On Tap.

Woodcreek’s Lakeside Cerveza Is A Blonde Ale With A Mexican Twist.

Welcome to On Tap! Each week in this recurring feature, we’ll take an in-depth look at one of the many beers now available in the suddenly crowded North Texas brew scene. The goal here is to look at these area beers without our local goggles on and to wonder aloud, “Is this beer good or do I just like it because it’s local?” Should be a fun experiment, no? Cheers to that!

This week, we sipped on Woodcreek Brewing Company’s Lakeside Cerveza.Fast Facts on Woodcreek Brewing Company Lakeside Cerveza.
Style: Blonde ale.
ABV: 5.9 percent.
International Bitterness Units (IBUs): 18.
Color: Pale gold.
Availability: Kegs and cans.

Overview.
Woodcreek Brewing Company is quietly producing beer on the east side of DFW. There are a few other operations cranking out suds out that way too, namely Backcountry, Intrinsic and Thirsty Bro. But let’s keep the focus on Woodcreek. My first experience with the brewery was very good. I met a couple folks from Woodcreek at Craft & Growler; they had tapped a special keg of Bourbon Barrel Bock that night. So it wasn’t exactly a traditional bock style beer, but it was aged in whiskey barrels. And it was delicious. Now that I see Woodcreek cans at my local craft beer shop, it’s time to give one of its beers a spin! This week’s review focus on Lakeside Cerveza, a blonde ale. If you’re not familiar with the east side of DFW, this beer is most likely a nod to the rather large hole in the ground with water in it that lake people call Lake Ray Hubbard. I am a fan and occasional boater on Lake Ray Hubbard, so I guess that makes me a lake people. Whatever.

Background on Blonde Ale.
If you’d like a primer on the Blonde Ale style, check out our review on True Vine Unicorn’s Revenge. The Blonde Ale style is your sort of all-American beer. It hits a good balance of malt sweetness, hop aroma and balanced-but-subtle bitterness, and overall drinkability. This is a refreshing style meant to be enjoyed year-round. Blonde ales are near-session strength, meaning that it has a normal range between 3.8 and 5.5 percent. Unlike other 100 percent malt styles, this style does offer some wiggle room in the malt bill for some sugar adjuncts. Purists be damned! There can also be up to 25 percent wheat malt in the grain bill, so some blonde ales wander over a little in to hazy territory. For me, I like a bright and clear blonde ale that’s easy to drink. This isn’t a style that’s going to knock your socks off. Rather, it should be a pleasure to drink and none of the sensory elements should stand out.Appearance.
Lakeside Cerveza pours a pale gold. This beer has the same sort of appearance of a macro-style light American lager, except maybe a smidge deeper in color. The head remains for a minute or two. I had to stir the beer back up a bit with a fork in order to get the foam to re-appear. This beer looks inviting and promising.

Aroma.
The main aroma I get on the nose is sort of a sweet malt, almost corn or honey malt sort of situation. It’s not a bad thing, after all, as some blonde ales are known to use adjuncts to help kick in some sugar content. It is what it is, I guess. So far, this beer reminds me a lot of a macro Mexican lager, except with a slightly sweeter nose. I don’t perceive much in the way of hop aroma on this beer. It’s all smooth sweet malt action.

Flavor.
The sweetness situation follows through to the taste. Unlike the aroma, though, the hops are present and add just the right amount of pop on my tongue and on the swallow to balance our that malty sweetness. For what the aroma lacks in dimension, the taste kicks in a little bit extra effort.Mouthfeel.
This beer is carbonated appropriately. The finish is surprisingly dry for its perceived sweet flavor and aroma. Even though the ABV is a bit out-of-range for the style, it drinks nice and smooth.

