Jason Barrett, Black Button Distilling President and Master Distiller, comments, “We are uniquely qualified to safely handle and bottle ethanol-based hand sanitizer, and we have an extensive network of contacts to bring bottles, labels, labor, and ingredients to bear. We are doing this to help our community, to hopefully save lives and to get our employees back to work. We want to do our part in these unprecedented times.” 

Instead of manufacturing spirits, Black Button has turned to the production of hand sanitizer to meet the local demand for the product at hospitals, homeless shelters, senior citizen centers, paramedics, fire stations, daycares, and other high-risk operations that are affected by supply shortages due to COVID-19. 

Barrett adds, “Our machines have to be modified, new processes have to be created, team members trained, and our licenses have to be checked with relevant state and federal authorities.” 

Since March 27, Black Button Distillery and its public tasting room have been closed except for curbside pick-up for spirits and specialty cocktail kits. They are best known for making whiskey, vodka, gin, moonshine and other liquors with 90% New York State grown and all-natural ingredients. Black Button also has a farm that grows juniper for gin, white oak for their bourbon barrels, and fresh herbs, spices and organic honey for their cocktails. Their Rochester tasting room is located in the same building as their distillery on Railroad Street by the Rochester Public Market. 

Requests for hand sanitizer can be sent to cheers@blackbuttondistilling.com. For more information about Black Button Distillery, check out their website: https://www.blackbuttondistilling.com/