Beer Me! — Empyrean Brewing Company — Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

Read about our trip to Germany and Prague at
The "Beer Me" Blog!

This is not the official web site of

Empyrean Brewing Company

Lazlo's Brewery and Grill

729 Q Street
Lincoln NE 68508
Telephone: +1 402-434-5959
Hours: Open daily at 11:00am.
Brewer: Rich Chapin
[Contact] [Update]

Notes

Visited: September 20, 2013

Opened: 1990

Annual Production: 6,500 bbl

Contributors: Brayden McLaughlin, Jason Scheffler

Lazlo's is located at 710 P Street.

I visited this place once, a year or so before I had my notebooks. So I used "visiting the family" as an excuse to go back in October 1996, and I found the beers to be at least as good as I remembered them. $2.25 for a 14-ounce pour. They also sell industrial beer...who goes to a brewpub and orders Coors Light? Some git at the bar did that night, and swilled it right out of the bottle. It's a good thing this place wasn't here in the early 80's, or I'd still be in school. The bar and restaurant were remodeled in 2001, they expanded into the restaurant space next door to the west (the Fire Works restaurant). They remodeled again in 2007, moving the pub and restaurant into the Fire Works space, and moving Fire Works way out to southeast Lincoln. Lazlo's has secondary locations in south Lincoln, and Omaha, but no beer is brewed there.

Empyrean will be moving to 726 L Street in 2014.

Updated: March 17, 2022

News

2011-08-10: Engineer works on science of a successful beer (Lincoln Journal Star)
2010-09-24: Empyrean Brewing has bought a new building (Nebraska Beer Blog)
2010-09-15: Empyrean Brewing Co. Expansion Details (The Beer Spot News)
2008-05-02: Brewing success in Nebraska (UNO Gateway)

Beer List

Aries Märzen Oktoberfest

German-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest
- Date: August 5, 2011 (#8629)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Hy-Vee Stony Brook, Omaha NE
  
  Score: 16½ points
  
  Appearance (3)
  Bright red-amber. Dense head.
  
  Aroma (3)
  Bready, toasty. Grassy.
  
  Mouthfeel (8)
  Medium body, smooth. Toasty, bready malt. Grassy hop flavor, low-medium bitterness. Finishes clean.
  
  Overall Impression (2½)

Better World Wheat

Herb and Spice Beer

4.30% abv.

Date: May 7, 2005 (#6989)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Yellow. Hazy. Low head.

Aroma (3)
Herbal. Earthy.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light body. Creamy. Big sweet wheat malt flavor. Mild floral character. Just a hint of citrus.

Overall Impression (2)
"Ale flavored with Chamomile flowers."

Black Jack Stout

Sweet Stout or Cream Stout

Date: March 28, 1998 (#2575)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, dense head. Roasty sweet aroma. Thick, sweet, bitter, roasty. Huge sweet chocolate finish.
Date: October 2, 1996 (#1863)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Almost-black dark-brown, OK brown head. Very roasty aroma. Very big roasty-coffee flavor and finish. Creamy body and just sweet enough.

Black Pepper Porter

Herb and Spice Beer

6.20% abv.

Date: May 23, 2011 (#8568)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Dark brown, opaque. Dense, rocky head.

Aroma (3)
Very roasty, mildly sweet. Chocolatey.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, thick and creamy. Chocolatey, roasty, earthy. Maybe a hint of black pepper...maybe not. A little yeasty at the end.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: October 4, 2011 (#8650)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Almost black. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Earthy, woody.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, smooth. Richly chocolatey, grassy. Mildly bitter. Maybe just mildly peppery.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: July 21, 2009 (#7854)

Package: real ale

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Amber-brown. Hazy. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Rich caramel.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body. Creamy. Lots of caramel malt, nicely sweet all the way through.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: July 7, 2002 (#4330)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright golden, moderate carbonation and head. Lots of grainy malt aroma. Light body, big grainy malt flavor all the way through. As a Scottish Ale, it's no bigger than a 60/-. Slightly astringent finish.

Date: July 7, 2002 (#4331)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Slightly darker than Burning Skye, moderate carbonation, thick head. Mild honey aroma. Light-medium body, grainy malt flavor, some diacetyl. Malty slightly astringent finish.

Date: July 7, 2002 (#4335)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, thick dense head. Lots of roasted malt aroma. Thick, creamy, huge sweet coffee flavor start to finish.

Date: September 19, 1999 (#3728)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, dense head. Chocolatey-roasty aroma. Medium body, sweetish, pretty roasty.

Date: May 11, 2007 (#6511)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright red. Moderate dense head.

Aroma (3)
Grainy malt. Toasty and sweet.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light-medium body. Moderately fizzy. Big sweet toasty grainy malt. Mild biscuit character. Mld hint of chocolate.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: July 7, 2002 (#4334)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Deep red, low head. Surprisingly clean aroma. Light-medium body, mild vanilla flavor on top of mild coffee and chocolate. Very drying finish.

Date: August 29, 2014 (#9459)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Deep amber-brown. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Bready, a little fruity. Some yeast.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light and fizzy. Fruity and biscuity. Toasty and clean.

