The Rise & Fall of Lake Superior Brewing

Last week, it was revealed that Lake Superior Brewing had closed its doors. What makes this news so different is that it not only one of Duluth's first microbreweries but it was also one of Minnesota's first breweries that was established after prohibition had ended. The closing of Lake Superior Brewing has certainly grabbed the attention of the craft brewing scene in Minnesota since it is the most high-profile closure to date. The reactions have, understandably, been that of shock and sadness.

However, it's an entirely different feeling for myself.

Sure, whenever a brewery closes its doors, I feel sorry to see it go and that's the case here with Lake Superior Brewing but I can't say that I'm surprised. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say that I'm shocked at the fact that it didn't happen sooner and....well I'm going explain why this is. Bear in mind too that a lot of what I’m going to say is speculation but keep in mind that I'm taking into account information, statistics and my own personal experience with the brewery.

To start out, it's worth noting that Lake Superior Brewing, which opened in 1994, has always been on the smaller side, with distribution being limited just to Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. To put that in perspective, peak production for Lake Superior occurred in 2014 around 2000 barrels before dwindling to 736 barrels in 2018. Bent Paddle, which opened in 2013 in the same neighborhood, produces just under 20,000 barrels a year and they distribute all over Minnesota, North Dakota and Northern & Western Wisconsin.

Now I want to make it very clear that Lake Superior Brewing was not a bad brewery, far from it. They were one of the first breweries that I tried out when I first got into craft brewing and I can safely say that their offerings have been consistent throughout the years. When it came to quality, they were certainly no slouch in that department. In fact, I consider their Old Man Winter to be one of the best MN-Based barleywines that I've ever had and is standard for what English-style barleywines should be like.

However, my criticism lays in the fact that innovation was never really their strong suit. Prior to 2018, with the release of their Riptide IPA, they had not released a new beer since 2013, with their Deep Water Black IPA.

This strategy might’ve worked 15-20 years ago but we’re living in an age of craft brewing that it’s not only expected that there’s a new beer on a regular basis but it’s pretty much an unspoken requirement if you want to survive. Many breweries, both new and seasoned, have followed suit with this rule but Lake Superior seemed to be an exception to that rule and yet they pushed on.

The other factor lies in branding. It’s no secret that for the longest time, the branding of Lake Superior Brewing was, for lack of a better term, outdated. It was by no means aesthetically offensive, but it wasn’t what I’d call eye-catching. Rather it was just…..boring. It had been around for the long time and at no point did they change their label and branding up 2017 (More on that in a bit.)

Now in terms of quality, they had no issues in that department. As I mentioned before, they were always consistent with their products and there was nothing wrong with their offerings but with the exception of their Old Man Winter Warmer, there was never anything that I would necessarily go out of my way to try unless I was at a friend’s house or if it was offered to me. I guess what I’m trying to say here is that when it came to their lineup, there wasn’t necessarily anything exciting about it and the lack of new offerings really hurt them in the grand scheme of things.

Now I mentioned before that their branding was, for the longest time, on the dull side. In fact, prior to 2017, myself and many of my peers saw Lake Superior’s branding as somewhat outdated in terms of look and design and it we just accepted it as it was. I bring this up because this changed in 2017.

What happened? New ownership!

At the time of hearing this news, I was excited for Lake Superior because I read about the plans the new owners had in mind. This included revamped branding, growth and even new offerings from them. At the time, I was excited for them and happy to see what changes would come. The rebranding of Lake Superior hit the shelves and I, for one, was pleased with it. It was an updated design while also staying true to its roots.

Another change that was made was the overhaul of the website. For example, here’s the website as it is right now:

Looks great right? I think so to! Everything is sleek and thoroughly designed. Thing is, it wasn’t always that way. Here it is from 2016:

And here it is from 2014:

Now I’m going to reserve judgment since I’m aware that my own website design hasn’t changed since 2014, which I’m working on, but I will say that the current design definitely is the strongest of the three.

All of the pieces were there to help raise Lake Superior’s status once again but I can’t help but feel that these changes came too little & too late. I mentioned before that their first new release in five years occurred in 2018 with their Riptide IPA…..but nothing else further materialized from that and I took notice. Steps in the right direction were most certainly taken but I keep thinking that these long overdue changes were too little & too late. I am by no means disregarding any of the changes made by the new ownership but I feel these changes would’ve been much more impactful had they occurred four or five years earlier.

