Illinois

Peoria Distillery Switches To Hand Sanitizer Production

WCBU | By Tim Shelley

Published March 23, 2020 at 10:06 PM CDT

Whiskey distilling equipment at Black Band Distillery will soon be used to supply hand sanitizer for healthcare workers and other first responders.

A nascent Peoria whiskey distillery is now switching to hand sanitizer production.

Black Band Distillery hasn't officially opened its doors in Peoria's Warehouse District yet, but they're already adjusting their business plan to aid local governments in the age of COVID-19.

Chris Ober, the distillery's owner, said they will focus on providing "hand sanitizers in bulk to the medical community, retirement homes, and those on the front line."

Hand sanitizer was one of the first items to go into short supply as the novel coronavirus pandemic grew.

Black Band Distillery received fermentors last week. The business is working to obtain temporary occupancy status in its 1000 SW Adams building to produce hand sanitizer in the short-term.

Ober also started a GoFundMe to provide the funds to make hand sanitizer for organizations in need free of charge.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's closed most of the state's bars last week in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19. The state reported eight deaths and more than 1,200 cases as of Monday.

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