Overall Impression (2)
Cold.

Date: September 20, 2013 (#9264)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Appearance (2½)
Light brown, opaque. Dense creamy head.

Aroma (3)
Fruity, piney hops. Mildly toasty.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, smooth. Big fruity hops up front, mildly citrusy, fairly bitter. Biscuity malt background, more in the finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: March 28, 1998 (#2574)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Dark dark red, low head. Sweet, brown aromas. Thick, lots of brown sugar...toll house cookie dough.

Date: March 9, 2007 (#6494)

Package: draught

Place: Lazlo's South, Lincoln NE

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden, moderate carbonation.

Aroma (3)
Smoky, spicy, floral. Lots of citrus.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light body, fizzy. Lots of wheat malt. Mild fruitiness, mild lemony flavor. Sweet wheaty finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: January 10, 2008 (#6808)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Black. Dense beige head.

Aroma (4)
Nice creamy coffee. Malty.

Mouthfeel (10)
Medium body, real smooth. Chocolate, coffee, malt. Excellent balance.

Overall Impression (3)
Tastes like a dark chocolate malted milk ball.

Date: February 4, 2010 (#8139)

Package: cask-conditioned

Place: Brass Monkey Sports Bar, Omaha NE

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Golden. Hazy. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Mild biscuity malt.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light body, smooth. Sweet biscuity malt behind fruity hop flavor. Low bitterness.

Overall Impression (3)
Good clean refreshing beer. Special brew for the Brass Monkey.

Date: August 29, 2008 (#7277)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Bright red. Moderate head.

Aroma (4)
Huge caramel malt, toasty. Mild fruity hops.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, smooth. Rich caramel maltiness, a little biscuity, a little grainy and a little roasty. Mild fruity hop flavor and bitterness. Real nice balance. Bitterness grows a bit in the finish.

Overall Impression (3)
Real good beer.

Date: March 24, 2007 (#6500)

Package: draught

Place: Lazlo's South, Lincoln NE

Score: 16 points

Appearance (2½)
Dark red. High carbonation. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Sweet chocolate. Mild grassy hops.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium-light body, fairly fizzy. Rich chocolate on a tasty malty base. Clean, mildly sweet finish.

Overall Impression (2½)
Fizzy, but tasty.

Date: January 5, 2000 (#3375)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep golden, moderate carbonation, thin head. Citrusy hop aroma, caramel-malty. Lots of citrus flavor, medium body. Sweet hoppy finish.

Date: November 18, 2006 (#6169)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Hazy brown-red. Nice dense head.

Aroma (4)
Intense caramel. Nice spicy, graham cracker malt. Fruity hops. Some smoke.

Mouthfeel (10)
Medium creamy body, fairly fizzy. Huge citrusy, spicy, fruity hop flavor with a pretty big bitterness. Huge caramel malt character, with the flavor of light rye bread. Spicy hoppiness in the finish.

Overall Impression (3)
Thanks to Ben the Sales Guy for this remarkably tasty and complex beer!

Date: December 13, 2007 (#6733)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Hazy red. Thick head.

Aroma (3)
Spicy, toasty, raisiny. Some alcohol.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium-big body. fizzy. Richly malty, sweet and toasty. Spicy alcohol. Raisiny. Just a hint of bitterness in the sweet malty finish.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: July 18, 2010 (#8278)

Package: draught

Place: Old Chicago — Eagle Run, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Deep golden. Very hazy. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Spicy, very citrusy hops. Yeasty.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body. Smooth. Big fruity citrusy hop flavor. Fairly bitter. A little yeasty. Nice clean bitter finish.

Overall Impression (2)
Good beer that almost but not quite reminds me of Anchor Liberty.

Date: February 24, 2011 (#8471)

Package: draught

Place: The Foundation, Omaha NE

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden. Thick dense head.

Aroma (3)
Sweet, fruity. Yeasty.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, smooth. Sweet and malty, fruity and grassy. Mildly warming. Grassy, fruity finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: March 25, 2011 (#8499)

Package: draught

Place: The Foundation, Omaha NE

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Golden-amber, translucent. Very dense head.

Aroma (3)
Citrusy-fruity hops. Mild biscuity malt.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium-big body, smooth. Big resiny bitterness and grapefruit hop flavor. Very mild biscuity malt in the background. Bitterness lingers, but doesn't dominate the finish.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: October 2, 1996 (#1861)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden, some haze, OK carbonation and head. Smells like honey. Big wheat (?) flavor, malty all the way through the finish.

Date: July 7, 2002 (#4332)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright copper color, moderate carbonation and head. Mild caramel malt aroma. Medium body, lots of fruity hops and esters on a rich caramel malt base. Not at all bitter.

Date: March 28, 1998 (#2572)

Package: draught

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Red-amber, low carbonation, thick head. Some caramel aroma. Kinda thick, kinda bitter. Good beer.

Date: October 2, 1996 (#1864)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red, clear, OK head. Slightly sweet-malty aroma. Roasty-sweet brown flavors with a just-right touch of maple.

Date: September 19, 1999 (#3727)

Package: draught