August brings Peanut Butter Temptress, latest Lion's Share from Lakewood

Images courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Not one, but two new releases are on the way from Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland, just as it prepares to host its Seventh Anniversary Party on Saturday, August 10.

The first of these is the latest batch of Peanut Butter Temptress, a beer that made its Seduction Series debut in 2018. Set to be on shelves as soon as this week, Peanut Butter Temptress will be sold on tap and in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles.

"When we started getting angry calls from fans last year, we knew we had a hit on our hands," says Wim Bens, president and founder of Lakewood. "We actually had someone call the brewery and say ‘I heard you guys had a hard time making that beer. FIGURE IT OUT!' Well, this year we made about 50% more and used a literal TON of peanuts to make enough."

As for the second beer, Lion's Share VII is the company's anniversary ale. The 2019 edition is a grisette, an easy-drinking style of beer originating in the Hainaut region of Belgium.

"When we brew our annual Lion's Share beer, we make sure to make it very special," explains Bens. "This year we brewed an imperial grisette and aged it in Sauvignon Blanc barrels. We then blended it with a fresh batch, fermented in stainless. We also adjusted our brewing process to make a beer that draws inspiration from the hazy IPA craze. The result is a beautiful combination of old and new world beer styles.”

Lion's Share VII will also be available on draft, but Lakewood has a surprise in store for consumers looking to pick up the product at retail.

"The other unique thing about Lion's Share VII is the packaging," says Bens. "Traditionally Lion’s Share beers have come in a collectible, boxed 22-ounce bottle. This year we wanted to change it up and make a ‘share-pack’. There will be two 12-ounce bottles in a collectible box, so you and a friend can share…or not.”

Lakewood Lion's Share V now available in North Texas

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Lion's Share V, the fifth installment of Lakewood Brewing Co.'s annual anniversary beer, is now on sale throughout North Texas.

As has been the case with prior anniversary offerings, Lion's Share V is a unique beer with a recipe that differs from its predecessors. The 2017 edition of Lion's Share is billed as a full-bodied, Scottish-style brew that features a subtle peat smoke aroma, along with notes of sweet caramel, candied-fruit and honeycomb.

“This year’s release is a special one,” says Wim Bens, founder & president of Lakewood. “We wanted to honor year five with a beer that we’ve been talking about making for over three years now. As fans of all things malt and fermentation, a few of us around here are also big fans of whisky, especially Scotch whisky.”

In creating Lion's Share V, the brewery has taken the elements of a Scotch barrel and added that unique, smoky touch to this beer. Knowing that Scotch can be a bit overwhelming, Lakewood chose to age Lion’s Share V using a combination of barrels. Some of the barrels once housed bourbon, while others were used to age 26 year-old Speyside single malt Scotch.

“By blending the two together, we were able to create a harmonious marriage of flavors that work nicely together,” explains Bens. “It’s a great beer to enjoy now, or let mellow at cellar temps for months to come.”

Look for Lion's Share V on draft and in 22-ounce bottles. The beer is currently only available in the North Texas market.

More on Lakewood's latest Lion's Share

Image credit: Lakewood Brewing Company.

Ahead of its third anniversary, Lakewood Brewing Company has revealed additional details on Lion's Share III, the beer the brewery has crafted especially for the occasion.

Providing some background on the release, founder Wim Bens explains, "Every year we have an employee competition to choose the new batch of Lion's Share. It's an employee-wide open call to create a unique recipe, which is voted on by employees. The beer that wins is what we brew."

According to a press release, this year's recipe is described as "a well-rounded Old Ale that has been aged for months in premium Napa Valley red wine barrels." The beer's foundation is made up of 100% Maris Otter, an English 'winter' variety of malted barley that adds distinctive bready and nutty flavors that are ideal for this type of beer. On top of that, a combination of UK hop varieties, including Target, Challenger and East Kent Goldings adds a floral, slightly fruity aroma and bitterness that compliments the malt backbone nicely.

"We want Lion's Share to be a unique or under-represented beer style," added Bens. "We like to age Lion's Share in barrels and we've used bourbon and white wine barrels in the past. This year we picked red wine and the results are amazing."

As for the forthcoming celebration, Bens says, "This is a very special year for us at Lakewood. Every success we've had so far come with its own set of challenges, which makes this year even more special for the entire team. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our hard work than with the folks of DFW who enjoy our beer and have made it possible to do what we do."

On that note, if you're not already aware, Lakewood will mark its third year in the brewing business with back-to-back events this weekend. The first is an exclusive, ticket-only event that will occur at the brewery's Taproom on Saturday, to be followed by an event open to the public at Goodfriend on Sunday. For full details on each, click the links below:


Day One:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lakewood-brewing-co-3rd-anniversary-day-one-tickets-17731705007

Day Two:

http://lakewoodbrewing.com/event/3rd-anniversary-celebration-day-two/

'Share' in Lakewood's brewing bounty

Image credit:  Lakewood Brewing Company

In one of Aesop's Fables a lion goes hunting with a fox, a jackal and a wolf.  Working together, the animals down their prey, only to have the lion take all the bounty for himself.  Afterwards, the fox asks the all-important question: shouldn't those who share the labor also share the spoil?

It's a message that has particular meaning in relation to the Lakewood Brewing Company's first anniversary brew.  In coming up with the name, those at Lakewood recognized that they owe much of their success to all who have supported them as they've worked to build the brand and make the brewery a reality.  To honor that, they offer their fans the Lion's Share.

Described as a Belgian-style Double IPA, Lion's Share gets its foundation from an amped up version of the brewery staple Hop Trapp.  Initially fermented with that beer's regular yeast strain, Brettanomyces was added later in the process and the beer allowed to age for eight months in the same Bulleit Bourbon barrels used to create Bourbon Barrel Temptress. Perhaps not surprisingly, first sips of the resulting brew inspire a simple-sounding description along the lines of a bourbon barrel Brett beer.  However, the depth of this brew goes well beyond that.  With secondary nuances of caramel, dark sugars, subtle fruits, wood tones and more, Lion's Share is probably one of the most complex offerings to come out of a North Texas brewery to date.

It also might be one of the most limited.  You'll notice that the full name, Lion's Share I, contains a Roman numeral designation.  This will change, along with the beer's style, each year Lakewood celebrates a new anniversary. In other words, it's a one-off that will last only as long as the brewery maintains stock.  Though, I'd imagine a few kegs will be held back for special occasions.

Where to get your 'Share':Thursday, September 19: Special tapping at Londoner Frisco

*Originally published on Examiner.com