A sacred site for ‘Rocky’ fans sees new life as a Kensington taproom
The building that played Mighty Mick's Gym, as seen in the "Rocky" movies, is now home to Lost Time Brewing Co.'s first taproom.
To fans of the Rocky movie franchise, the triangular, brick building under the El at Front Street and Susquehanna Avenue in Kensington is hallowed ground.
The exterior served as Mighty Mick’s Gym, where retired boxer Mickey Goldmill, played by Burgess Meredith, trained Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. (The actual scenes were shot in an L.A. gym.)
When the three friends who own Lost Time Brewing Co. were looking for a place for their taproom, the building’s provenance — most recently a dollar store — was not much of a factor.
Then came the soft opening in November, which coincided with the annual Rocky Run. Dozens of people showed up, though admittedly more for the photo opportunity than to order pints of German pilsner or Czech pale lager at a new taproom.
But they have kept coming, thanks to Philadelphia’s push of Rocky-theme tourism. “I’ve talked to more people from Eastern Europe standing on the front [steps] than when I lived in Prague for six months in college,” said Andrew Mattes, whose partners are Matt Iannelli and brewer Jake Dean. “It feels like we’re a little tiny microscopic piece of Philly history that we get to contribute to, which is cool.”
Lost Time also draws local beer fans, as it’s set among a fairly tap-happy neighborhood including Sacred Vice, Punch Buggy, Evil Genius, and Human Robot, with Humble Parlor and Meyers not too far off in Fishtown.
Lost Time’s simply decorated taproom, ringed with seating and set behind full windows on two sides, does not really do much with the Rocky motif. There are some boxing mementos on loan from friends’ families behind the bar, and the name of the American lager is Mickey.
Food comes from Rowhome Coffee across the street. (Both buildings are owned by Rafi Licht of Norris Square Development.) The menu includes snacks, such as a soft pretzel plate, and pretzel sandwiches, including a Balboa ($14), which places an Italian sausage, peppers, onions, and Cooper sharp cheese on a toasted Parmesan soft pretzel.
The current bar list includes six Lost Time beers (priced at $7 and $8), seltzers from Two Robbers, Surfside, and Stateside ($9), and a draft margarita ($13). Dean’s ginger beer ($6) can get a shot of a well spirit for an additional $6. Lost Time does not brew on premises; a few contract breweries make the beer under Dean’s direction.
Dean, a University of Virginia engineering graduate who works for Lockheed Martin, started on the brewing path in biology class in high school. Armed with a rudimentary knowledge of fermentation, he made his own root beer. He graduated to hard cider, which he made in the loft of his family’s home in Medford Lakes. “I was bringing it to parties, so that was sort of great,” he said. “My parents eventually found out.”
Dean got his first homebrewing kit in college and interned at Devils Backbone Brewing. After college, he worked at Anheuser-Busch in Syracuse, N.Y., but returned to the South Jersey for the milder winters.
Lost Time premiered during the 2022 Sunflower Philly, a community gathering, and followed up with pop-ups. For now, the beer is distributed through Stone’s in Fairmount and is available on tap at about two dozen bars.
Lost Time Brewing Co., 2145 N. Front St. Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.