LITTLE RIVER, SC (WBTW) – Twelve 33 Distillery in Little River has switched from making spirits like vodka, gin and bourbon, to producing much-needed hand sanitizer during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Hand sanitizer is obviously key for us to help control this pandemic, so we’re able to help out, and we felt we needed to help out. The community has been great to us, they’ve supported us since we’ve opened, and it’s our opportunity to give back a little bit,” owner and head distiller, Kevin Osborn said.
Osborn was in the middle of producing bourbon once he learned about the hand sanitizer shortage. He repurposed two of his 100-gallon stills to create the sanitizer instead, using the World Health Organization’s recipe. The distillery has received approval from both the FDA and the TTB to make and sell the hand sanitizer.
Osborn says distilleries are the only manufacturers that can produce an alcohol with a high enough proof to be an effective hand sanitizer.
“Everyone’s excited we’re producing it, they’re appreciative we’re producing it and we’re glad to help out the community,” Osborn said.
The distillery asks the public to BYOB, or bring your own bottle, while the company waits for its bottle shipment to arrive. Employees will fill up 4 oz. of hand sanitizer for free each day. The hand sanitizer will cost around $5 once the bottles arrive next week.
