Lucky Bucket Certified Evil Ale

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company
La Vista, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Opaque, dark brown to near-black. Espresso head that lasts, laces the glass.

AROMA: 3/4
Malty, sweet nose. Subtle roast, sherry-liqueur nose.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Coffee, licorice, maraschino cherry. Very malty, very sweet, minimal hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Coffee-bitter, sweet-cream aftertaste. Hop bitterness at finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Lighter-bodied than expected. Alcohol warming. Coats your mouth.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: We're not sure what this is, but that's not to say we didn't like it. Not roasty enough to be an imperial stout, not hoppy enough to be a double IPA. A dark brown? Sure, why not.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I don't know exactly what this is, but I could see me washing down a box of cherry cordials with a bottle of this stuff. Weird, but good—much more body and it wouldn't be as good.
Ben: An interesting beer. Big, but neither hoppy nor roasty. Maybe too sweet, but worth a try—find out for yourself!

Lucky Bucket IPA

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company
La Vista, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Deep copper-brown. Slight haze. Almond color head with big bubbles that lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Good hop floral nose. Citrus - grapefruit dominant. Bready. Nice.

TASTE: 6.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Hop bitterness dominant. Some citrus hop flavors. Some sweetness but could use more malt to offset the bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitterness lingers. Slight malty sweetness fades quickly. Slight astringency. Some chemical/metallic off-flavors.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full mouth-feel. Tad over-carbonated. Light-bodied.

OVERALL: 2/3: Bitterness really dominates. Could use a little more body and maltiness. A good beer but has room to be improved upon.

TOTAL: 14.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Hoppy, which I like, but the hop bitterness is overwhelming. Needs more body. If they take our advice this could be a good beer. Still, cool label.
Ben: A tad too much bittering hop for the body and maltiness. An adequate beer. I like it better than their pilsner.

Black Betty Imperial Stout

Nebraska Brewing Company
Papillion, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Opaque red-black. Thick. Creme-brulée head.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Strong alcohol-whiskey aroma. Some coffee notes.

TASTE: 8.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty. Noticeable alcohol–warming feeling. Lots of whiskey, very little hop.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Chocolate, cherry. Subtle wood notes. Sweet finish that fades to slight bitter cherry aftertaste. Also, whiskey!
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Silky-smooth. Alcohol warmth, whiskey dominant. Subtle carbonation.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Unique–big and boozy, but in a good way. Very smooth, whiskey is pronounced.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: After-dinner sipping beer–a nice, warming cherry dessert beer.
Ben: A very good beer–lots of whiskey flavor, but very nice and mellow.

Spilker Hopluia Double Hop IPA

Spilker Ales
Cortland, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Dark copper color, foamy head (which fades quickly).

AROMA: 3.5/4
Nutty, grassy, citrus nose. Almost piney, resinous. Lots of aroma.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Needs more bittering hop. Very malty, grainy.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Substantial floral hop, which fades quickly–no residual bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Silky, effervescent, very light.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A really good beer–needs more bittering hop to be phenomenal.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: I don't get it (note: Ben reviewed this beer solo–I recused myself).
Ben: Tastes like I'm drinking hop cones. Add more bittering hop and this could be the greatest beer on Earth.

Empyrean Better World Belgian Wheat

Empyrean Brewing Company
Lincoln, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Cloudy. Thin, creamy head.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Floral, citrus, hints of coriander, cinnamon and clove. No appreciable hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Malty, a bit watery. Needs more bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Pleasant, crisp. Fades quickly. Spicy finish–coriander, clove, cinnamon, residual citrus.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Thin but malty. Needs more body, more bittering hop.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Not a bad wheat, if a bit thin. Spicier and more complex than most wheat beers. Watery, though.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: An okay wheat–not as heavy as most, but too watery. Spicy, though, better than your average wheat beer.
Ben: The taste can't deliver on the aroma. Unique twist on a generic wheat beer–I'd drink it again.

Lucky Bucket (Pre-Prohibition Style) Lager

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company
La Vista, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Golden color, minimal head.

AROMA: 3/4
Clean, crisp nose. Subtle hop aroma.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Clean. Needs more malt, hop.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Some bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Slightly watery. Bleh–needs more body.

OVERALL: 2/3: An okay lager. Better than a Bud Light.

TOTAL: 13.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: The label is the best thing about it. Not terrible, just okay.
Ben: Light, better than your average domestic lager, but it's no Boulevard Pils.