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 Kolsch. 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 Begian aromatic malt 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 Beers

Split Rock Bock - Late winter/spring seasonal
This is a hearty, dark mahogany-colored beer, malty with chocolate overtones, brewed using 5 different malts. Lake Superior Split Rock Bock is the festival beer for the annual Fitger's Bock Fest held in March. O.G. 1.055. Available in 12 oz. bottles.

Windward Wheat - Early Summer seasonal
Released in June in honor of Duluth's popular marathon race. A true German Hefe-weizen. A refreshing beer, 55% wheat malt, a blend of German hops and imported German ale yeast. Fruity overtones and cloudy in the traditional Hefe-weizen style. O.G. 1.054.

St. Louis Bay IPA - Late Summer seasonal
True to style. Slightly darker than Special Ale (R) , this beer is chock full of hops (over 1 pound per barrel). Using a blend of English hops, this brew is dry hopped using East Kent Golding, our own English ale yeast and a hint of oak. St. Louis Bay IPA TM is a hop lovers delight. O.G. 1.058. Available in 12 oz. bottles.

Old Man Winter Warmer - Winter Seasonal
This beer is brewed in late Spring and aged in our refrigerator till mid Fall. This beer is typically released in early November. This beer is a whooping! 10.3% ABV. O.G. 1.101. Available in 12oz. bottles.

CASK CONDITIONED ALES - Lake Superior Brewing Company will happily cask condition our beers for special events. Look for these events in the "News & Events" page

High Bridge Root Beer - Brewed year round
Our rootbeer is brewer tested and kid approved. An original recipe developed at our brewery. A blend of rootbeer flavors, pure vanilla, local honey and Lake Superior water, gives our root beer a creamy/smooth taste with a hint of wintergreen.