Lake Superior - Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout

Tonight I'm going to review a beer from Lake Superior Brewing Company, based up in chilly Duluth, MN.  Lake Superior Brewing began back in the early 1990's, when scientist Bob Dromeshauser lost his job and decided to pursue his brewing passion instead.  A solid decision, to be sure!  They've grown from humble home-brewing beginnings to what they are today - the only commercially available microbrewery in Northland Minnesota.  Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout is a year-round offering that won Gold Medal at the 2002 World Beer Championships.  This is the first Lake Superior brew we've reviewed, so let's get to it!

The beer is black-brown with a thin layer of tan head on top that falls away quickly.  The aroma is of ground black coffee, cocoa, and powdered cream.  Also some charred wood and a faint nuttiness.  The flavor starts off with a strong layer of roasted malts, with coffee and dark chocolate taking center stage.  Bitter cocoa powder, and a hint of smoked wood also come through.  Then...a wave of metallic flavor.  It's like the beer morphed into a mouthful of pennies.  Not pleasant, I can't get past it.  The texture isn't quite where it should be for an oatmeal stout either - a bit thin and lacks the creamyness I was hoping for.   

Overall Rating:  This beer had some positive characteristics, and I wanted to support my local brewery and like it....but ultimately it was too thin and the metallic flavor invaded and ruined it for me.  Not a fan of this one.  D+