Temptress dons a new blonde look at Lakewood

Lakewood's newest temptation (photo: Cassie Henderson).

Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has announced the release of a new tempt-ation and the latest entry in the company's Seduction Series.

Temptress Blonde is an imperial golden stout inspired by the brewery's top-selling craft stout, The Temptress. And being a bright Texas blonde with the underlying character of its darker sibling, it's a Temptress recipe "designed with warm weather drinking in mind."

“Temptress Blonde is a beer for the senses,” says Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. “A golden stout is designed to make you do a double take. Its bright golden hue deceptively disguises traditional stout flavors—vanilla, coffee (supplied by LDU Coffee), and malt sweetness. But don’t be fooled by its lighter color—Temptress Blonde boasts an impressive 9.1% ABV.”

The beer is available now in four-packs of 12-ounce cans at the Lakewood Taproom, with shipments rolling out across Texas starting this week.

Lakewood introducing French Toast Temptress

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has announced the release of French Toast Temptress, the newest addition to the brewery's popular Seduction Series.

“Y’all want some breakfast?” jokes Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. “This time of year calls for a decadent beer and French Toast Temptress checks all the boxes. This newest release is slightly sweeter than regular Temptress with extra vanilla and lots of Grade A maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon. It’s the best part of waking up!”

Past entries in the Seduction Series have included Peanut Butter Temptress, Salted Caramel Temptress, Double Chocolate Temptress and Coconut Temptress. In order to create this latest iteration, French Toast Temptress, Lakewood has added maple syrup and other natural flavors to its best-selling Temtpress Imperial Milk Stout.

French Toast Temptress will be available at the Lakewood Taproom starting February 19, with state-wide distribution kicking off the following week.

Lakewood introduces Seduction Sampler mix pack

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has released products from its Seduction Series in cans for the first time, unveiling a mix pack featuring one new variety and two familiar favorites.

Contained in what's billed as the Seduction Sampler are two cans each of returning variants, Coconut Temptress and Sin Mint Temptress, along with two cans of the brewery's newest taste temptation, Cherry Vanilla Temptress.

"We’ve always wondered what would happen if we put Temptress in a can," says Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. "We’ve been toying with the idea of canning Temptress and we thought doing a variety pack with some fan favorites as well as a new Seduction variant would be a great way to experiment with packaging. I’m excited to bring back Coconut and Sin Mint for the die-hard fans as well as trying something new with Cherry Vanilla."

The Seduction Sampler is available now at select retailers. It can also be purchased to-go at the Lakewood Drive-Thru.

Make hay for Lakewood's take on a PB&J

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Beginning today, Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland is tapping its latest Temptress delight in the form of Barrel-aged Peanut Butter & Jelly Temptress.

The last batch of the base beer, Peanut Butter Temptress, sold out at retail in less than 10 days, but Lakewood held some back and set the remainder to rest in bourbon barrels. From there, the brewery topped things off with an infusion of fresh fruit and nuts to create its own interpretation of a popular childhood treat.

"Our little brewing elves have been busy at work cooking up new taproom releases, and the latest one is a treat we all need right now,” says Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. “We took barrel-aged Peanut Butter Temptress and added fresh Oregon raspberries and an extra boost of peanuts. The result is pretty friggin’ awesome! It’s like your favorite sandwich, but all grown up.”

Barrel-aged Peanut Butter & Jelly Temptress is a taproom-only release. It can be purchased at the Lakewood Taproom Drive-Thru in 16-ounce crowlers (single cans), as well as in new, unused 32 and 64-ounce growlers.

Temptation times two: Lakewood delivers Double Chocolate Temptress

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Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has partnered with an Addison-based chocolatier to create Double Chocolate Temptress, the newest temptation in its popular Seduction Series.

“One of the dominant flavors in Temptress is the chocolate malt," says Wim Bens, founder of Lakewood. "It’s what makes Temptress so big and rich. So why not go BIGGER? We partnered up with our friends at Yelibelly Chocolates and put our brewer and their chocolatier brains together to do just that.”

According to a press release, Double Chocolate Temptress features a copious amount of single origin cacao nibs, as well as a healthy dose of Belgian chocolate to make it a chocolate lover’s dream. The resulting beer is said to be full of chocolate flavor and complexity, making it perfect for sipping around the fire pit with s’mores, or as a dessert pairing with fresh berries.

“We are so delighted to work with Lakewood on this brew," adds Yeli Marshall, Yelibelly's owner and chief chocolate officer. "Yelibelly Chocolates has paired and infused our chocolates with Lakewood beers for years now. This is a perfect next step in our partnership."

Double Chocolate Temptress will be sold in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles at retail to start, with kegs rolling out for when bars and restaurants are able to open again.