However, the story might not be over just yet. The current owners of LSB (Lake Superior Brewing) are looking to sell the brewery and is, at the time of writing, up for sale. In any case, all of this is just my personal view on how things are and anything that happens at this point. Who knows? Maybe something else will start up in its place?

As always, thanks for reading!



Sources used:


https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2020/01/09/duluth-brewery-closes-may-be-for-sale.html

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4852039-Lake-Superior-Brewing-closed-%E2%80%94-for-now

https://growlermag.com/original-brewery-of-duluths-lincoln-park-craft-district-closes/

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4342140-new-owners-lake-superior-brewing


Minnesota Department of Revenue

The Northland Beer Dinner Train

As the North Shore Craft Beer Scene grows with each passing day, with it are the ways we can enjoy what is has to offer. That is why it is my pleasure to announce the Dinner Train from NorthlandBeer.com.

The train ride will take you up the picturesque Lake Superior Shoreline along the Northshore Scenic Railroad onboard the Lake of the Isles Dining Car. While you take in the beautiful sights of Minnesota's North Shore, you will be treated to a first class dinner courtesy of Executive Chef Richard Salz from JJ Astor Restaurant in Duluth. The dinner itself will feature beer pairings from Duluth's very own Lake Superior Brewing Company. There will also be beer available from Bent Paddle & South Shore Brewing as well as a cash bar for patrons.

Departure is on July 5th, 2014 at 6:30 PM from the Historic Duluth Depot located at 506 W. Michigan Street in Downtown Duluth, MN.

Tickets will be $59 and you must be 21 or older to attend. To reserve your spot, you can register at www.duluthtrains.com or you can call at 218-722-1273.

Spend the 4th of July weekend in style and join Northland Beer for this exciting and unique experience that can only happen here along Minnesota's North Shore.

The Duluth Experience Craft Beer Roundtable - Crafting the North Shore Craft Beer Scene

Last week, I attended the second event of the Craft Beer Roundtable hosted by The Duluth Experience. The Craft Beer Roundtable focuses on the vibrant craft brewing scene in Northeastern Minnesota and the surrounding area.

While the last event focused on the people who owned the breweries, this event featured the brewmasters from each of their respective breweries:

• Dave Hoops - Fitger’s Brewhouse 
• Dale Kleinschmidt - Lake Superior Brewing Company
• Jason Baumgarth - Carmody Irish Pub and Brewing
• Jeremy King - Canal Park Brewing Company 
• Brian Schanzenbach - Blacklist Brewing

The event kicked off with a bit of a Q & A about what was the draw that brought these individuals to the area. Amongst the responses were the long history of brewing that the area is known for, the open-minded, receptive audience, location and most importantly: The water.

Perhaps one question that I thought is important to those who wish to become brewers themselves was what can one do to get into brewing. The big answers were to educate oneself, do homebrew yourself or even just volunteering at a local brewery by getting your foot in the door and getting to know the brewers as well. One thing that did stick out for me as a question pitched by Canal Park Brewmaster Jeremy King: Do you even want to brew? It may seem like a silly question to ask but a lot of people don't know that being brewmaster is actually very hard work.

Another question which was asked was regarding upcoming trends. Amongst the trends discussed were the growing demand for barrel-aged beers and the potential market for companies that provide barrels to breweries. Another one that was agreed upon are the rise in Sessionable Ales, Sour/Wild Ales, and collaboration ales.  A couple of interesting ideas provided by Fitger's Brewmaster Dave Hoops included Hybrid Beers (American/Belgian Styles) and what the brewers are drinking in general.

When it came to talking about the challenges about being a small brewery, marketing seemed to be the primary one as well as brand recognition. Some other challenges included navigating Minnesota State liquor & distribution laws as well as the lack of market access for certain breweries.

This led to the next topic regarding social media and the general consensus was that it's not only good for small business and helps keep people updated but it's also free in many instances. During that topic, Dave Hoops even brought up how their marketing department utilizes text messaging to keep people updated.

