PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA
Halfway between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre in a spacious tan brick-based warehouse with matching aluminum siding and maroon front-doored awning, SUSQUEHANNA BREWING COMPANY was re-founded in 2010 at its current Pittston locale. Initially the brainchild of German immigrant Charles Stegmaier, the original Susquehanna began operations in 1897 and ceased during 1919 due to Prohibition.
Now under the co-ownership of sixth generation relative, Fred Maier, the bustling Northeast Pennsylvania pub maintains enough backroom space to do larger scale brewing, barrel aging and canning. Despite its relative enormity, Susquehanna’s cozy cafe-styled, red tile-floored tasting room only features a four-seat slate topped bar with eight taps, TV and refrigerator. There are a few metal-chaired wood tables across the bar and exposed pipes hang from the black ceiling.
On a snowy Friday afternoon mid-November 2024, my wife and I tossed back ten variegated brews emanating from the pristine stainless steel backroom brew tanks.
Crisply easygoing German pilsner, Froggy Pond Water, let mild lemon licks and slight herbal musk sit atop mineral grained pilsner malting.
Fizzy Seltzer-like shandy, Blueberry Thrill, retained a snappy sweet-tart blueberry thrust. Meanwhile, fruitier Blackout Berry Shandy coalesced blackberry, brambleberry and blueberry tartness with mild lemony ginger sugaring atop syrupy soda-like malts.
Salted coriander hit the cranberry bog of Crannonball Gose, letting ancillary gooseberry, green grape and crabapple souring seep into candied lollipop tartness.
Stylishly expressive Belgian Tripel brought creamy vanilla frosting to lemon meringue, orange liqueur and Chardonnay riffs as musty fungi earthiness spread thru spicy phenols above its cereal grained pilsner malt base.
Floral-perfumed lemony grapefruit and orange peel zesting stormed piney Hopcellerator IPA, a tropical delight utilizing woody Simcoe-Amarillo hops and yellow-fruited Citra-Cascade hops.
Seasonal spiced brown ale, Stegmaier Pumpkin Ale, paraded brown-sugared cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger seasoning plus light sweet perfuming down the molasses-draped dark chocolate bottom.
Peat-dried chocolate roast pervaded Toboggan Chocolate Doppelbock, rendering tertiary cocoa powder, vanilla bean and black cherry illusions.
Dark-roast chocolate and burnt caramel topped Toes Up Imperial Stout, picking up mild bourbon vanilla spicing.
Lovely dessert confection, Toss Up Salted Caramel Imperial Stout, spread salted caramel sugaring across candied toffee, creamy vanilla and sweet chocolate.