A winter IPA renewed and a decadent debut to come from Lakewood

Images courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co

Adding to its popular Seduction Series, Lakewood Brewing Co. (LBC) of Garland is set to introduce Salted Caramel Temptress.

The Seduction Series takes Lakewood's best-selling Temptress Imperial Milk Stout and infuses it with different flavors. Past iterations have included Peanut Butter Temptress, Raspberry Temptress, French Quarter Temptress and Coconut Temptress.

“We’re always pushing the boundaries and making some 'Seriously Fun Beer' here at LBC,” says Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. “This time of year calls for a decadent beer and Salted Caramel Temptress checks all the boxes. We loaded her up with a punch of extra vanilla and lots of salted caramel flavor and aroma. And we’re super excited to share it with our fans!”

Look for Salted Caramel Temptress on draft and in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles starting in December.

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Also on the way, Cold Front IPA is making a late fall return. It's said to be the beer perfect for sitting around the fire pit or enjoying the crisp air out on the patio with friends.

“Last year’s debut of Cold Front IPA flew off the shelves,” says Bens. “So this year we made plenty to make it through to Spring.”

Cold Front IPA will be available on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles from November through March.

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 revives Raspberry Temptress

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After being retired for over 18 months, Raspberry Temptress is back as a member of the Seduction Series at Lakewood Brewing Co. (LBC) of Garland.

Raspberry Temptress debuted as the initial offering in Lakewood's Seduction Series in 2014. A year later, it became the first beer in that line to be sold at retail in 22-ounce bottles. Seasonal releases continued around Valentine's Day through 2017, but fans of the beer were forced to seek solace in other variants once Raspberry Temptress was left off the 2018 production schedule.

So, what prompted the return?

“We like to keep our Seduction Series lineup ever-changing," says Wim Bens, president and founder of LBC. "Temptress is such a great beer to add layers of flavor to that we don’t want to release the same four versions every year. That means that some of our favorites will take a break from time to time in order for us to bring new ideas and exciting flavors to our fans. So this year Coconut Temptress is taking a break and Raspberry, usually released for Valentine’s Day, comes back in for the summer.”

As has been the case in the past, Raspberry Temptress starts with The Temptress as the base beer, and is then infused with what the brewery describes as a "ridiculous amount of fresh raspberry puree."

“This year’s batch took over 1,000 pounds of fresh Oregon raspberry puree to get the flavor just right," adds Bens. "The result is a big, decadent stout with a subtle fruit acidity and a chocolate covered raspberry aroma.”

According to a press release, Raspberry Temptress is now available for a limited time in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles at liquor stores and gourmet grocery stores, as well as on draft at craft beer-centric bars and restaurants.

Lakewood now shipping Coconut Temptress

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

There's a new temptation on the North Texas scene, as Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has added a new beer to its Seduction Series. Coconut Temptress is the fifth entry in the Seduction line, which features different takes on Lakewood's year-round imperial milk stout, The Temptress.

“We’re excited to release this new variant in the Seduction Series lineup,” says Wim Bens, founder of the brewery. “We’re always looking for ways to keep the Seduction Series fresh, while incorporating enticing flavors that people want."

The new beer is infused with the equivalent over five pounds of toasted coconut per barrel. The flavor addition blends with the base beer to provide a rich hint of coconut on top of the delectable, chocolate notes that Temptress fans love.

“In the brewery world, this seems to be the ‘Year of the Coconut,’ as many breweries are releasing coconut beers,” adds Bens. “We think our unique take on the style does the beer proud.”

Look for Coconut Temptress on tap and in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles.

Lakewood to deliver Mole Temptress, March 20

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Continuing with a plan to offer its Seduction Series beers in a smaller format, Lakewood Brewing Co. will release Mole Temptress in 4-packs of 12-ounce bottles beginning March 20.

According to the brewery, the recipe for Mole Temptress combines chipotle, ancho, guajillo and pasilla chiles, as well as cinnamon and 100% pure cacao, to create a beer that has a rich, spiced nuance to go along with a warm subtle finish.

"Temptress is such a great base beer to play with flavor combinations, and one of the first ideas we experimented with was mole," says founder Wim Bens. "As a brewery from a state with a strong Hispanic culture, we wanted to see how incorporating these indigenous, bold flavors in a milk stout would play together."

Working with a variety of dried chiles wasn't easy, adds Bens, since it would have been very easy to go overboard with respect to the spice addition.

"This was one of the more challenging beers to get just right, since chile beers can go extreme very quickly," explains Bens. "We think it hits every note nicely, not overpowering the base of the beer, while letting a little heat and spice come through at the right levels. Unlike other chile beers, it's not going to knock you over the head with heat. The flavors meld beautifully together, allowing just the right amount of each element to come through."

