LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — UPDATE: Rock Town Distillery has since produced and bottled their own hand sanitizers for $8 plus tax. Read their post about the update here.
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As stores are running low on hand sanitizers and other necessary items during the coronavirus pandemic, one Arkansas distillery is using its "high proof spirits" to make free hand sanitizer for the public.
Rock Town Distillery, Arkansas's first legal distillery since prohibition, posted the photo on its Facebook page of a two gallon glass jar of hand sanitizer.
"With demand for hand sanitizer currently outpacing supply in Little Rock and across the U.S., Rock Town is doing its part to help by using our high proof spirits to make a hand sanitizer," the distillery said.
People will be allowed to bring in small containers and fill them up with the hand sanitizer. Each person can get about 7 ounces filled per day. Rock Town will not charge patrons for filling up their containers.
The distillery made a 70% alcohol batch and it will be available while supplies last.
"We use high proof alcohol, water and propylene glycol," head distiller Phil Brandon said.
Since posting about it on Facebook Wednesday afternoon, people from all over Arkansas are coming in.
"First batch was just two gallons and it went in about twenty minutes, so I just mixed up a hundred-gallon batch and we will see how that goes," Brandon said.
The city of Little Rock and the mayor's office are also looking at buying it in bulk. Panic over the coronavirus has caused a shortage of hand sanitizer in many places.
And no, you cannot drink this mixture!
"Stay safe and let's hope Little Rock can weather the storm," Brandon said.