We’ve got a super sized brewery review today as we went to the anniversary party of one of the oldest breweries in DFW. Lakewood Brewing Company recently celebrated their 13th anniversary and they had a ton of craft beer to taste. I think if you have ever talked about DFW craft beer, you’ve probably heard of the Temptress. Lakewood is where you’ll find that and many more excellent craft brews.
Located just north of I-635 in Garland sits one of the most well known breweries in the area. Parking leaves a lot to be desired, but once you enter the taproom, you’ll find a huge bar in front of a glass window with massive brewing tanks just behind. To the left are some nice, but probably too small bathrooms. To the right is a merch area and a to go fridge. Overall, it’s one of the most modern and upscale taprooms I’ve seen. Upstairs is balcony used as event space, but they had it open to accommodate the massive crowd. The original taproom is even around the corner and you can see how far they’ve come as it’s probably 1/5 the size. They also allow you the freedom to walk into the brewing area as they have additional seating and some dart boards. As you make your way back to the beer garden you’ll find a good size covered pavilion with a stage and it’s actually a really nice place to hang out, if it’s not too hot out. There were separate beer stations throughout the entire brewery offering different and old brews they don’t usually serve. They didn’t really have any vendors out which I expected because of the anniversary party. Lakewood definitely has one of the nicest spaces for any brewery in the area. But most of their customer spaces are not AC’d, so keep that in mind if they’re busy.
We’ll start the day with the Lion’s Share XIII, a 10.3% ABV Belgian stout. Made to commemorate their 13th anniversary and the next in their Lion’s Share line, it’s a very delicious brew. Belgian Stout’s are typically more well balanced, and not overly sweet or with a heavy mouth feel. It definitely had the coffee, chocolate, and caramel notes it’s supposed to have, they nailed this one.
Next up is the Tropic Like It’s Hot, a 5.5% ABV passion fruit wheat beer. Wheat beers are known for their hazy style and citrusy flavor, and they chose to add passion fruit in with this one. It’s got that fruity, citrusy, berry flavor, but it’s not over fruited and still tastes like a beer. A very nice and refreshing brew.
Another special release for the party was the Barrell Aged Mechanical Grizzly, a 8% ABV Imperial Brown Ale. Typically barrel aged beers are done with stouts and they end up being very strong. When you lift the glass to your nose, it definitely smells like you’re about to get smacked in the face with a whiskey barrel. But being that they did a brown ale instead of a stout, it’s got a relatively modest taste and heaviness. It definitely has the toffee and nutty sweetness a brown ale is supposed to have, but with the barrel aged flavors as well. It was a very fun and interesting brew.
Something I have rarely seen is a Chardonnay barrel aged beer, but Lakewood did one for this party. The Chardonnay Barrel Aged Sweet Cherry Lager was a very unusual and fun beer to sample. At 6.0% ABV, it’s not overly strong but it has a hint of wine that gives it a unique taste. The sweetness of the cherries balances it well with the wine aged flavor. It looses a little of the beer taste as it’s a lager, but it’s another fun brew.
Last up is my current favorite beer available anywhere, the Blonde Temptress. I’ve talked before about golden stouts being my favorite craft brew, and this 9.1% ABV beer is absolutely delicious. It’s got the creamy, vanilla bean, and chocolate flavors, and the lighter mouth feel that golden stouts are known for. Without a doubt the best golden stout I’ve ever had. *EDIT* I took some of this home and it did NOT taste the same a few weeks later. I’m not sure why the change in taste, but it definitely has different characteristics.
I like a lot about Lakewood Brewing Company, but there’s also a lot I dislike. Don’t get me wrong, they make top end craft beer. But I think the taproom feels slightly corporate-ish, and there’s a lack of TV’s if you’re looking to catch a game. They have some excellent brews, and a good reputation for food. There were a couple of brews we sampled that I did not highlight here that we’re not the best. Along with that, the lack of AC’d customer space, and the corporate feel, we are giving Lakewood 7 🍺. They’re definitely worth checking out, and it may be your vibe more than mine. And always Drink Local!