Overall Impression.
I’m not totally blown away by Lakeside Cerveza. But I don’t dislike it either. It’s sort of adjunct-y. It drinks a tad on the sweet side, but it’s growing on me. The cans state that this is a Mexican-style beer and that I should enjoy it with a fresh lime. Sounds good. It seems like a lime would kick in just a little bit extra citrus and bitterness that would make this an excellent multiple-beer drinking scenario. Where’s my lime? Let’s do this.

Score.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give Woodcreek Brewing Lakeside Cerveza a 5. What’s happening in the area brew scene?
• Friday, December 9. Second Anniversary at Panther Island Brewing.
• Friday, December 9. Second Anniversary at Small Brewpub.
• Saturday, December 10. Three-Year Anniversary at Rabbit Hole Brewing.
• Saturday, December 17. Third Anniversary at Cobra Brewing Co.

Previous On Tap Reviews:
• Revolver’s Sangre y Miel: 10.
• Peticolas’ Royal Scandal: 10.
• Community’s Mosaic IPA: 10.
• Peticolas’ Velvet Hammer: 10.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Legion: 10.
• Community’s Legion: 10.
• BrainDead’s Fill in the Blancs: 9.5.
• Oak Highlands’ Freaky Deaky: 9.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Barrel Aged Four Swords: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Saint Dymphna: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Lost Epic: 9.5.
• Community’s Ascension Porter: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Temptress: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Goatman: 9.5.
• Community’s Public Ale: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Thrilla in Brazilla: 9.5.
• On Rotation’s Lingonberry Sahti: 9.25.
• On Rotation’s Jalapeno Saison: 9.
• Woodcreek’s Bourbon Barrel Bock: 9.
• Lakewood’s Wild Manimal: 9.
• Revolver’s Blood & Honey: 9.
• Martin House’s Imperial Texan: 9.
• Community’s Trinity Tripel: 9.
• Peticolas’ Irish Goodbye: 9.
• Four Corners’ Block Party Porter: 9.
• Cedar Creek’s Belgian Dubbel: 9.
• Small Brewpub’s Black Pepper Pils: 8.5.
• Peticolas’ Ghost Of Alfred Brown: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Easy Peasy IPA: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Oak Cliff Coffee Ale: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Rock Ryder: 8.5.
• Rahr’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Raspberry Temptress: 8.5.
• Peticolas’ Prime Minister: 8.25.
• Lakewood’s Thread Spinner: 8.
• Texas Ale Project 50 Ft. Jackrabbit: 8.
• Texas Ale Project’s Payne Pils: 8.
• Noble Rey’s Bridesmaid’s Tears: 8.
• Collective Brewing’s Urban Funk House: 8.
• Lakewood’s On Call: 8.
• Oak Highlands’ Golden Mustache: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Crackin’ Up: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Play Date: 8.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Company’s 11th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Belgian Tripel: 8.
• Noble Rey’s SteamPunk: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Citra On Top: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Hissy Fit: 8.
• BrainDead’s Gritz: 8.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Inspiration : 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Fisticuffs: 8.
• Lakewood’s Punkel: 8.
• Four Corners’ El Chingon IPA: 8.
• Martin House’s Day Break: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s GOURDzilla: 8.
• Peticolas’ The Duke (Aged 12 Months): 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Pale Ale: 8.
• Revolver’s Bock: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Sasquatch: 8.
• Peticolas’ Wintervention: 8.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Brunch Money: 8.
• Martin House’s Salsa Verde: 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Spinning Mule Robust Porter: 8.
• Lakewood’s Holiday Bonus: 8.
• Lakewood’s Hop Trapp: 8.
