stale as in oxidized?
I would certainly not describe it as a sherry or metalic flavor. It would be closer to a paper flavor but I don't think it was oxidized.
The salty flavor could from the water they are using. Do you get salty flavor from Cal Commons?
I do not get a salty flavor with Anchor Steam and the couple of homebrews I have tried. Perhaps it is the water, the city is probably pumping it in from the Gulf. I did not taste the local water during my visit.
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paper says oxidation. That's a packaging fault. Metallic would not be oxidation. That's ussually a water problem.
Salty says water to me as well. I don't think what you are describing is a yeast character though. Doesn't really sound like something I'd want to replicate either.