Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Tag: Taproom

Lakewood Brewing Company

A few weeks ago, I was presented with another free Saturday, as Rebekah was working. After a great time the previous month checking out some new Fort Worth-area breweries, Shannon Brewing Company and Bearded Eel Craft Brewery (now closed permanently), I knew it was time to trek to the Dallas side of the craft beer scene. I met up with my good friend J-Higs, and had a tasty beer crawl across the eastern part of the Metroplex starting at Lakewood Brewing Company in Garland, and  finishing at FireWheel Brewing Company (now closed permanently), 20 minutes east in Rowlett.

First on the agenda, Lakewood Brewing Company. I had heard great things about this brewery, and I remembered enjoying its flagship beer: The Temptress. This brewery, producing great beer since 2011, is becoming big in the Texas craft beer scene and I wanted to know more!

Exterior of Lakewood Brewing Company

Let’s take a look at Lakewood Brewing based on our Brewery Grading Scale. Continue reading

8th Wonder Brewery

While visiting Houston a few weekends ago, I wanted to meet with some friends on a Sunday afternoon.  Rebekah was practicing for a choir concert, so I had some time to kill.

I thought it would be fun to meet Isaac and Jessica in downtown Houston for a beer.  Wanting to find a brewery that was open on a Sunday afternoon, I used my newly-created Texas Craft Brewery List.  Within a few clicks, I had found a match.  8th Wonder Brewery met all my requirements, mainly, a brewery open on a Sunday producing Texas Craft Beer.  While I came in with low expectations and knowing nothing about the brewery, I quickly found this place to be awesome!

If you love Houston, you will love this brewery.  If you don’t love Houston, you will still probably love this brewery.  But if you love Houston sports and Texas Craft Beer, you will be in heaven!

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Shannon Brewing Company

What should I do with a free Saturday?  Rebekah was volunteering, and I was looking for something to do.  I know…check out a new local brewery or two!  I called my good friend John, and we planned on doing just that.  We started with Shannon Brewing Company, and then closed out the day at Bearded Eel Brewing Company (now closed permanently).  First, Shannon Brewing Company…

Shannon Brewing Company proudly brews wholesome Irish-influenced Texas craft beers with old world techniques.  Proud of their old world style, Shannon Brewing markets their brews as “Fire Brewed Beer”.  Instead of using steam jackets for heating like conventional breweries, Shannon Brewing uses fire, via liquid propane, for all heating required in the brewing process.  Fire brewing caramelizes the sugars, which in turn influences the beer’s texture.  This statement made more sense when comparing fire brewing to cooking on a gas cooktop instead of an electric cooktop.  Sure, both cooktops heat things up, but the end result is very different.  In addition, all of their beers are unfiltered and unpasteurized, but are transparent as a result of Shannon’s old word brewing process. Continue reading

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