Blind Cat Beer Co. offers a community space beyond its brews.
The brewery hosts unique events like a “Catty Hour” experience for cat owners to enjoy a night out with their furry friends.
The brewery also gives back $1 from every pint sold of its most popular beer, Cricket Pilsner, which is donated to local animal rescues.
“It's just who we are as people,” said co-owner Brittany Grasso Salvatori. “And so we just carry that with us into the business.”
Cricket is also their cat's name.
“Cricket is a six-year-old blind cat that does not know that he's blind. He is the most fearless, confident cat,” Grasso Salvatori said. “So we kind of took his attitude going into this, you know, just being fearless, brave, confident.”
One year in Pittston
Brittany and Manny Salvatori, husband and wife, opened Blind Cat Beer Co. in downtown Pittston in late 2024.
Manny, originally from Scranton, started his brewing career in New York City.
He and Brittany, who is from Luzerne County, decided to come back to the area to start their own business.
They have a series of events planned for their one year anniversary weekend Nov. 21-23 including a karaoke night, mini bazaar, and a rock, paper, scissors tournament.
Manny has brewed about 25 different beers in the last year, totaling about 8,000 gallons. They use mostly Pennsylvania ingredients and practice sustainability.
Their latest brew will benefit another cause that’s important to them: WVIA.
A beer for WVIA
Signal amber lager will be available beginning in November, and $1 from every pint sold will go towards WVIA Public Media.
“I feel like it’s the kind of news that we need,” Salvatori said. “And not in the best place right now. So just doing our part to help as much as we can.”
Back in July, Congress approved a rescission package that cut federal funding for public broadcasting, which resulted in a 20% reduction in WVIA’s budget.
“It's something that I grew up watching and listening to and still do,” Grasso Salvatori said. “So we really wanted to just do whatever we could to help.”
WVIA will host a News & Brews event at Blind Cat Beer Co. Nov. 13 to celebrate the release of the new lager. Join WVIA from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the brewery in Pittston to meet with the news team.
"Beer is the focal point. It's what brings people in. But we're also a community space," said Grasso Salvatori. "We do events that will get people together over a beer, you know, whether they're two totally different people that believe in totally different things. They sit down at the bar and they have a conversation."
News & Brews
Thurs., Nov. 13
Blind Cat Beer Co.
13 Kennedy St., Pittston
