Unfiltered.

Beer Or Coffee? It's Your Call At Lakewood Growler.

Welcome to Unfiltered, our weekly feature that explores the Dallas coffee scene — and how it often manages to thrive in the most unusual places. Given that we live in a time when Starbucks locations are about as prevalent as the golden McDonald's arches, when new coffee shops seem to open every other week and when almost everyone uses a ChemEx to brew their coffee, we're here to show you some alternatives — for when your coffee shop routine becomes monotonous or when you're just looking for something different in your caffeine endeavors.

Lakewood Growler.
6448 E Mockingbird Lane.
Lakewood.

There’s something kismet about the relationship between coffee and beer. It’s a scientific fact: Beer is good for the creative process, while coffee is perfect for the execution. Although an excess of the two drinks can create problems, when you find the right balance, they make for a great duo.

It’s no wonder that beer taps are becoming an increasingly popular fixture at neighborhood coffee joints, as well as the presence of coffee-beer fusions flooding the market. Basically, you can always find a coffee drinker who enjoys a nice, cold beer, or a beer drinker who starts their day with a cup of the black stuff.

It’s not just coffee shops that have been incorporating more beer into their daily routines, offering more than just a mediocre cup of lukewarm coffee. Now you have places like Lakewood Growler — a growler filling station that also offers cold brew coffee among its craft beer options.

“We wanted to offer options for non-beer drinkers, and saw the popularity of cold brew coffee in other markets,” says owner Dale Czech.

At Lakewood Growler, beer is the center of what they do, with more than 30 craft beers from throughout the Metroplex and Texas on tap. The concept came from Czech’s passion for craft beer, as he’s also a home brewer. Many of the beers featured aren't available in cans or bottles, so customers can choose from flight, pint and growler purchasing options to enjoy their favorites.

“I think beer tastes better on draft, and thought others would too,” says Czech. “[I] wanted a convenient and hassle-free way for consumers to fill their growlers, and enjoy a pint of fresh Texas craft beer.”

Amid all of the beer options is a cold brew — perfect for non-beer drinkers — courtesy of Full City Rooster.

Says Czech: “A friend had given me a package of Full City Rooster Coffee as a gift and I was very impressed with the quality. So I approached Michael [Wyatt] about carrying his cold brewed coffee concentrate in our store.”

Made in small batches with limited availability throughout the area, the Central American, Indonesian and African blend cold brew comes in 32 ounce bottles, fitting in with the growler theme. The drink can be served black for those who prefer the smooth, bold taste with a mild natural sweetness, or with a couple of cubes of sugar and half-and-half for a more dessert like experience. Either way you take it, the cold brew has gained traction among the beer drinking crowd as word of mouth spreads about the product.

Including the cold brew is a part of Lakewood’s ethos of working with local businesses to provide high quality, fresh products. Although coffee is only a small part of what the business does, Czech feels passionate about his relationships with both coffee and beer, finding appreciation in the TLC that goes into both products. As with their beer program, Lakewood’s goal is providing a way for customers to enjoy the best of both world.

“Like the craft beer, we offer a way for consumers to enjoy the best cold brew available in the comfort of your own home,” says Czech. “It makes for an affordable indulgence.”

All photos by Kathy Tran.