As a community, Blanco has as yet to reach the crest of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are now four confirmed coronavirus cases in Blanco County, and the county has issued a shelter-in-place order.
Outside of the medical professionals, perhaps the brightest glimmer of hope has been from local distilleries. And no, it’s not because you have been cooped up with your family all this time and would like a refreshing cocktail.
Local distilleries are making hand sanitizer. They are giving a lot of it away to those who need it most, and some of it has been given to or can be bought by members of the public.
Three Blanco County distilleries are either finishing paperwork, prepping to make the hand sanitizer, or are actively making it. Andalusia Whiskey, Milam & Greene, and Real Ale/Real Spirits have all stepped into the gap to help the community.
Andalusia’s tasting room is curb-side or to-go only, but they have been supplying free hand sanitizer and toilet paper to anybody, regardless of where they live. No purchase is necessary to receive them.
The idea to make sanitizer has been around for a while. Andalusia owners Ty Phelps and Tommy Erwin, years ago, had joked about using the “heads” (the first alcohol which comes off the distillation which is high proof and not drinkable) to make hand sanitizer, just so it wasn’t wasted. They realized how badly needed sanitizer is right now, and suddenly it was no longer an idle joke, but a way to help the community.
On Friday, Phelps was braving the storms to bring in more hand sanitizer as Andalusia is having difficulty keeping up with the demand. This sanitizer is being bought by Andalusia, and they are selling it, essentially, at cost. This is for individuals and businesses as they should also be able to supply larger amounts.
“In times like these, where would we be if we didn’t help each other? It’s the all for one and one for all thing like the Three Musketeers,” Erwin explained.
Erwin has a master of science degree in virology and immunology. He said the COVID-19 pandemic has followed an almost textbook logarithmic spread and was really overdue with the size of the global population and the amount of international travel.
“I trust in science, and I know they are doing their best to find something to help us with this. We’ll get through it, but we need each other to do it,” he said.
Brad Farbstein from Real Ale/Real Spirits said they are busy with final details, but they have FDA approval to produce ethyl alcohol base hand sanitizer. They have re-distilled four barrels of existing whiskey stock to convert it into ethyl alcohol. Real Ale/Real Spirits has also acquired a drum of 95 percent ethyl alcohol from their friends at Dripping Springs Vodka.
In a real show of teamwork, Tasha and RG Corrandini of Hill Country Lavender have donated 4-ounce personal squeeze bottles for the hand sanitizer. The sanitizer also comes in 8-ounce and 1 gallon sizes.
All sanitizer will be given away with a priority given to local first responders (fire, police, and EMS), city public works, city officials, and Real Ale employees. Hand sanitizer will also be made available to customers with details to come.
Real Ale/Real Spirits has already given five gallons of surface/equipment cleaner to local first responders.
Milam & Greene has also been busy for some time, making and donating hand sanitizer.
