SanTan Brewing Recycles Beer into Hand Sanitizer

America’s breweries and distilleries can always be counted on for community involvement. With the COVID-19 crisis bearing the full brunt of its havoc, distilleries have stepped up the plate, replacing their usual liquor with freshly brewed hand sanitizer, made to government specifications to ensure its effectiveness. Breweries have gotten into the community- focused act too, among them Arizona’s SanTan Brewing.

Partnering with Crescent Crown Distributing, SanTan Brewing is creating its own hand sanitizer but unlike the process used at other breweries, SanTan is making its hand sanitizer from its own recycled beer. With the sharp reductions in beer shipments, SanTan Brewing has decided to use the beer once earmarked for Arizona bars and restaurants and instead transform it into something the public desperately needs: Medical grade, high alcohol hand sanitizer that can wipe out coronavirus on contact and help protect the public health.

Anthony Canecchia, Founder and Brewmaster at SanTan Brewing, says the decision to convert old beer to hand sanitizer was an easy one, because it fits with the company’s standards for quality and commitment to community service.

“SanTan beers are best served fresh, we insist on serving each beer within 90 days of brewing. So, this idea struck me as a great way to repurpose and give back to our Arizona community. We want to do our part to help flatten the curve, save lives and get Arizona back to work,” said Canecchia.

SanTan plans to repurpose any beer brought back to the brewery from the distributor, but the style that will be used for most of the hand sanitizer venture is IPA. And, as one might have predicted, this will result in a hand sanitizer with a scent that is hoppy and tropical.

Joe Cotroneo, General Manager at Crescent Crown Distributing, was happy to hear the news from SanTan Brewing and is glad that the soon to be expired beer will have some use.

“With local bars and restaurants closed to dine in business, we have an abundance of keg beer that is going past the ‘best before’ date. Under normal circumstances at Crescent Crown we would simply destroy the out of date beer. However, once Anthony from SanTan found out about this process he asked us to send his beer back to him so that he could distill it and turn it into medical grade hand sanitizer,” Said Cotroneo. “Anthony never stops thinking of ways to innovate and make the world better, this is the perfect way to make less waste while helping out those in need”. Cotroneo added.

To learn more about SanTanitizer hand sanitizer, visit online at www.SanTanBrewing.com.