WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA
Since moving into its new digs at a roadhouse-styled aluminum outpost not far from its original spot in Nanticoke-based Marty’s Blue Room (where brewmaster Ben Schonfeld mastered his skills), BENNY BREWING COMPANY competes favorably with nearby Catholic school-housed Breaker Brewing.
A 20-seat L-shaped wood bar with antique railroad ties and three TV’s counter the right side open kitchen as hard rock blasts from the speakers upon my mid-afternoon early February ’17 jaunt. Entrees include blackened haddock, crab cakes, burgers, cured meats and sandwiches while fine cocktails, mixers and wine lift the spirits.
Each of today’s six offerings prove to be well-balanced, stylistically spot-on and memorable. Refreshingly clean moderation, Wit, brings tart lemon-dropped spicing to recessive banana-clove sweetness, light white-peppered yeast funk and subtle herbal whims.
Sharply fruit-spiced 570, an American Amber Lager, mingled brusque apple, orange, grapefruit, tangerine and pear illusions with toasted amber and caramel malts.
Orange-peeled yellow grapefruit and pineapple tang provided juicy frontage for resiliently pine hopped Pale Ale.
Interesting limited edition India Pale Ales included One And Done #6 Black IPA, where dark-roasted chocolate and coffee lingered above dried fruited tenacity. And crisply clean One And Done #7 Session IPA let its sweet orange-peeled tangerine tang ride above sugar-spiced lemon tartness and oily pine hops, leaving an aspirin-like astringency upon the reductive citrus finish.
The perfect dessert treat, Oatmeal Chocolate Stout brought fudged brownie, black chocolate syrup and vanilla-sugared cocoa overtones to its mild oatmeal spine. Its Nitro version retained a softer tone as mildly creamed chocolate cake sweetness enveloped bitter cocoa, dark-roasted peanut butter, toasted almond and Amaretto niceties.
In its newly expanded version, the ever-popular brown aluminum sided pub, Benny Brewing, featured a newly designed open kitchen and an even finer array of homemade brews from its left side brew room. Inspired by owner Benny Schonfeld’s parents local Marty’s Blue Room restaurant, the Cajun food influence added further intrigue.
As of my July ’22 revisit, there was an outback covered dining space with overhead doors leading to the wood-walled community tabled patio (with high chairs and strung Edison bulbs), enlarging the friendly local hangout beyond its 25-seat wood bar and interior dining area.
There were wines, sangrias, margaritas and martinis to complement the choice brews while burgers, pastrami, salads and sandwiches balanced the Cajun fare. I dug into my delicious blackened haddock and hummus on this sunny Thursday afternoon.
Dry golden-cleared Euro pils, Czech Yourself, maintained a brusque lemon-fizzed herbal hop bittering dotted by mild green grape esters and vegetal herbage.
Dry pale wheat ale, American Wheat, let frisky lemon fizzed misting cover its wet grain musk before picking up wispy cherry snow cone snips.
Zesty lemon briskness awakened Summer Kolsch, a dry herbal-tinged Saaz hop moderation with celery watered crisping and oven-fresh French breading.
Tartly sour ale, Cherry Dreamsicle, plied lactic oaken vanilla tannins to candied cherry, cherry jubilee, cherry-daubed champagne and lemony cherry ice pop illusions.
Easygoing golden cleared NEIPA, Chuggernaut, let delicate orange-peeled lemon rind bittering brush against tangy pineapple, mango and guava tropicalia and gentle piney hop astringency.
www.bennybrewing.com