Have you stopped by Target recently to try to pick up some hand sanitizer? You might have encountered empty shelves. The drug store and other retailers probably were all empty, too. With COVID-19 sweeping across the country, people have been on the search for the elusive disinfecting product, but Skeptic Distillery is coming to the rescue, partnering with Chicago Social Change to make and distribute badly needed hand sanitizer.
The U.S. is experiencing major shortages of medical supplies, but some businesses are stepping up to manufacture things they normally wouldn’t. Skeptic Distillery, situated in Melrose Park, is one of the many local Chicago brands that has pivoted its typical production to support medical personnel and other essential community members.
Skeptic Distillery, like many distilleries across the country, has been given a special exemption to produce hand sanitizer. To be an effective hand sanitizer, the CDC recommends that it contains at least 60-percent alcohol. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, Skeptic Distillery still had a lot of hard liquor on its hands. By using the distilled liquid and a few other ingredients to make hand sanitizer, the company has successfully produced its first batches of the disinfecting product.
Taste Skeptic Distillery Vodka and Gin at Chicago Bars
The dining room at Chicago bars may be closed, but you can still dream about when you’ll be tasting Skeptic Distillery Vodka and Gin at Chicago Bars this summer.
The business partnered together with Chicago Social Change to deliver 120 gallons of sanitizer in half-gallon containers to South Side hospitals and communities. So far, the sanitizer has also been donated to Postal Union and Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
While there is still a demand for Skeptic Distillery’s standard alcoholic products, the company has no plans to stop the production of hand sanitizer while there is a need. Skeptic Distillery would like “to extend our continued and eternal gratitude to the delivery drivers across the nation, the tireless efforts of the medical community, and to our frontline essential workers who often experience such thanklessness.”
Even though this is a scary time for many people living both in and out of the city, it is encouraging to see businesses selflessly stepping up to help their community. As Mr. Rogers told us, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” And in this case, it comes from perhaps one of the last industries you would expect: craft spirit producers like Skeptic Distillery.
Follow Skeptic Distillery on social media to keep updated on its future efforts.