Suburban Life - Main Line/Philadelphia - Issue #2 (February 2024)

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0224_Brewers Distillers - FINAL_Profile ( Dept . ) 3 / 4 / 24 12 : 50 PM Page 2 MANATAWNY STILL WORKS AND CROOKED EYE BREWERY ARE AMONG THE MANY EXALTED BREWERS AND DISTILLERS ELEVATING THE SUBURBS ’ HIGH - SPIRITED CULTURE . B Y B I L L D O N A H U E | PHOTOS B Y J O D Y R O B I N S O N AX PFEFFER COULD HAVE home , he took his education to the next ship team , John Giannopoulos , called ENJOYED A FINE CAREER as level by enrolling in a master brewers pro - Pfeffer into his office . M a chemical engineer . But he says gram at the University of California , Davis . “ John can be an intimating guy , but I there’s something people might not real - When he returned to the Philadelphia remember thinking : I can’t be in trouble ; ize about chemical engineering , which area , he earned a job with Victory Brew - yields are up , and the beer is tasting he studied at Penn State : “ It’s incredibly ing Co . in Downingtown — “ an awesome good , ” he recalls . “ I also remember think - boring . ” place to cut my teeth ; they make beer the ing : Please don’t make me close the door , So when it came time to determine right way , ” he says . because as long as the door stays open , I what to do with his life and career , his A few years later , the desire for a know I’m OK . The door stays open , I sit thoughts turned to a subject that busies “ change of scenery ” led him to Sly Fox down , and he doesn’t mince words . He the minds of many college - age students : Brewing Co . in Pottstown , where he even - says , ‘ I’m starting a distillery . Want to do it beer . Rather than simply drink it , however , tually worked his way into the position of for me ? ’ I said , ‘ Yes , but I don’t know how he wanted to have a hand in its creation . head brewer . His career took an unex - to distill . ’ He said , ‘ You’ll learn . ’ ” Having already started to brew at pected turn when a member of the leader - And learn Pfeffer did . He took a class MANATAWNY STILL WORKS S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E | V O L U M E 1 5 I S S U E 6 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E . C O M | 2 1

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0224_Brewers Distillers - FINAL_Profile ( Dept . ) 3 / 4 / 24 12 : 50 PM Page 3 at Moonshine University in Kentucky , through which he connected with indus - try veterans who helped him create a blueprint for the distillery he would soon bring to life : Manatawny Still Works in Pottstown . Manatawny , which will soon celebrate its 10 - year anniversary , has blossomed into an enterprise with four tasting rooms — Pottstown ( home to the dis - tillery ) , Ardmore , and two in the Philadel - phia neighborhoods of Fishtown and East Passyunk — as well as a growing lineup of American whiskey , gin , and vodka , among other spirits . “ A good whiskey comes from having quality ingredients and knowing what you’re doing , ” Pfeffer says . “ The whiskey I made in the first couple of years wasn’t that great . Pretty bad , actually . By learning on the job , I took all that experience and figured out ways to get better . It has gotten better every single year . ” Pfeffer’s passion and devotion to his craft should come as no surprise . The Philadelphia area abounds with brewers and distillers who use skill and ingenuity to create distinctive handcrafted spirits , CROOKED EYE CO - FOUNDERS PAUL MULHERIN , JEFF MULHERIN , AND PAUL HOGAN beers , and other libations that would rival , if not exceed , those considered the indus - try’s best . of the four Manatawny tasting rooms . diate plans to open more tasting rooms in “ As a former brewer , I wanted to Each location is a study in understated ele - the near future , though the company con - make brewer’s whiskey , something that is gance , where guests can learn about tinues to take steps forward in terms of malt based , ” he says . “ I wanted to emu - whiskeyand other spirits , and have some the product mix . Specifically , he expects late Stranahan’s out in Colorado , which is well - made cocktails in the process . more innovation in American single - malt one of the first companies that had suc - “ It’s a down - to - earth experience , ” he whiskey . cess with American single malt . ” says of the tasting rooms . “ We don’t take “ We pride ourselves on doing things a Last year Pfeffer was promoted to ourselves too seriously . We make simple , bit differently , ” he says . “ We’re not just president and director of operations for spirit - forward cocktails with fresh ingredi - another bourbon . We are making a unique Manatawny Still Works . That means he ents ; you’re not going to get a cocktail product . Just like brewers have started to now oversees the entire company , includ - with 10 ingredients and not know what make interesting beers , to the point where ing production , and he also spends more any of them are . ” we’re getting 100 different styles of beer , time behind the computer . That said , he’s Just as others struggle to find a work - we’re doing the same with whiskey . We’re never too far removed from the nuts and life balance , Pfeffer admits it’s sometimes exploring what whiskey can be . ” y bolts of the business . There are still days been a challenge to balance work wer when he’s working with other team mem - demands with his role as a husband and ‘ G E T O U T O F T H E G A R A G E ’ Bre e bers to bottle , distill , or clean tanks . He father of two . He also has to make time Thebrewing bug bit Jeff Mulherin in 2005 , Ey d even helps to deliver product from for his “ best friend ” Piper , a rescue dog when a close friend received a home - ooke time to time . who is the face of Manatawny’s vodka brewing kit as a gift . Before long , the Cr of Pfeffer has less involvement brand , Three Bitches . two friends were brewing beer esy in the day - to - day operations Pfeffer says Manatawny has no imme - together ; Mulherin enjoyed the court Photo 2 2 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E | V O L U M E 1 5 I S S U E 6 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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