Creating and Distributing Free Hand Sanitizer to Community
PLYMOUTH, Mass. | If you’ve tried to get your hands on hand sanitizer or Clorox wipes lately you might have noticed quite a shortage. The barren shelves and low inventories across the country amid the coronavirus outbreak is a serious and dangerous problem, especially for our first responders, who don’t have access to a sink and soap while helping citizens on the road.
During this ever growing health epidemic, local alcohol producers are joining forces to help lift the spirits of police officers, firefighters, home health aides, senior center employees and more – by creating much needed hand sanitizer and delivering it to their locations and places of business, for free.
When news that COVID-19 was rapidly spreading across the U.S. causing a hand sanitizer shortage, Dirty Water Distillery owner Patras “Pepi” Avizonis, and Head Distiller Brenton MacKechnie, quickly jumped into action and found a recipe on the World Health Organization’s website.
“We had the alcohol, the peroxide, and a jug of Propylene Glycol or Glycerine, a thickener that stays on your hands long enough to get good coverage,” said Avizonis. “We also put a call out to the community to get our hands on additional raw materials to increase our volumes and the response has been incredible.”
Several South Shore breweries have joined the effort donating further dissyllables – beer that is past the brewery’s freshness standards. Barrel House Z, Burke’s Ale Werks, Indie Ferm, Mayflower Brewing Co., Stellwagen Beer Co., and Untold Brewing Co., have all contributed to the effort by donating beer. It’s then distilled down to create a high concentrated alcohol, the main ingredient in the hand cleanser.
“This was a no brainer for us to be a part of,” said Dan O’Donnell, president & general manager at Barrel House Z. “We want to have as much community outreach as we can right now - supporting restaurants, small businesses and helping our first responders. We all want to help in as many ways as we can even while dealing with our own issues during this health crisis.”
To date, Dirty Water Distilling has produced and donated 175 gallons of free hand sanitizer and they are hard at work to produce more. The solution is 80% alcohol and can be used to sanitize high-touch areas and surfaces quickly and effectively.
While Massachusetts currently has a ban for on-premise consumption until May 4, the distillery and breweries are open for to go sales through their retail counters. Those looking to support these small businesses can visit their locations at:
** Please check the businesses websites & social media channels for updated retail hours of operation**
Dirty Water Distilling & LlamaNama Beer Labs
10 Water St, Plymouth, MA 02360
Barrel House Z
95 Woodrock Rd, Weymouth, MA 02189
Burke’s Alewerks
200 Webster St, Hanover, MA 02339
Indie Ferm
127-3 Camelot Dr, Plymouth, MA 02360
Mayflower Brewing Co.
12 Resnik Rd # 3, Plymouth, MA 02360
Stellwagen Beer Co.
100 Enterprise Dr., Marshfield, MA 02050
Untold Brewing
6 Old Country Way, Scituate, MA 02066