As the forum started to wrap up, the topic of females in the craft brewing industry was brought up. It was agreed that women should have a bigger role in the craft brewing industry; After all, they do make up about 30% of overall craft beer sales. A point was even brought up that women used to play a crucial role in brewing; For example from the early days of Sumerian culture all the way up until the end of the 18th Century. I personally have to agree and I've pointed out before that I think women are painfully underrepresented in the craft brewing industry.

Like the first event, I found this one to be extremely informative and I noticed a much higher turnout this time around than the previous event. Not to mention too that there was considerably more media attention at this event compared to the last one. I also had the opportunity to have a pint with Ed & Liz Gleason of Carmody's afterwards, who helped give my fiancé her first ever craft beer; Thanks guys!

If you weren't able to make it before, now is the time to do so as there are still 2 events left in the Craft Beer Roundtable event:

May 18th: “Riding the Wave of Beer” – Craft Beer Related Business
Moderated by: James Sanders – The Duluth Experience

• Marissa Sauer – Northlandbeer.com
• Paul Riordan – Brule River Hill Top Hops
• Brad Nelson – Star Creative
• Carolyn Jones – CMT Farm
• Paul Helstrom – The Duluth Experience

June 22nd: “Women of the North Shore Craft Beer Scene” – A Candid Discussion on the State of Women in Brewing
Moderated by: Elissa Hansen – Barley’s Angels Duluth/Superior Chapter

• Allyson Rolph – Thirsty Pagan Brewing
• Jamie MacFarlane – Castle Danger Brewing
• Liz Gleason – Carmody Irish Pub & Brewery
• Laura Mullen – Bent Paddle Brewing Co.
• Melissa Rainville – Fitger’s Brewhouse

All the events will be held at Teatro Zuccone in the Zeitgeist Arts Building at 222 East Superior Street in Duluth, Minnesota. Tickets for each event are only $5 and all proceeds from the event will be donated to a local charity. For more information about the North Shore Craft Beer Roundtable call (218) 464-6337 or visit The Duluth Experience website at: www.theduluthexperience.com/special-events/craft-beer-roundtable/

I hope to see you all there.

Cheers!

- Nick

The Duluth Experience Presents: The North Shore Craft Beer Roundtable Part 2 – Crafting the North Shore Beer Scene

On April 13th The Duluth Experience will host the second of its four live panel discussions covering the business and art of craft brewing and the rise of the North Shore Craft Beer Scene. The second panel – Crafting the North Shore Beer Scene – will focus on the craftsmen and women creating delicious concoctions of water, malt, hops and yeast that give the local craft beer scene its unique flavor.

The event will bring together five prominent local brewers for a candid discussion on the art of craft brewing:

• Dave Hoops - Fitger’s Brewhouse 
• Dale Kleinschmidt - Lake Superior Brewing Company
• Jason Baumgarth - Carmody Irish Pub and Brewing
• Jeremy King - Canal Park Brewing Company 
• Brian Schanzenbach - Blacklist Brewing

Moderated by The Duluth Experience’s Tim Wilson, the discussion will cover the key elements that make the North Shore Scene unique, future trends in craft brewing, the collaborative and cooperative community of brewers elevating the region’s prominence in the industry, and the challenges and opportunities that make the scene’s past, present, and future so exciting. The events are designed to provide behind-the-scenes perspectives on the regional craft beer community and showcase the great people involved in pushing the North Shore Craft Beer Scene to the forefront of the expanding craft beer industry in Minnesota.

The event will be held from 1-2pm at Duluth’s Teatro Zuccone in the Zeitgeist Arts Building at 222 East Superior Street on April 13th. Tickets for each event are only $5 and all proceeds from the event will be donated to a local charity. For more information about the North Shore Craft Beer Roundtable call (218) 464-6337 or visit The Duluth Experience website at: www.theduluthexperience.com/special-
events/craft-beer-roundtable/

If you happen to be in town next Sunday or have nothing else better to do, I encourage you to come on down, learn about one of the fastest growing industries in our area, and there will be free beer too!

I hope to see you all there, Cheers!

- Nick

Lake Superior Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout Review

Name: Lake Superior Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: N/A

It's time to review another local beer courtesy of Lake Superior Brewing with their Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout. The beer gets it's name from the French explorer who founded the city of Duluth: Sir Daniel Greysolon De Lhut.

