Blind Cat Beer Co.

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Earth-Friendly, Responsible & Sustainable Brewing at Blind Cat Beer Co.

The owners, husband and wife, of Blind Cat Beer Co. stand in the open doorway under their painted sign that reads: "Blind Cat Beer Co." at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

We made our way to Blind Cat Beer Co. in the heart of busy Downtown Pittston for the next stop on the DiscoverNEPA Brewer’s Loop.

We stayed quite close to home on this trip along the Brewer’s Loop. Pittston, that emergent, energized city on the climb, was our aim. It was late February, but not your typical, joint-knocking cold February afternoon. The sun was out and bright and kind of warm. The sky was bluer than you could dream it. And it was Friday. All told, with the faux-spring vibe, the traffic rolling down Main Street, the prospect of sniping a few beers at a new brewery, this particular Friday had shaped up nicely.

A bag, a beer koozie and a steel bottle opener with Blind Cat Beer Co. labelling sit on the wooden bar at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

Blind Cat Beer Co. sits on the unassuming Butler Alley about a half block off of Main Street

It takes up half of the first floor of the old Burns Building, a sturdy, red brick survivor from another age. In the building’s northwest corner, the tightly-stacked, ancient bricks give way to an interjection of modern utility. A single, glass overhead garage door framed in green and artistically-rendered hop bines and, of course, Cricket, one of the owner’s two blind cats and de-facto brand ambassador, disrupts the otherwise industrial facade. The inviting, little portal offers promise of an escape – a place to steal away from the cold, the noise of the street, the job and all other things unwillingly ascribed to us. Above the door, in a simple, welcoming font, it reads: Blind Cat Beer Co.

So, we popped in for a look and a pint (or two).

The Brewery at Blind Cat Beer Co.

A row of two-seat tables in front of stainless steel brew tanks at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

A deeper understanding

Half of the space at Blind Cat Beer Co. is dedicated to the art and mastery of brewing. And you’re in it. The smell of boiling wort lifts out of the kettle and crawls across piping and duct work and into the social space. Late daylight beams through a window facing the westward skyline. It slashes across the taught and polished bellies of stainless-steel brew tanks. The inner workings and unknowable chemistry are revealed in dials and digital displays. Hose connections, levers, knobs and the errant wrench connect in our minds the brewer’s hand, his grand design and the beer.

Steel brew tanks line up along the brewhouse wall at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

In the brewhouse, a world of creation exists outside of our own.

It’s one wherein mistakes and happy accidents mingle with passion and artistry and occasional flirtations with genius. And the line between, drawn only by limitations in understanding and vocation, is one of admiration for a true day’s work and a simple acknowledgement that beer is not magic. And that every ripple in the river of creation from the bag of grain to those burly tanks to your snifter is intentional.

Blind Cat Beer Co. Taproom

A hand raising a glass of beer toward a room of empty tables and chairs at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

Everything’s kind of familiar

The taproom at Blind Cat Beer Co. features a uniquely layered combination of industrial conversion, upcycled restoration and a touch of mid-century modern. The original brick walls, concrete floors and ceilings, exposed pipe work, conduit and air ducts offer a subtle, yet deeper connection to the working-class city outside its doors. Pittston’s history as an influential industrial hub is etched in steel beams and columns and layers of vanishing paint.

Four patrons sit at the small bar talking to two bartenders at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

A small, social space

The single-room stretches toward the natural light outside the overhead door. Rows of dome lights soften the hard surfaces and welcome the wandering eye to trace the ancient mortar joints. A generous scattering of natural wood-slab tabletops paired with classic rattan side chairs adds a warmth akin to some cozy place you’d visit with your grandparents when you were a kid. The old, wooden bar at the back of the room, though prominent in utility, claims a modesty that sells the rest of the space. It says, “Take your beer and get out there! Go make friends!” The taproom also spills out onto a small, side patio.

Blind Cat Beer Co.: The Beer

A bartender pours a golden beer from the tap at Blind Cat beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

High-quality, responsibly-brewed craft beer at Blind Cat Beer Co.

The eclectic tap list at Blind Cat Beer Co. offers nearly a decade of professional brewing experience (along with the typical handful of home brew years). From classic pilsners and ales to more experimental creations, there’s always something familiar and something designed to challenge your understanding of craft beer. And the brewer seems to delight equally in both. For our part in this, we sipped our way from light to dark, easy to heavy and everything in between. On average, most of the beers on the list seemed to fall right around the five to six percent range, which aligns with the overall chill vibe of the place.

Two beers, one gold and the other dark brown, on the bar at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

A beer with a purpose

We began our journey with the flagship offering, Cricket Pilsner. This delicately hopped and lightly malty pilsner went down with a slight sweetness and a boldly crisp bite. At 5.7%, this one makes for the perfect porch sipper regardless of the season. Cricket Pilsner is also a vehicle for Blind Cat’s fundraising efforts to help local animal shelters. One dollar from every pint sold is donated to a rotating list of local nonprofits that serve animals in need.

A dark beer in a snifter glass set on top of a checkerboard at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

I’m sorry, did you say mushroom beer?

We continued with a few more from the lager family. Nitro Bodaggit, a dark rye lager, offered a smooth peppery punch with balanced bready notes and a slight caramel touch to the finish. Next up, a true first for us in the form of Spinal Cap, a Dunkel brewed with local shitake mushrooms. It poured gorgeously dark brown with an effervescent head. The subtle, earthy notes struck a near-perfect balance with the sweeter, malty finish and lingering whisper of chocolate. Both lagers weighed in around the crushable 5.7% mark.

An IPA in a pint glass on the bar at Blind Cat Beer Company in Pittston, PA.

Getting creative with the classics

And then it was on the Blind Cat’s ale program. Up first, Sour Flower, a blueberry and hibiscus sour ale. This stunningly cranberry-hued beauty at 5.1%, was light, crisp and loaded with tongue-tingling berry tartness. From there, we tried the Skills in Magic Smoked Porter. It was shy with its smokiness, but brought that classic chocolate and roasted coffee aroma. It was an easy-to-handle porter at only 4.9%, which, in our estimation, is precisely where a porter should be. Finally, we closed out with the heaviest ABV offering of the day. Hodgepodgey is an expertly-balanced hazy IPA clocking in at 6.9%. The sweet notes of stone fruit combined with an almost under-the-radar hop character and crushable smoothness exemplified a true mark of mastery.

A green baseball hat with the words: Blind Cat Beer Co. in front of two pints of beer at Blind Cat Beer Co. in Pittston, PA.

We made our way to Blind Cat Beer Co. on a sunny, late winter day

And while the blue sky and soft whisper of spring betrayed our senses, the good folks behind this unique brewery warmed our wintered hearts with their generosity, their delicious beer and more importantly, with their wonderful story. Do yourself a favor. Next time you find yourself rolling along the artsy streets of Pittston, stop and check out this awesome, little brewery.

Must Try:

Cricket Pilsner – Pilsner – Beautifully golden, muted hops with a slight sweet finish. — 5.7% ABV

Spinal Cap – Shitake Dunkel – Robust, dark and earthy with a subtle toastiness — 5.7% ABV

Hodgepodgey – New England (Hazy) IPA – A perfect balance that goes light on the dank, heavy on the stone fruit. — 6.9% ABV

Spotlight On

Blind Cat Beer Co. blends good beer and a cozy vibe at their earth-friendly brewery and taproom in downtown Pittston! We have the scoop on some of the popular craft beers served at the small-batch brewery that gets its name from the owners’ two blind cats.