'Meaningful': Twisted Cow Of East Northport Wins Best Distillery On LI: Bethpage Best

EAST NORTHPORT, NY — Twisted Cow Distillery of East Northport was named Best Distillery on Long Island in the 2025 Bethpage Best of LI Awards.

John Pawluk, a resident of East Northport, founded and opened Twisted Cow Distillery in November 2022 so that he could be closer to his family and community after many years working as a former CPA and CFO on Wall Street.

Pawluk said winning the award is "meaningful" because enough people cared to take time out of their lives to vote for Twisted Cow.

"There's no way we would've done this without multiple people voting many times," Pawluk told Patch. "I never asked for anything. I never asked for a single person to vote other than a social media post to make people aware of the opportunity. The fact that they did, clearly, is meaningful. It's acceptance. It's a little, 'Hey, we're doing something right.' We're young. We're just figuring things out and we're doing the best we can. It's a positive feeling, which hopefully, we can use to continue to grow and spread the word about the cleanliness, the craft and care that goes into the products."

At Twisted Cow Distillery, Pawluk and his team strive to create the highest quality spirits, including whisky, rye, and vodka, made from the ingredients and local grains grown in the salt air and sun-fed farms of Long Island’s East End. Pawluk said he hopes to release his first bourbon by either the end of 2025 or in 2026.

Time is an ingredient of every distilled product. And in just over two years, Twisted Cow has already been recognized as Long Island's best. Pawluk said "horsepower" is the reason for his business's fast start — even if he himself looks at it as a "slow start."

"I literally push as hard as I can to the point of physical failure every day," he said. "I couldn't do that without the tremendous group of friends. And my family. In particular, my wife, who takes care of everything for me, so I can do this. And my kids. They're fantastic."

Pawluk said he does not know what sets Twisted Cow Distillery apart from other distilleries on Long Island, since he does not factor what competing merchants do in to his day-to-day at Twisted Cow. He only considers what he could do to the best of his abilities.

"I don't ever compare us," he said. "I formulate an opinion and I run with it. In some ways, that may be bad. In some ways, it may be good. For me, I don't try to compare myself to others. I don't consider what others are doing and make that a determining factor. In retrospect, I'll say, 'Hey, we're doing this. It's kind of unique. No one else is doing it.'"

Pawluk pointed to a drink called "Twisted Richter's," which he made thanks to a collaboration with a local farm. A rum-based vodka serves as the base of the spirit.

"You don't see rum-based vodka. I don't see anyone else doing it," Pawluk said. "I felt we needed to make an agave product."

Fueled by a desire to be different, Pawluk made a reposado.

"I'm not trying to compare myself to other distilleries," he said. "I'm trying to do things that, I feel, are unique, to the best of our ability. I'm super proud of the reposado. It's unique. It's different. I just set out to make it. I didn't set out to do it for any other reason than I thought it would be interesting. What we did differently? Most reposados are made with a previously used barrels. You could have a bourbon or rye in there. You could have anything in there. Most reposados use previously used barrels or very light toasted barrels. I'm using number three char. It's meant to bridge a reposado or tequila drinker into a bourbon drinker. That's exactly what's going on. There are flavors that come together that are very unique."

In addition to distilling, Pawluk also hosts events and raises money for many organizations that support veterans, mental health disorders, animal shelters, first responders, and more.

Pawluk's business goals for 2025 are increased sales and making lots of bourbon. He intends to make as much bourbon as possible through April. Then, he intends to focus the rest of the year on sales and getting his product into stores and people's mouths.

Twisted Cow Distillery obtained an alcohol day permit that will allow the business to sell its products at fairs and festivals.

"I really want to use that and get a truck," Pawluk said. "I'm trying to get around Long Island and have some fun. Create some smiles and create a little buzz around what we're trying to do different."