Our next adventure on the DiscoverNEPA Brewer’s Loop brought us to a funky, little brewpub in Downtown Scranton called Mutant Brewing.

We blew into Scranton on a heavy, winter breeze. The wind whipped and hummed through the downtown corridors alongside the afternoon traffic. The sky was a whitish gray. Errant snowflakes swirled overhead – their gentle landing denied by an indiscriminately angry day. After only a few steps with our gear in tow, we began to find the hollow irritability somewhat transmittable. The cold gripped at our necks and vulnerable joints with long, bony fingers and whispered in our reddened ears an elegiac tune. See the geese in Chevron flight flapping and racing on before the snow…

We needed shelter – someplace warm with a great playlist where the heat radiated from the structural terracotta behind the bar. And perhaps, we needed a hot coffee. No! A cold, dark beer and a warm tray of pizza. Because that’s how it’s done in NEPA — how we stand up to the bully cold of late January.

We found that warm place. And there was beer. And the lingering aroma of a fresh pizza in a hot oven stung the back of our tongues. They call this place Mutant Brewing.

The Taproom

Neighborhood pub meets NFT art gallery

The gallery-shaped taproom at Mutant Brewing runs long and narrow. Colorful, digital, NFT artwork spills and splatters the north wall. The long, stainless steel-topped bar runs nearly the length of the room on the opposite wall. The distance between is short allowing conversations to carry from the high tops to the barstools. The large glass storefront funnels daylight through the space. The high black ceiling and wood floor draws light along the shiny bar top to the back of the room, creating a symbiosis with the busy city street outside.

The design conjures two unique worlds in relative balance

The belligerent, colorful NFT artwork screams of a younger, largely digital generation while the exposed structural terracotta behind the bar offers a divey, old-school pub vibe. A middle ground forms naturally in the space between where phones are occasionally forgotten in pockets and replaced with a mutual curiosity. A generationally-varied playlist also helps.

The Beer

All the classics with that unique, creative spin

When it comes to the tap list, they pretty much cover em’ all at Mutant Brewing. And while a few of their beers employ a certain degree of playfulness and exploration, you’re never far from an old standard, which they handle just as adeptly.  Fruit plays a big role in quite a few of the choices like their ambitious Stuntman Sour series and a couple of unique fruited Ales. Then, on the other hand, you have classic lagers, stouts and IPAs.

As with just about everything else going on in this brewpub – the aesthetic, the music, the artwork — the beer casts a wide demographic net. It is, after all, a downtown brewery in one of NEPA’s youngest, most diverse markets. And they continually prove true the old adage that beer drinkers find good beer. Beyond that, it’s about vibes, as the kids say, and this place also has that figured out.

We stuck to our usual script – line em’ up light to heavy

Give us some color and hit us with something weird if you got it. First, the lagers. Tulum Girl, a traditional Mexican lager, delivered that crisp bite with a smack of salt and lime and a crushable, low ABV. Singularity, Mutant’s version of a pale lager, proved one of the favorites of the day. It was light and slightly fruity and bready with a refreshing carbonation at an easy 4.7%. And for fun, we lumped the Couch Surfer shandy in with this group. This one opened with a strong punch of grapefruit and then trailed off into that familiar sea salt/lime finish. Overall, a light, and pleasant combo, capable of erasing any trace of a winter’s day.

On to the ales

The Local Poison Apple Ale, with its cinnamon-caramel rim came in on the sweeter side, though a definitive presence of hops helped to balance everything out. The Boring Bana Bread was a pleasant surprise with a muted banana sweetness paired with the natural bready aroma of a well-built ale foundation.

Of the three IPA choices, we tried two. The Mutant Serum Hazy IPA, a flagship beer, hit all the right notes – tropical, almost peachy with just the right amount of punch from the Citra-Mosaic-El Dorado hop combo. This one’s a crowd-pleaser at 7%. Then, we tried the Trippy Juicy IPA, which presented as a slightly lighter, smoother version of the former – like a little brother, in a sense. Nonetheless, it also nailed the delicate balance of funk and fruit.

Pints, Flights, Cans…

The WiFi Here Sucks is not a defamatory statement, it’s their entry into the realm of stouts. This white chocolate macadamia variation lures you in with velvety chocolate and vanilla notes. And it sings all the way through to a lingering nutty, roasted coffee finish – a flavorful, respectable 7% ABV.

Lastly, we dipped into the Stuntman Sour series with tasters of all three variations – strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. Each hit those tart, acidic notes and levelled off into bursts of fruit sweetness.  They do come in a little heavier than you’d expect from the taste at 6%. You’ll want to be careful with these.

In all, the beer selection at Mutant Brewing offered a youthful variety of easy drinkers and moderately heavy hitters. You can mix it up at the brewery with flights or straight pints. And they also offer every option in cans to go.

The Food

It’s the kind of pizza a cold beer might write home about

The beer speaks for itself. And, in the case of craft beer drinkers, that just might be enough. But anytime you can crush a pizza, or a greasy smash burger along with your beer, you’ve levelled up to a state of brewpub nirvana.

We know better than to jump into the hostile realm of pizza reviews, but we will say this – Detroit Pizza is not something you see on a lot of menus across NEPA. And if you’re curious, you can try one of the best right here at Mutant Brewing. The pan-fried dough may be the star of the show. It’s both crispy and pillowy soft with a little bit of char and smokiness. The cheese is thick and creamy with a slight caramelization and pairs perfectly with a tangy red sauce. And then the pepperoni… small cups, some charred, some not. It adds a level of crunchiness and spice that overwhelms all of the brain’s typical pizza receptors.

“Don’t forget about me!,” said the little, baby Smash Burger

You can’t go wrong with a classic smash burger. This one comes with two thin burgers pressed into a decadent combination of greasy goodness and crispy edges. They’re smothered in yellow American cheese, a sweet and savory bacon jam and it’s all stuffed between a soft, sweet and simple potato roll. You also get classic Middleswarth BBQ chips and pickles on the side. And, if you desire, you can also top your burger with bacon, egg or even add another smashed beef patty. The smash burgers also come in a variety of different preparations.

All told, the menu at Mutant Brewing is full of so, so many good things. And it all pairs so effortlessly with cold beer. There’s Stuffed Pretzel Sticks, Fried Cheese Curds, Cheesesteaks, Lobster Roll, Wings, Tacos and Guac and so much more! And here’s the thing – there’s literally three items on the menu over $15.

A unique, creative brewpub with a heart of gold

We arrived at Mutant Brewing a little weary and stunned by the bitter cold of a late January afternoon. And, as the beer started to flow, as the warm, homemade food came steaming from the kitchen and as we began to learn the story of this unique, little brewpub, our previously retreating spirits had found anew their spark and their strength to hold on for warmer, sunnier days.

Do yourself a favor. Get to Scranton. Pay a visit to Mutant Brewing. And tell em’ DiscoverNEPA sent ya’.

Must Try:

Boring Banana Bread – Ale – Slightly nutty with the lightest touch of banana sweetness. – 6.5% ABV

Mutant Serum Hazy IPA – Hazy IPA – Crisp, smooth and delicately bitter with sharp tropical notes on the finish — 6.5% ABV

The WiFi Here Sucks White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Stout – Robust, sweet chocolatey /nutty aroma backed up by tangy coffee notes – 7.0% ABV