Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s March 19 directive for California residents to shelter in place, Aaron Bergh, founder and president of Calwise Spirits Co. in Paso Robles, shuttered his tasting room and laid off his five employees.
Then he heard about the national shortage of hand sanitizer, and he realized how his company and equipment could make the leap from on-site production of spirits to the sanitizing product vital to law enforcement, first responders and medical professionals, not to mention the general public.
Within days, Bergh, had engineered Calwise’s transition from producing its flagship gin and rum to disinfectant sprays and hand sanitizers with the materials he already had on hand: ethanol alcohol, glycerin and hydrogen peroxide.
“We had all of the equipment already in place, and it was an easy transition for me,” said Bergh, adding that he was able to hire back three employees on a part-time basis.
The specific compound breakdown required by the Food & Drug Administration and the standards of the World Health Organization is 80 percent ethanol alcohol, 1.45 percent glycerin and 0.125 percent hydrogen peroxide.
On its website, the FDA notes that it has issued temporary guidelines stating that the agency will not take any action against private businesses that produce their own hand sanitizer because of the shortage caused by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
Bergh’s first batch of Calwise sanitizer was 15 gallons delivered to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department on March 25.
“This supply was distributed to the sheriff’s six patrol stations, where it was placed in every patrol car as a way to disinfect deputies and their vehicles,” Capt. Eric Buschow said in a news release.
Bergh, a Camarillo native, was more than happy to do his part.
“It concerns me that our community servants don’t have sufficient sanitizer at a time when they need it more than ever,” he said. “I realized that my equipment and supply chain expertise could help out these everyday heroes as they work tirelessly to keep us safe.”
He said on Thursday that the Ventura County sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services reordered and upped its request to his largest single order yet — 300 gallons.
“I’m also supplying at least 200 gallons to the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services” and some to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, he added.
The FBI field office in Los Angeles also reached out.
“They have agents out in the field as part of the COVID-19 response team, and they are worried about running out of hand sanitizer,” Bergh said.
Bergh, who lives in Templeton, also supplied bulk hand sanitizer to the Templeton Fire Department, the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, the Camarillo Police Department, the 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, the SLO Food Bank and others.
He said he invites first responders, government agencies and charities in need of hand sanitizer to contact him at sanitizer@calwisespirits.com. His current pricing — based on existing supply costs — is $15 per gallon.
Bergh credits the other local businesses that brought him necessary supplies in the form of bottles at cost, or via a donation — among them Cook’s Vanilla, Golden Apple Cannabis and RS Paul Construction.
He said he plans to continue producing sanitizing materials as long as the need remains and the supply chain remains strong.
“Although I’m adequately stocked right now, I’m concerned about supplies running out, and I may be needing additional hydrogen peroxide and glycerin, as well as large bottles and other containers for packaging,” Bergh said.
“I invite anyone who might have inventory or access to these items to contact me.”
Krobar, another Paso Robles-based distillery, also repurposed its distillery into a sanitizer supply house. In late March, the facility started making Krobar Sanitizer to help equip area hospitals, emergency services and public works departments, as well as the general public.
According to a news release from Mike Dawson of Solterra Strategies, Krobar received calls from hospitals as well as local government agencies on the Central Coast and throughout California.
Among the agencies on the receiving end of Krobar’s sanitizing products, he said, are the Atascadero Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire, the City of Bakersfield, Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, Compass Health, Mee Memorial Hospital in Salinas, the Paso Robles Fire Department, the San Luis Obispo Fire Department, SLO paramedics and the SLO Food Bank.
Working on a much smaller scale is Jay Lockwood, co-owner with his brother, Jeff, of Buellton’s DorWood Distillery, at 201 Industrial Way, Suite D.
On March 30, Jay Lockwood detailed on DorWood’s Facebook page his plans to switch to making hand sanitizer from his multiple spirits while the tasting room remains closed.
Lockwood is still in production on what he predicts will be “30 to 50 gallons per batch” of hand sanitizer that he hopes to offer to the cities of Solvang and Buellton and other agencies in need.
“I hope to have two-ounce bottles to be able to give to first responders and some senior citizens — those who need it the most,” he said. “I’ll definitely stay within the Santa Ynez Valley to start.”
On Saturday, Lockwood, a Solvang resident, was awaiting a supply of bottles and tops, “but then I’ll be done with my first batch,” he said.
— Laurie Jervis blogs about wine at www.centralcoastwinepress.com, tweets at @lauriejervis and can be reached via winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.