Coronavirus: Santa Ana Distillery Now Selling Hand Sanitizer

SANTA ANA (CBSLA) -- A Santa Ana distillery is making new use of its alcohol during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Blinking Owl Distillery used to produce 1,000 bottles of gin, vodka, whiskey and aquavit every week. Now, it's switching gears to help meet demands for another product: hand sanitizer.

The first batch of the distillery's Dirty Bird Hand Sanitizer sold out in minutes.

"This week has been mostly focused on production -- getting the spirit that we need, getting the raw ingredients," said Ryan Friesen.

Orders and donations have gone out to the California Highway Patrol and hospitals, among other locations.

A 16 oz. bottle of the hand sanitizer, which has 80% alcohol -- more than the CDC's recommended percentage for effectiveness -- sells for $15.

They plan to double production of the hand sanitizer to 4,000 gallons per week.