Booze – is there anything it can’t do? After panic buyers (as well as some genuine demand) stripped hand sanitiser from shelves across Melbourne, a local distillery has decided to help out.

Gypsy Hub craft distilleries in Collingwood and Preston are turning their booze-making talents to crafting pure alcohol, a product that compounding pharmacies can then turn into hand sanitiser.

The distillery is usually found brewing up spirits for brands like Craft and Co, but were contacted by Ascot Vale Pharmacy who were looking for pure alcohol so they could make hand sanitiser on site. The distillery stepped up to the challenge and has since started producing the pure alcohol that is going into the pharmacy’s own hand sanitiser.



No, you cannot purchase pure alcohol for yourself in case you wanted to start a moonshine hand sanitiser business. You can, however, purchase the locally made hand sanitiser from Ascot Vale Pharmacy (probably best to give them a ring to check availability first – be kind and polite). You can also purchase more edible forms of alcohol made by Gypsy Hub by visiting their brand websites: Craft and Co and Concrete and Clay for online shopping options.

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