European breweries switch to producing hand sanitizers amid coronavirus pandemic

Several breweries and distilleries in Europe have announced that they will be using their vast infrastructre to produce hand sanitizers as the continent grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

Brewdog announced on Wednesday that it had started working on making hand sanitiser in its Scotland distillery.

"We are determined to do everything we can to try and help as many people as possible stay safe," the company said.

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Another company, Leith Gin said that it had suspended spirit production and was "making high strength hand sanitiser for those in need in our local community."

Dundee-based Verdant Spirits said it had been "asked to switch production to make hand sanitizer".

"To make 100L will cost us £2500 in duty alone so we need your help to get off the ground," the company announced on Twitter.

French company Pernod Ricard in a statement said is donating 70,000 litres of pure alcohol to Laboratoire Cooper to make hand sanitizers.

"In Spain and Ireland, Pernod Ricard Spain and Irish distillers have announced they will put their technical, human and production facilities at the service of the authorities to produce hand sanitizer," it said.

"In Sweden, the distillery of Absolut Vodka is offering spirits at large scale to produce hand sanitizer for public health care," the company added.