In late November we were settling into winter and trying to prepare for the months ahead. When our friends Megan and Mitch asked if we wanted to visit the newly opened Bald Man Brewing we jumped at the chance. After all, we needed another stamp for our Northern Ale Guide and our list was quickly dwindling.
After arranging a time to meet and checking whether the brewery had a food truck onsite that night (they did) we took the short trip over the river from Bloomington to Eagan. The brewery is in an industrial complex and it honestly was a little difficult to find the place. We drove around the building until we finally found the telltale signs of a brewery hidden within: a bunch of cars and a food truck parked outside! We glanced at the menu and, after coming to the realization it was way too cold to browse, we jumped inside to warm up.
The interior was a huge surprise based on the exterior and the surrounding businesses. The exposed ceiling was much higher than expected and the decor was shiny metal and fresh wood like only a newly born brewery can provide. It was a busy night and we snatched one of the last open tables in preparation for our friends’ arrival.
I was able to take a little longer look at the surroundings and noticed some additional details I hadn’t seen at first glance. A giant logo overlooked the taproom: the silhouette of a bald man’s head with an illustrative font reading “BALD MAN”. The bar was lit by a wood beam lighting apparatus. A rail also separated the taproom from the fermenters and each was labeled with the name of a different rock musician. Particularly fitting since the Heavy Metal Grill was on premise that night.
We took turns ordering a flight and right on cue our friends arrived. We watched their belongings as I started in on my selections. In total I tried their Heart of Glass (Blonde Ale), Rock You Like a Hurricane (Oktoberfest), Tupelo Honey (Brown Ale), Dark Side of the Moon (Porter), Calibration Day (Session IPA), and Misty Mountain Hops (IPA). If you couldn’t tell they’ve got a rock and roll theme going on. Once our friends returned with their drinks in tow we took turns grabbing food from the truck so we could have a balanced meal.
Each half of the flight had one great beer in them. In the first half their Rock You Like a Hurricane stood out. Perhaps it was because we’d just planned our trip to Germany, but the roasted malt notes, sweet start, bitter finish, and the crystal clear amber color was really hitting the spot. While I made my way through the second half of the flight a band began to play on the taproom stage. To pair with our new soundscape I jumped into the IPAs. The one that tickled my tastebuds was Calibration Day. It was clean and light with a tropical aroma best described as starbursty! For a man with a sweet tooth like mine this was quite welcome. I closed the night out with their Dark Side of the Moon on Nitro. It had a bump of cold press coffee and, as most intros are, it was super smooth, rich, and creamy. It was my favorite beer of the night.
Bald Man Brewing has well brewed beer in a very nice setting. My wife was particularly happy about their approachable styles and she enjoyed each one she tasted. I’m happy it’s so close to our home because I can see ourselves returning regularly. Check their website for the food they’ll have as well as any music that’s playing that night. I would recommend personally vetting the music that you’ll be experiencing. While we enjoyed it, it was quite loud and got in the way of conversation. The south metro should be happy to have these guys and I’m sure they’ll be successful.
No Comments