Manatawny Still Works
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Distillery |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Max Pfeffer |
| Headquarters | Pottstown , United States |
Key people | Max Pfeffer (Master Distiller) |
| Products | American whiskey, rum, gin |
Manatawny Still Works (MSW) crafts American whiskey, rum, and gin in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, situated along the banks of Manatawny Creek.
Production process
The wash for Manatawny is created in collaboration with Sly Fox Brewery and distilled using Italian copper stills supplied by Barison Industry. Post-distillation and filtration, the whiskey matures in new oak barrels that contribute distinct flavor profiles and coloration. The distillery employs innovative flavoring techniques, such as blending Rival Bros' Whistle and Cuss cold-brew coffee into Small Batch Whiskey #16, adding Swarmbustin' Honey to Small Batch Whiskey #14, and aging select spirits in specialty casks like tequila barrels for a limited Hidden River Gin release and port wine barrels for Small Batch Whiskey #13.
Master distiller
Max Pfeffer, who became Manatawny's inaugural master distiller in 2013, brings a wealth of knowledge from his previous role as lead brewer at Sly Fox Brewing Company. He earned a chemical engineering degree from Penn State and holds a Master Brewer certification from UC Davis, complemented by brewing experience at Victory Brewing Company. The distillery’s philanthropic effort, The Piper Project, is named after Pfeffer’s dog and supports animal rescue causes.
Distillery
Located alongside Manatawny Creek in Pottstown, Manatawny Still Works names its unaged rums and whiskeys after regional colonial figures and ironworkers. The facility functions as a visitor attraction featuring a cocktail bar, guided tours, food trucks, and live entertainment. Additionally, it maintains tasting rooms and retail outlets in South Philadelphia (1603 E Passyunk Avenue), Suburban Station (1617 John F Kennedy Boulevard), Reading Terminal Market (51 N 12th Street), along with a retail-only shop at One Penn Center lobby in Center City Philadelphia.
Labels
- Hidden River Barrel Rested Gin: Amber-colored gin (94 proof/47% ABV).
- J. Potts Whiskey: Unaged whiskey (94 proof/47% ABV).
- Keystone Whiskey: Four-grain blend aged whiskey (90 proof/45% ABV).
- Odd Fellows No.214: Unaged gin (94 proof/47% ABV).
- Small Batch Rum: Light rum aged with limited numbered editions (94 proof/47% ABV).
- Small Batch Whiskey: Barrel-matured blend released in limited numbered batches; batch 16 debuted February 2018 (94 proof/47% ABV).
- T. Rutter Rum: Unaged rum (80 proof/40% ABV).
- Swarmbustin' Honey: Seasonal rendition of Small Batch Whiskey Batch 14 (84 proof/42% ABV).
- Maple Whiskey: Seasonal whiskey infused with Pennsylvania maple syrup sourced from Whiskey Hollow (84 proof/42% ABV).
- Pennsylvania Whiskey: Select four-grain barrel-aged premium blend matured for at least two years (94 proof/47% ABV).
- Bottled in Bond: Four-year aged whiskey named after the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act (100 proof/50% ABV).
Cocktails
- Manatawny Small Batch Whiskey is featured in the "Stein" cocktail served at The Brewer's Art in Baltimore.
- It also forms the base of the "Manatawny Smash", available at Mt. Washington Tavern, Baltimore.
- The whiskey is included in the "Old Plow Mule", offered at Grill at Harryman House in Reisterstown, Maryland.
Locations and distribution
By June 2016, Manatawny’s products were available across several states, including Washington D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The distribution network expanded to include New York by April 2017.
In addition to the main distillery located in Pottstown, Manatawny maintains a bottle shop and tasting room in Philadelphia near the "Singing Fountain" on Passyunk Avenue, as well as another venue at One Penn Center in Center City Philadelphia.
See also
Further reading
- Waymack, M. H., & Harris, J. F. (1995). The book of classic American whiskeys. Chicago, Illinois: Open Court.