Columbus brewery transitions to making hand sanitizer during coronavirus pandemic
A small Columbus brewery is now helping relieve the ongoing local shortage of hand sanitizer during the coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic.
Chattabrewchee Southern Brewhouse, 1301 Sixth Avenue, is now producing hand sanitizer and making it available for sale to the public.
Brian Dunne, general manager of Chattabrewchee, said a growing demand for hand sanitizer coupled with the FDA allowing small breweries to produce the product on site has helped make this initiative possible.
“We have very strict guidelines as to what we can produce, how much we can produce and what materials we use,” Dunne said.
The sanitizer is produced through a process known as “compounding” and made of a mix of isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerin and filtered water, Dunne said.
“Basically, we’re mixing that together in very clean conditions, we’re then very carefully taking that product and then putting that into the bottles available for sale,” he said.
Dunne said it’s been challenging to get the needed supplies due to an increased market demand, so they’re currently producing small batches of the product.
“We took a small pilot batch, one gallon, then we ramped that up to four gallons, yesterday we ramped that up to sixty gallons, next week we’re going to ramp that up to 600 gallons,” said co-owner Michael Denehy. “So we’ve been taking that phased approach to make sure that we understand and know what we’re doing and we have the logistics in place.”
Denehy said they’ve become very adept at crafting beer, but this is their first foray into hand sanitizer. He said having a small team that’s worked together for years allowed them to quickly transition from a taproom-centric business to one offering curbside pickup of beer and hand sanitizer.
Producing and selling sanitizer also means workers can keep their jobs during this time of uncertainty, he added.
“To go from glasses, to cans, and from cans to hand sanitizer, it was a quick decision that was made instantaneously,” Denehy said.
Denehy also credits the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Califormulations LLC with the transition. He said the Chamber recognized the need, identified a packaging source and identified Chattabrewchee as a potential compounder.
The gallon jugs they’re using for the hand sanitizer come from Califormulations, a company in Columbus that helps provide end-to-end food and beverage innovation to consumer packaged goods companies.
“We would not be in the market today without Califormulations,” Denehy said.
Chattabrewchee is currently selling gallon jugs of hand sanitizer for $48.95. To check availability or place an order, call (706) 641-2733 or message Chattabrewchee on Facebook.
