Today’s craft beer review comes to us from the Breckenridge Brewery located in Denver, Colorado and it’s called the “Lucky U” IPA.
I, personally, have never had this particular brew. I think it is a rather new product. I have sampled many others from Breckenridge and they have several that are pretty good, so I’m hoping this one is worthwhile.
The description from the website (breckbrew.com) is as follows.
We like to think this is an ale for everyone who believes you make your own luck. We sure did. And the result is a well-balanced, soulful IPA with just the right amount of hoppiness. An even keeled ale that goes down clean and refreshing, but still lets you know it’s been doted on by the Brewmaster. It’s true to it’s IPA heritage, but also highly drinkable. Lucky U. And we seriously mean that.
Well…. let’s give it a try.
A 6.2% ABV beer here that comes in a 12 oz. bottle.
This brew poured a mostly clear, copper/orange color with some bright orange highlights around the bottom. An off white, egg shell colored head of decent size was formed from a medium aggressive pour. It was somewhat creamy and and fluffy with average retention and some pretty good lacing.
The aroma had a prevalent note of caramel sweetness. A relaxed hint of pine and a fruity citrus of grapefruit and peach. As it warmed the peach may have stood out a touch more than the grapefruit actually. In truth, the entire bouquet seemed to be more malty than citrusy because a distinct bread and biscuit note accompanied the caramel, which stayed consistent throughout the development.
The taste started with a decent hop bite and grapefruit bitterness. Similar to the aroma, the flavor seemed to be more malt forward. Caramel and toffee with hints of toasted biscuit and bread. The hops seemed somewhat haphazard. A tickle of pine and a flourish of grain were infused to send a parting shot before the swallow.
The mouthfeel was medium, crisp with a little snap, smooth and dry. It left an ok amount of flavor behind for me to enjoy. Not too much, but enough to let me savor the drink.
This beer wasn’t bad. It’s not an over-the-top IPA. The hoppiness was not what I’ve been accustomed to in most of the IPA’s I’ve tried. Not that it’s a bad thing I guess, but I was just expecting more. I did like the maltiness that this beer entailed though. Either way, this beer was still enjoyable, easy to drink and worth a try if you see it. It may be the brew you’ve been looking for.
On a side note, I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to post another review until Tuesday (8/16) because I’m going to be out of town for the weekend, so I appreciate your understanding and support in this matter. Thanks for reading and commenting and feel free to voice your opinion of the blog if you wish. I would love to hear some feedback.
Cheers!!!
Score: 3.65 out of 5
Grade: B
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