings, the original Lucky Bucket."

The Lucky Bucket IPA is a west-coast style IPA with 6.3% alcohol.  It has a dark, hazy orange color with an egg-white head that stays low on the glass.  The aroma is scrumptrulescently bouquetous!  Fresh citrus - grapefruits and tangerines, extremely fresh and sweet.  Oily pine mixes with a hint of alcohol and caramel malts completes the package - awesome aroma.

The taste starts off with a prickly bitterness - pine resin slams the palate, then gives way to a load of acidic citrus.  Grapefruits aren't sweet like they were in the nose, far more bitter and edgy, and contains a hint of mouth-puckering pineapple along with it.  Lemon peels and general bitterness continue to linger through to the finish.  Some buttery biscuit bread malts are present and become more pronounced as the beer warms.  Medium body with a creaminess that adds to the character of the brew.

Overall Rating:  I guess Nebraska does know how to brew some good beer....who knew?!  This is a well-balanced, very drinkable IPA.  Definitely on the bitter side, but not overwhelming.  If you can get your hands on it, this one is worth a try.  B