Maine Distillers And U.M.O. Are Turning Beer Into Hospital Grade Hand Sanitizer

Mainers collaborating, creating and serving those in need is showcased beautifully in a partnership between the University of Maine and local distillers and brewers to make hospital-grade hand sanitizer.

If that wasn't enough to give you the feels, all of the proceeds from the product being sold to the public will go toward supporting workers in the hospitality and food industries that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. They are also donating hand sanitizers to hospitals across the state to meet the need for about 400 gallons of it every single day.

This is a shot from inside Hardshore Distilling Company. I'm not sure what this magnificent piece of copper machinery does, but it's freaking gorgeous and I'm pretty sure I've seen it in a fever dream or a Dr. Seuss book. Hardshore should seriously throw a steam punk party in this space when it's safe to do so.

Maine brewers are doing their part by donating their beer which is then distilled and made into high-proof liquor, mixed with FDA-approved hand sanitizer ingredients, packaged and then donated to Maine hospitals and made available for sale to the public at the Hardshore Distilling Company Tasting Room in Portland.

This is a peek into Maine Beer Company. Mainers like their beer, man. Look at the size of those things. I've visited them before on a Maine Brew Bus tour, (which I highly recommend), and standing next to these big beer silos is like standing next to a skyscraper in Manhattan. I almost fell backward looking up at them.

The brewery partners are being asked to supply over 7,000 gallons of beer every day for the cause. I'm not good at sharing my beer, bless you for your generosity.

Mainers rally, it's what we've had to do for generations of various challenges, and this pandemic is bringing out the Yankee ingenuity that we are famous for. Thank you to all of the Maine businesses involved in this endeavor:

• Hardshore Distilling
• Maine Beer Company
• Maine Craft Distilling
• Allagash
• Sebago Lake Distilling
• Rising Tide
• Oxbow
• New England Distilling
• Shipyard
• Foundation
• Stroudwater Distilling
• Baxter Beer

Please support these great Maine businesses any way you can. Visit their websites for updates on how they are operating and how you can get some delicious beer and spirits.

If you want to get involved contact Jordan Milne at jmilne@hardshoredistilling.com, or Ned Wight at ned@newengland distilling.com.

Are you buying Maine beer to keep these folks going? What's in your crisper drawer? Comment on our Fan Page.