I'm not feeling particularly well tonight, so this review is going to be rather brief and short instead of long and wordy. Since I've just taken some Nyquil, I feel it's best to get it over with now before I fall asleep with my index finger on the "J" key. And in case you were wondering: No, I did not just have this beer because with some of my reviews, I review them ahead of time, take notes and use them to compile my review.

Sir Duluth pours an opaque black color with a filmy khaki-colored head with some spotty lacing retention

The aroma starts off with some roasted malts notes, oatmeal, milk chocolate and some mild floral hop notes. It comes off as fairly sweet with just a slight roastiness.

The flavor initially starts out with a sweetness that consists of oatmeal, milk chocolate, and toffee before settling in down to a roasty aftertaste which has notes of roasted malts and coffee.

The palate has a pretty moderate weight and the carbonation also has the same consistency in terms of intensity. It would nice if it were a bit less bubbly but I'll let it slide because it helps bring out more of the flavor.

Sir Duluth is an all-around, good oatmeal stout. Say what you want about our Arctic-calibur temperatures, but Duluth makes some solid darker beers. If you want proof, look no further than this beer along with Fitger's Big Boat Oatmeal Stout and Bent Paddle Black Ale.


Lake Superior Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout - 8.25/10

Lake Superior Old Man Winter Warmer Review

Name: Lake Superior Old Man Winter Warmer
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 10.3%

Today I received word that we are on track to have the coldest winter on record here in Duluth, as it is already the 2nd coldest on record at the time of writing this. I certainly picked a good year to move here, as my co-workers have told me and I have to agree with them. Oh, and schools around the state have been closed for the second consecutive day in a row. I think school has been closed more times this year then I had during the entire time I was in K-12 schools.

To honor this occasion of cold temperatures that Siberia would consider "too much", I've decided to review a local seasonal beer from Lake Superior Brewing called Old Man Winter Warmer, which is their Barleywine style ale, which clocks in at a healthy 10.3%.

Old Man Winter Warmer pours a black color which gives off a nice crimson hue when held up to a light.  The head retention is decent and the lacing also has some mild retention to it as well.

The nose has a nice aroma of caramel, licorice, vanilla and chocolate. There is an encompassing oak-like characteristic which gives it an almost "bourbon barrel" like quality to it.

The flavor has surprisingly smoky quality to it, which was not present in the nose. Along with that are notes of licorice, chocolate, oak, hops, roasted barley and vanilla. The oak/bourbon characteristic is still pretty much here and it's a very nice touch. The aftertaste is a very chocolate & vanilla finish.

The palate is surprisingly lightweight and the carbonation is also very mild as well. The overall feel of the palate works tremendously with the flavor.

I have to hand to Lake Superior Brewing, this is a very smooth (and not overpowering) tasting barleywine. The best part? It's very affordable and priced about as much as the other selections from Lake Superior. It won't be around for too much longer so pick this up while you can!


Lake Superior Old Man Winter Warmer - 9/10

Lake Superior Deep Water Black IPA Review

In honor of my new home, I figured it would only be appropriate by kicking things off with a beer made here in Duluth. Lake Superior Brewing was one of the first craft breweries I tried out when I first got into craft beer back in college; If my memory serves me correctly, the first beer I had was their Mesabi Red which I picked up from Haskell's.

Lake Superior Brewing just released their newest beer called Deep Water Black IPA. And like many of Lake Superior's beers I've looked at, they are mum when it comes to giving us an ABV.

Deep Water pours an almost-black color that turns a clear dark brown when held up to the light. The head is rather thin and khaki colored that fades away fairly quickly.

The nose has a fairly strong citrus hops scent upfront followed by chocolate, roasted malts & barley notes. The flavor on the other hand has a strong piney/citrus hop profile which is backed by equally strong roasted malts, coffee, and caramel.

The body is fairly light and the carbonation has a slight bite to it so it helps add a bit of flavor to what some may already consider to be a unique flavor.

I consider this one to be very good. It's not a style that's for everyone but those who know and love the style will find something to like about this one.

Lake Superior Deep Water Black IPA - 8.5/10