Our Beers

Lake Superior Brewing Company brews four beers year-round: Special Ale, Kayak Kolsch, Mesabi Red and Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout. Each one offers the best characteristics of its given style yet also delivers a distinctive experience that only a hand-crafted brew can.

	Special Ale – The British may have invented the pale ale, but we Americans perfected it. Exhibit A: our Special Ale. Sure, we use English ale yeast to ferment Special Ale, but that's where the similarities end. Our signature brew balances a firm malt base (with slight hints of caramel) against a strong push from 100 percent Cascade hops for a fruity aroma and floral finish. Just as the original pale ales were brewed to traverse the globe, Special Ale provides the perfect companion to just about any cuisine. Perhaps that's why it earned a Silver Medal at the World Beer Championships in 2002.
	Kayak Kolsch – Denizens of Cologne , Germany (or, Koln ) may call us “ugly Americans” for brewing a variation of this light, crisp ale. In fact, German law dictates that only a few breweries in Cologne and the surrounding area can legally call their beers Kolsches. Ours is more homage than theft: Starting with a malt base containing 10 percent wheat and all German hops, we ferment it with a hybrid ale yeast and then “lager” (or mellow) it in cold temperatures. The result is a delicate, straw-blond body and medium hop that delivers a crisp hint of fresh hay in place of the cloying sweetness of a lager or the bitter notes of a pale ale. It's the perfect capper for a day spent hiking, hunting or – yes – kayaking. It also scored higher than any other Kolsch submitted to the 2002 World Beer Championships.
	Mesabi Red – We won't go so far as to call it our red-headed step child, but our robust American amber ale sprung more from inspired alchemy than any color-by-numbers recipe. Today, we front-load Red with five different malts, including Munich and Belgian aromatic, for a rich mahogany hue, then balance it with three hop varieties. This creates a potent, full-bodied brew with firm bitterness and a distinctive touch of dried strawberries in its finish. Named for the vast iron range that sustains Minnesota 's Arrowhead Region, Mesabi Red rewards a hard day's work with strength and complexity.
	Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout – Stout lovers rejoice, because Sir Duluth is the rarest of breeds: a true four-season stout. It delivers all of the coffee and chocolate complexity you'd expect from the style without the creamy ballast of its Irish cousins. Still black and velvety smooth, the brew finishes on a toasty note that nearly cleanses the palate like an English biscuit – making it as fit for a sunny lakeside patio as it is for a ski lodge hearthside. Named for the French explorer (and Duluth namesake) Daniel Greysolon Sier du Lhut, it won a Gold Medal at the 2002 World Beer Championships.
	Seasonal Varieties
	Old Man Winter Warmer (winter) – When it comes to spreading cheer, this Old Man doesn't mess around. Brewed in late spring and aged in our refrigerator until mid-Fall, this barley wine style ale brings a whopping ABV to the task. With mahogany color and flavors of dark fruits, along with oak infusion giving a slight vanilla background, this Old Man Winter Warmer does what its name promises for your nose and your thirst. O.G. 1.101. Available in 12oz. bottles and draft.
	Split Rock Bock (late winter/spring) seasonal – Some say the locals in Einbeck, Germany, used to brew bock beer to ward off the stubborn winter (after all, bock is the German word for "goat" and the style is brewed under the sign of Capricorn). Others say it's simply what came out of the brewery as a result of spring cleaning. We craft our hearty, chocolate-inflected Split Rock Bock to keep Northlanders warm at the annual Fitgers Bock Fest each March. You see, March is a long way from spring in Duluth, so we use five malts to give it a rich body and an extra hind-leg kick - in case you find yourself far from the bonfire. O.G. 1.055. Available in 12 oz. bottles.
	North Shore Wheat (early summer) – Released in June to mark summer's long-awaited arrival, this breezy, true German Hefeweizen incorporates 55 percent wheat malt, a blend of German hops and imported German ale yeast to deliver subtle bread and banana notes. Despite its characteristic cloudiness, Windward Wheat brings nothing but light, refreshing sunshine to the palate. O.G. 1.054.
	Oktoberfest (fall) German hops float atop a rich caramel malt base to provide the perfect accompaniment to a loaded bratwurst – perhaps grilled over a bonfire of chopped birch and fallen leaves. It won Gold at the 2009 World Beer Championships. Available in 12oz. bottles.
	Winter Solstice Spiced Ale (early winter) Truly a northern winter wonderland treat being brought back after many years. This is our Christmas beer traditionally released annually on the winter solstice. English "winter warmers" provide the inspiration for this full flavored dark ale, brewed with a blend of spices and kissed with the sweet taste of molasses for a unique flavor. Being brewed now and coming out in draft this early winter (sorry, no bottles this year). Be sure to ask your favorite local establishment to order a keg now through their distributor.

Specialty Brews

Cask Conditioned Ales - Lake Superior Brewing Company will happily cask-condition our beers for special events. Find us at public events and tastings as listed on our "News & Calendar " page.

High Bridge Root Beer - Our rootbeer is brewer tested and kid approved. An original recipe developed at our brewery, it blends traditional rootbeer flavors, pure vanilla, local honey and Lake Superior water to achive a creamy/smooth taste with a hint of wintergreen.