Georgia distillery now dispensing hand sanitizer as coronavirus cases rise
ATLANTA - UPDATE: The Old Fourth Distillery is still offering free hand sanitizer, but here is what has changed. Because of overwhelming demand, not only from consumers, but from federal and state agencies, the vodka maker is forced to limit the free supplies. It will still offer two free, 2-ounce bottles per customer. After that, you can buy a supply.
They are no longer refilling customer containers out of the fear of spreading COVID-19.
Because they are now a resource for first responders, please check their website and social media pages for daily information on what they have in stock on that day.
As we prep for COVID-19, hand sanitizer is an item that folks are stocking up on, but it's hard to find now, so a local business is trying to bridge the gap.
The Old Fourth Distillery opened a few years ago, bringing life back to Intown Atlanta’s Edgewood Avenue. It started with locally curated vodka, then gin and now some bourbon.
Now, the distillery's newest concoction might have the greatest community value in the age of COVID-19.
Distillery co-owner Jeff Moore explains why he decided to get involved.
“I'm a dad. I've got two kids out in school. I've got, ya know, my mom and dad are older and everybody is struggling to find hand sanitizer. We said, 'we gotta get in there and help people out.”
Dad is now making something his kids can sample. A homemade brew of aloe vera gel and high-powered alcohol.
A Georgia distillery makes a new brew: hand sanitizer.
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“It's really simple taking store-bought aloe vera and we are mixing it with our in-house distillent. Which, this is currently distilled to 190 proof. It's 95 percent alcohol,” he said.
It's a simple, two-ingredient recipe. Jeff pours nearly pure alcohol into a vat, adds the aloe vera gel and mixes. That's it.
“We hit on the CDC guidelines if you had to make it at home we just followed that,” he assured us. “They're the experts.”
It's not the vodka you have at home. It's stronger. And it's not meant for drinking. It’s liquid gold. What are they charging?
“It's $5 million a bottle,” he joked. “No, we are doing it as a social service. We're giving it away. Anybody who needs it, we are giving it away.”
RELATED: Confirmed coronavirus cases in Georgia rises to 42
Yes, free. But if you are able, they ask for donations so they can keep making it and helping out a local homeless initiative. The Old Fourth Distillery plans to keep the hand sanitizer pouring for as long as it’s needed.
“If we get into this thing and it's ongoing for a year, we are going to be right there with you. We will be making this until it's no longer needed."
If you need hand sanitizer, take a small container, get a fill, give a donation and offer thanks.
All the Old Fourth Distillery asks is you make a donation that will go towards a homeless intitiative. If you have any questions, call 844-653-3687