GREENWOOD — On a normal day, the team at Hoosier Brewing Co. would be focused on brewing beer and filling growlers.
But nothing is normal now. So instead, they were set up on stainless steel tables, dressed in protective gloves and goggles, to mix ethanol, glycerol and hydrogen peroxide into their newest offering — Hoosier Hanitizer.
"We didn’t set out to be a hand sanitizer company. But I’ve always been a mission-oriented person; it’s in my spirit. I had to do it," said Brian Nentrup, owner of Hoosier Brewing. "We’re not chemists, but we manufacture beer, which is fairly complicated. We can use that knowledge to produce a product the community can use and be safe."
As the need for hand sanitizer has become dire across the region in the midst of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Hoosier Brewing has joined a growing list of alcohol-producers to make the virus-killing substance. The first batch on Tuesday made about 50 gallons, and team members have been reaching out to first responders, senior care facilities and medical providers, offering it for free.
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They plan to bottle some in smaller bottles for the community as well.
"We have these people who take care of us, and they have no way of protecting themselves from getting sick," Nentrup said. "We’re excited to be doing it."
Andrew Spaulding bounded up to the delivery door Wednesday at Homeview Health & Rehabilitation Center in Franklin, a large jug of hand sanitizer in each hand. The longtime Hoosier Brewing employee met a Homeview nurse at the door, handed off his haul to profuse thanks, and moved on to his next delivery.
Spaulding had filled his SUV with a load of hand sanitizer, dropping it off to first responders, nursing homes and other public health facilities throughout the area. The first batch made by the brewery had been almost immediately claimed, and the team back at the brewery was working to produce a larger volume Wednesday.
The transition from brewery to hand sanitizer production has been a whirlwind, Spaulding said. But being able to provide this to those who are desperately needing it has been an amazing experience.
"We just want to help the people who need it," he said.
Hoosier Brewing joins a growing list of area companies who have used their set-ups to start creating hand sanitizer. Hotel Tango Distillery in Indianapolis, Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington and Oakley Brothers Distillery in Anderson have all transitioned in the past week.
The opportunity has come about as the federal government has relaxed regulations for distillers to make it. With the shortage of hand sanitizer looming, the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau announced on March 18 that it was providing exemptions and authorization for businesses with distilling licenses to begin producing ethanol-based sanitizer.
Hoosier Brewing, which had just received its federal approval for distilling about one month ago, decided to give it a try. The brewery was still open for carryout and online orders even after businesses were closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, but those sales were sluggish.
"We thought, let’s see what the community says if we start offering some sanitizer," Nentrup said. "When we put it out, we got a lot of feedback from people saying they needed sanitizer — the police department, the fire department, hospitals in the area, emergency providers, they had none of it. I was overwhelmed."
Nentrup worked with his suppliers to put together the needed ingredients to make large batches of hand sanitizer. Distillers have to follow strict World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines about making the product, sticking with three main ingredients: denatured or un-denatured ethanol, glycerol and hydrogen peroxide.
Hoosier Brewing has the capacity to make 150 gallons of sanitizer. From what he’s heard from the community, there’s probably the need for 200 or 300 gallons, Nentrup said. He’s had emergency responders from as far away as South Bend reach out about it, he said.
To support the cost of production, Nentrup has enlisted companies looking for larger batches of the sanitizer to help sponsor the endeavor. Other partners have offered help with supplies moving forward.
"It’s been a community effort, and I’m going to keep doing it until I have no more cash or the need is no longer there," Nentrup said.
Hoosier Brewing is in the process of creating a website, ServeHoosiers.com, where people can learn about what the local business is working on and how they’re helping during the crisis. They hope to provide information about where first responders, as well as the general public to some extent, can get vital supplies, such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies and gloves.
A link to a Venmo account for the brewery will also be up, so people can contribute and support the effort.
But Nentrup emphasized that their foremost priority is going to be making sure everyone has access to this for the duration of the crisis.
"If someone can’t afford sanitizer and they need it, we’re going to be giving it away," he said.
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What: Hoosier Brewing Co., a Greenwood-based brewery, has started creating its own hand sanitizer, Hoosier Hanitizer.
Who is it for: The company has started by distributing to first responders, hospitals, nursing homes and other medical providers in need. Smaller bottles of the sanitizer will soon be available to the public.
How much does it cost: Hoosier Brewing will not be charging for the sanitizer. Bottles to the public will be limited to one bottle at a time.
How to help: People wishing to donate and help support the effort can use a special Venmo account set up, @ServeHoosiers.
More information: ServeHoosiers.com
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