Provided by KO Distilling
In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, KO Distilling has completed retooling the Distillery to enable the production of hand sanitizer. The Distillery plans to produce approximately 2,000 gallons of Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer each week.
Bill Karlson is the Co-Founder and CEO of KO Distilling. On March 12, with his employees’ and customers’ health and well-being in mind, he closed the Distillery and tasting room to the public. All employees, including distillery-site production and tasting room staff, were provided work to be done remotely.
Upgrades to the Water Cooling System
“We had been planning some upgrades to the Distillery plant’s chill water cooling system… [We] planned to use the … closing to have the work done while employees and customers would not be inconvenienced,” said Karlson. “During the ensuing weeks, the severity of the pandemic and, importantly, the demand for hand sanitizer became clear… [We] knew we had to join our Distillery colleagues in producing this important tool for first responders. When coming up with a name for our hand sanitizer, it was fitting for us to use Bare Knuckle. We are glad to be able to help the community fight the good fight during this coronavirus pandemic.”
While the plant upgrades were being made, Karlson and KO Head Distiller Ryan Hendricks put the pieces in place to produce hand sanitizer. This included modifying distilling processes and equipment to produce high-proof ethanol needed for hand sanitizer with 80% ABV ethanol. It also involved procuring other ingredients including hydrogen peroxide, glycerol, and a denaturant which makes the hand sanitizer ‘Not for Human Consumption” in compliance with FDA and WHO guidance.
Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer
Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer is available in five-gallon pails, each of which has a sealed lid with an extractable pouring spout for easy use. The Distillery initially plans to donate supplies to Manassas area first responders, hospitals, charitable organizations, and nursing homes. Additional quantities are being sold through government channels or to essential businesses to help cover production costs and support the continued employment of the Distillery’s 15 employees. Hand Sanitizer inquiries are being managed through the Distillery website.
A five-gallon Hand Sanitizer pail is being offered at $195.00; quantity discounts are available. Buyers can pick up orders at the distillery Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. As needed, KO Distilling will arrange for shipping of palletized pails. Shipping costs are to be borne by the buyer. For each emptied, cleaned and dried five-gallon pail returned to KO in good working condition, KO will provide a $10 discount on the purchase of a future hand sanitizer order by the buyer.
KO is not currently producing its award-winning gins and whiskeys. However, the Distillery does have 4,000 barrels of aging spirit that will be ready for bottling when the pandemic recedes. KO’s Bare Knuckle Whiskeys and Battle Standard Gins remain available in Virginia ABC stores. They are also available throughout D.C., Maryland and Delaware through Prestige-Ledroit Distributing Company. KO is planning online spirit sales for package delivery from its website in the coming weeks.
