Absolutely nothing to do with books or publishing and not something PG thinks is a good idea for you to try yourself, but he was impressed that distillers want to do their part to fight the coronavirus pandemic (besides helping harried medical personnel unwind after a long day).
From The Wall Street Journal:
Distillers around the country are using their alcohol supply to churn out hand sanitizer as Americans scramble to find the cleaner, a tool in fighting the coronavirus.
U.S. consumer demand for hand sanitizer outpaced supply weeks ago, as Americans raced to stock up and the biggest U.S. brand—Gojo Industries Inc.’s Purell—focused its supply on hospitals and other establishments.
“We have the processing equipment, and we know the skill sets, and we have the people,” said Chad Butters, chief executive of Eight Oaks Farm Distillery in New Tripoli, Pa. “Let’s get to work making this. We are just going to push it out.”
Eight Oaks recently turned its production line from whiskey and vodka to hand sanitizer. The company is giving out its hand sanitizer to local nonprofits and community members for a donation.
The distillery joins a growing number that have set up sanitizer-making operations, either using excess alcohol or temporarily halting production of their spirits. Companies in towns from Portland, Ore., to Durham, N.C., are churning out sanitizer.
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration regulates production of sanitizer and generally requires the product be inspected before it is sold to the public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hand sanitizer contain at least 60% alcohol, a far greater concentration than liquor sold to consumers.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has exempted spirits companies from getting authorization typically required to manufacture hand sanitizer. The FDA said last week that it wouldn’t take action against any company that produces alcohol-based hand sanitizers for use by consumers or health-care personnel.
Distillers had been finding ways to work around restrictions, including donating rather than selling sanitizer, or calling it something other than hand sanitizer.
For instance, Los Angeles spirits maker Amass was selling “alcohol-based hand wash” on its website, alongside dry gin and Copenhagen Vodka. The company will now call the product hand sanitizer.
Link to the rest at The Wall Street Journal (PG apologizes for the paywall, but hasn’t figured out a way around it.)