Sask. distilleries mix up emergency sanitizer to fight COVID-19

With hand sanitizer in high demand over COVID-19, several Saskatchewan distilleries have shifted their businesses to help meet the demand for workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

“We’ve got orders from police services, ambulances, doctor offices,” said Sacha Elez, CEO and co-owner Smooth 42 Craft Distillery in Brownlee. “We’re just doing our part to get emergency personal the supplies they need.”

Elez told Gormley their operation is ideally set up to start brewing a substitute for rubbing alcohol. Recently the distillery started selling a high proof vodka without water. They tweaked the recipe and delivered the first batch of bottles on Thursday.

“We’re going to keep it to 70 per cent because that’s the common rubbing alcohol strength that the medical service industry can just crack a bottle and start using it.”

The bottles are being donated to frontline workers across the province.

Lucky Bastard and Stumbletown distillery in Saskatoon announced they have started production and shipment of 80 per cent antiseptic alcohol via social media on Friday.

“Our priority is getting it to the first responders and all of the frontline workers that need it the most, but we really want to emphasize that washing your hands if you have access to a sink is the best way to combat COVID-19,” the post on Stumbletown’s Facebook page said. “We are hoping to produce enough to get it into the hands of everyone that needs it. Please be patient with us as we try to facilitate how to distribute as efficiently as possible.”

The support from local businesses wasn’t limited to just hand sanitizing products either.

Less than a day after Stumbletown and Lucky Bastard posted the news on social media, the Saskatoon Fire Department posted a photo on its Facebook page Saturday afternoon detailing three companies that stepped up and donated equipment and supplies.

Aside from the alcohol products, Centennial Collegiate and the Saskatchewan Piping Industry Joint Training Board combined to donate protective eyewear and respirator masks to help protect firefighters responding to coronavirus-related calls.