In a Bull City Twist, Durham Distillery Heroically Pivots to Hand Sanitizer
The world has been an interesting place since Covid-19 rolled in. This global pandemic eradicated life as we all knew it. It seems as if every day we’re seeing and experiencing something we’ve never even imagined. I mean, a freaking toilet paper shortage? And then that one time the entire country realized that teachers, service workers, and delivery persons were essential, vital heroes who’ve been overlooked, overworked, and underpaid. What a time to be alive.
The Bull City has been hit with the pandemic just like everywhere else. Rona don’t care who you are or where you live. But unlike everywhere else This. Is. Durham. We meet every challenge with compassion, creativity, and grit.
And that’s exactly where award-winning, nationally and internationally, gin distillery Durham Distillery’s story begins.
I’ll let the Trade Marketing Manager Andi Mariategui take it from here. Please note she wrote this article with a newborn in tow because Durham women are a whole other level of unBULLievaBULL.
“At Durham Distillery we’re known for making our award-winning Conniption Gins, but we’ve spent the last six weeks using our equipment and resources to do something a little different.
“Now don’t get us wrong– we believe that we could all use a little extra gin at the moment. But we also know that we’re able to provide something else our community needs: sanitizing solution and hand sanitizer. Realizing that our permit to store high-proof ethanol puts us in a unique position to help, co-owners Melissa and Lee Katrincic have found a way to be part of the solution (pun very much intended).
“When Covid-19 hit the Triangle, we saw right away that our friends in the food and beverage industry were working hard to stay open but were having a hard time finding enough cleaning solution to safely do so. Without these establishments, Durham Distillery wouldn’t be where it is today, so we immediately began looking for ways to support them as they’ve supported us.
“We needed to look no further than our fire-proof closet, where we store the 95% alcohol corn ethanol that’s used as the base in our Conniption Gins. Combined with distilled water, this ethanol makes a highly effective disinfectant, which we began making and donating to Triangle-area restaurants and bars.
“Requests for donations began pouring in from across the area, and being featured on WRAL helped spread the word even further. In the end, we donated 160 liters of solution to the local food and beverage industry.
“Once the strict social distancing measures went into effect and restaurants moved to takeout only, the demand for our sanitizing solution went way down but the need for hand sanitizer was leaving a lot of essential workers underprotected as they continued to care for our community.
“So, along with many other distilleries and breweries across the country we spent two days in an intensive training with the FDA and WHO to learn how to make hand sanitizer. Over the next few weeks, we donated around 75 cases of hand sanitizer to First Responders in the Triangle.
“Once we were able to take care of those requests, we turned our attention towards the general public, where we noticed the demand for hand sanitizer continuing to rise. We were receiving an increasing number of requests from people who were searching all over and couldn’t find any in stores, so we’re glad to announce that we are now offering hand sanitizer in a variety of sizes, available for curbside pickup at the distillery.
“Through all of this, we want to shout out our diligent and resilient production team, which has been working non-stop to manufacture and hand fill thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer at different sizes while having to adapt to our current world’s ever-changing circumstances and needs.
“We’re thrilled at the chance to do our part to care for our community, and we’re so excited to announce that in addition to hand sanitizer, you can now purchase all of your favorite Durham Distillery products for curbside pickup, including but not limited to our Conniption American Dry and Conniption Navy Strength gins.
“Looking to take an exciting vacation from your couch to your front porch? Our ready-to-drink canned cocktails are the ideal accompaniment for your wild getaway. You can also pick up barware, Durham Distillery swag, and our newest offering: a rotating offering of cocktail kits! These kits are perfect if you’re using this time to hone your home bartending skills.
“And, for some extra tips, tricks, and ideas on making a great at-home cocktail, and to learn more about our upcoming bar, The Corpse Reviver, tune into our Instagram Happy Hours, every Sunday-Friday from 5:30-6:30. Join Corpse Reviver’s general manager Kristel Poole as she walks you through mixing up all kinds of cocktails, interviews experts in the field, and takes your questions. “
To place an order for curbside pickup, visit durhamdistillery.com
To learn more about all things Durham Distillery, Conniption Gin, and Corpse Reviver, find us on social!
Instagram: @durhamdistillery, @conniptiongin, @corpserevivercocktailbar
Facebook: Durham Distillery featuring Conniption Gins
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