Look for Mole Temptress to first appear on shelves around DFW, with deliveries to other Texas markets to follow.

Lakewood set to release Barrel-Aged Raspberry Temptress

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Lakewood Brewing Co.

Following up on a promise made when the brewery unveiled its 2017 release calendar in November, Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland is ready to release the first in a run of barrel-aged versions of its popular Seduction Series.

Barrel-Aged Raspberry Temptress will be unleashed in draft-only form, and only at select locations beginning at the end of February.

"We're excited to finally release these highly-limited beers, starting with Barrel-Aged Raspberry Temptress," says Wim Bens, president and founder of the brewery. "For this release, we used bourbon barrels from Breckenridge Distillery. It's everything you love about Bourbon Barrel Temptress with a big burst of raspberry flavor and aroma."

According to a press release, Lakewood chose bourbon barrels for the initial release after experimenting with the blend a couple of years ago. Moving forward, though, fans should expect to see a variety of other barrels used for upcoming releases.

"We're constantly trying to push ourselves creatively," explains Bens. "Each of our Seduction Series beers has its own unique personality, so we're interested to see how different spirits and barrels can add to that mystique."

As for this release, Barrel-Aged Raspberry Temptress will be available for a limited time.

"We are only releasing a handful of kegs of each Barrel-Aged Seduction Series release to the entire market," says Bens. "Get them while you can!"

Lakewood's French Quarter Temptress returns September 14

Image credit: Lakewood Brewing Company

Sure to be welcome news for fans of the brewery's Seduction Series, Lakewood Brewing Company has announced the return of French Quarter Temptress.

Once again, Lakewood will partner on the project with Kevin and Marta Sprague of Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters in East Dallas. For those that aren't familiar, French Quarter Temptress is created by infusing the brewery's imperial milk stout (a.k.a. The Temptress) with barrel-aged coffee and chicory in a process that seeks to capture "the spirit and attitude of New Orleans."

French Quarter Temptress first appeared on the scene in late 2012 as a specialty firkin. Since then, the beer has been offered only on draft, however, with the 2015 edition it will be made available in 22-ounce bottles for the first time.

As for whether or not consumers will notice a difference in this year's version, Lakewood founder Wim Bens explains that "every batch of French Quarter Temptress radiates a slightly unique taste and personality, yet the essence remains the same. We age the beans in our own Bourbon Barrel Temptress barrels before the coffee is brewed. The seductive flavor comes from the complex notes of bourbon in the beans, plus the spicy touch of chicory we add to the beer. It really is like New Orleans in a glass."

According to a press release, bottles and kegs of French Quarter Temptress will begin appearing throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex during the week of September 14. Check Lakewood's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter) for updates on where the beer will be sold, or use the Beer Finder on the brewery's website to find a location near you.

Lakewood turns up the heat on Temptress

Image credit:
Lakewood Brewing Company

Beginning today, the Lakewood Brewing Company will be rolling out the latest beer in their Seduction Series, a line of products featuring specialty treatments of one of the area's most popular brews. Mole Temptress, appropriately hitting taps just ahead of Cinco de Mayo, is the brewery's imperial milk stout infused with cinnamon and cacao nibs, along with a blend of ancho, chipotle, guajillo and pasilla chili peppers.

Balance and body are the words that initially came to mind when sampling this beer at a pre-launch event this past Friday. The reason being that these are qualities I've found to be lacking in many brews of this type since they first appeared on the market a couple of years ago. Far too often, efforts have either been peppered to the point of being undrinkable, or so light in body that the concoction ends up drinking more like spiced water than anything resembling a beer.

Mole Temptress, though, is something not lacking in either. While each of the aforementioned ingredients is clearly evident in flavor and aroma, they enhance rather than overpower the underlying brew. The cinnamon is most prevalent upfront, but gives way quickly to the earthy chocolate character imparted by the cacao nibs. As for the peppers, outside of their taste they contribute a slow, subtle burn in the finish. According to brewery founder Wim Bens, the controlled heat is the result of removing the seeds and stems of the peppers prior to adding them to the beer.

In terms of body and feel, the mole-inspired makeover seemingly doesn't sacrifice much, if anything, in comparison to the original Temptress. It also doesn't appear to suffer in terms of head retention, which can be adversely affected by oils in either the peppers or cacao nibs. All in all it makes for something that drinks exactly as a spiced or specialty brew should, giving the impression of being a "harmonious marriage of ingredients, processes and beer" (to borrow from the BJCP).

Mole Temptress is draft only and available for a limited time. Look for it at bars and restaurants that typically carry Lakewood's seasonal brews, a full list of which can be found on the brewery's Facebook page.