Working Man Distillers sits in a converted industrial building on Carpenter Street in Pawtucket, bringing small-batch spirits to Rhode Island’s manufacturing heartland. Founded by lifelong friends who wanted to create something with their hands after careers in corporate America, they opened in 2018 with a focus on bourbon, rye, and gin. The distillery occupies a 3,000-square-foot space that feels more like a neighborhood workshop than a polished tourist destination, which is exactly what they were going for. The founders spent three years navigating Rhode Island’s complex liquor laws and converting their space before distilling their first batch. They installed a 500-gallon copper still and built their own fermentation tanks, doing most of the work themselves on weekends while keeping their day jobs. The master distiller learned his craft through trial, error, and a lot of late nights, developing recipes that reflect their blue-collar ethos. When you visit, you’re walking into an active production facility where the smell of grain mash mingles with sawdust and metal polish. The tasting room doubles as their office, and tours happen around whatever they’re working on that day. It’s not fancy, but it’s authentic – these guys are making spirits because they love the craft, not because they’re chasing the craft distillery trend.