CENTRAL LAKE, MI – A Northern Michigan distillery is doing its part to meet the massive need for hand sanitizer created by the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.

Mammoth Distilling, aptly named considering the large impact it’s making, has locations Central Lake, Bellaire and Traverse City. Staff has been using its spirits and stills to create hand sanitizer, which it is then giving away to the public free of charge.

Owner Chad Munger said staff noticed a need for more product in Michigan and realized they had a possible solution. Distiller Collin Gaudard got the idea to produce their own hand sanitizer after seeing distilleries in Seattle do something similar early in the United States outbreak of COVID-19.

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“Everyone in the industry has been talking about doing this, but no one was doing it here in Michigan,” he said. “We have the capacity and have slowed down our own production. So we have time. It was an obvious thing to do. We’re surprised by the reaction. This was very much about finding ways to use our resources to help everyone. This is a small way we can help.”

Mammoth staff have been using high-proof spirits, some of which are spec versions that wouldn’t end up in final products anyway, to make the hand sanitizer.

Anyone who would like some is welcome to visit Mammoth’s Traverse City and Bellaire locations Friday from 2-7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. to pick some up for free. Bottles of the distilleries wide array of spirits will also be available, but no more than five customers allowed inside at a time.

Guests are asked to bring their own “reasonably-sized containers” to carry the homemade hand sanitizer so there is enough to go around.

“I’ve been telling people if it’s a bottle you could purchase in a store, it’s probably OK,” Munger said.

As of now, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau regulations don’t allow Mammoth, or any private business, to donate the homemade hand sanitizer in bulk to places such as nursing homes, but Munger said conversations about finding ways to make that happen have been ongoing in the industry and with state and federal officials.

Federal and state officials have also publicly called on the private sector to step up and help in any way they can during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Mammoth Distilling is now in its sixth year. The distillery produces a wide array of spirits including gin, vodka, whiskey, bourbon, rye and rum.

It is one of several Michigan craft alcohol producers looking for ways to help. Ugly Dog Distillery in Chelsea, one of the oldest craft distilleries in the United States, is also offering free 8oz. bottles of hand sanitizer gel while supplies last.

“In times of crisis like this we all need to give back to those in need, and we felt that this was a little something we could do to say thank you to those who have supported us” David Salmon, CEO of the Ugly Dog Distillery said.

Complete details were posted to Ugly Dog’s Facebook page.