• 3 Nations American Wit: 7.75.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Dapper Apple: 7.75.
• Legal Draft’s Accused Amber Lager: 7.5.
• Grapevine’s Reserve Tart Cherry Berliner Weisse: 7.5.
• Martin House’s Stars Above: 7.5.
• Grapevine’s Prickly Pear Wheat Ale: 7.5.
• Bitter Sisters’ Knock Out: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ Notorious O.A.T.: 7.5.
• Noble Rey Golden Rey With Raspberries and Ginger: 7.5.
• On Rotation Saved By The Belma: 7.5.
• True Vine’s Unicorn’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Hop Seeker: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ El Super Bee: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Hopochondria: 7.5.
• Three Nations GPA: 7.5.
• Martin House’s Rubberneck Red: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Antigoon’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Community’s Texas Pils: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Zomer Pils: 7.5.
• Cedar Creek’s Dankosaurus: 7.5.
• Oak Highlands Brewery’s Oktoberfest.: 7.25.
• Backcountry’s Texas IPA: 7.
• Backcountry’s Double IPA: 7.
• Rahr’s Visionary: 7.
• Shannon Brewing’s Irish Cream Ale: 7.
• Oak Highlands’ Guava Good: 7.
• TUPPS Brewery’ Northbound 75: 7.
• Rahr & Sons’ Iron Joe: 7.
• BrainDead’s I Like Harvey IPA: 7.
• Martin House’s Turtle Power: 7.
• Collective’s Petite Golden Sour: 7.
• Shannon’s Chocolate Stout: 7.
• BrainDead’s Red Ale: 7.
• Community’s Razzy Raspberry Witbier: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway Blonde Ale: 7.
• Bearded Eel’s Purple Unicorn: 7.
• Noble Rey’s Off The Leash: 7.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s Irish Red: 7.
• Texas Ale Project’s Somethin’ Shady: 7.
• Deep Ellum IPA: 7.
• Cedar Creek’s The Lawn Ranger: 7.
• Martin House Brewing Company’s Cellarman’s Reserve IPA (Amarillo).: 7.
• Lakewood’s Till & Toil: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ The Chosen One: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ Sugar On Top: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway XPA: 7.
• Armadillo Ale Work’s Quakertown Stout: 7.
• Revolver’s High Brass: 7.
• Community’s Pale Ale: 7.
• Oak Highlands’ Chump Change: 7.
• Martin House’s River House: 7.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Sir William’s Brown Ale: 7.
• Community’s Funnel Cake Ale: 7.
• Audacity’s Boss Raptor IPA: 7.
• Martin House’s Queen of the Mist (Prickly Pear): 6.75.
• Martin House’s The Juice: 6.5.
• Collective Brewing Project’s Mom Azacca: 6.5.
• Four Corners’ La Lechuza: 6.5.
• Revolver’s Ironhead IPA: 6.5.
• 903 Brewers’ Trot Line: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ Operation Collaboration: 6.5.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Nightwatch: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ The Duke: 6.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Double Brown Stout : 6.5.
• Wild Acre’s Tarantula Hawk: 6.
• Martin House’s Kafkaesque: 6.
• TUPPS’ Cotton Mill Gold: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Tweedleyum: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Off With Your Red: 6.
• Cedar Creek’s Elliott’s Phoned Home Pale Ale: 6
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Lakefire: 6
• Armadillo Ale Works’ WunderMelon: 6
• Deep Ellum Pale Ale: 6
• Lakewood’s Troll Toll: 5.5.
• Martin House’s Hell Below: 5.5.
• Lakewood’s La Dame Du Lac: 5.5.
• Martin House Cuvee Pumpkin Latte: 5.
• Intrinsic’s Crunktoberfest: 5.
• Martin House’s Mind On My Money: 5.
• 903 Brewers’ The Land Of Milk And Honey: 5.
• Deep Ellum’s Numb Comfort: 5.
• Four Bullets’ Black Jack Brown: 4.5.
• Audacity’s Checkered Past: 4.
• Four Corners Heart O’ Texas: 4.
• Audacity’s Sunset Boulevard: 4.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s IPA: 4.
• Grapevine’s Monarch: 4.
• Twin Peaks’ Dirty Blonde: 3.
• Franconia Wheat: 3.
• Miller Lite: 1.