| Lifting Spirits
RISING TO THE OCCASION Master Distiller Aaron Bergh pivots from distilling gin to manufacturing hand sanitizer
By Nicholas Mattson
L
ocal distiller meets needs of first responders and other agencies in desperate need by converting the Calwise Spirits Co. distillery to sanitizer production. Proprietor and master distiller Aaron Bergh made the pivot after seeing calls from agencies serving the community’s most vulnerable, and invites additional agencies in need to contact him. “It concerns me that our community servants don’t have sufficient sanitizer at a time when they need it more than ever,” said Bergh, who is known for producing craft gins and rums at his distillery in south Paso Robles. “I realized that my equipment and supply chain expertise could help out these everyday heroes as they work tirelessly to keep us safe.” In a short amount of time, Bergh has started supplying bulk hand sanitizer to the Templeton Fire Department, San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, the Camarillo Police Department, 40 Prado Road Homeless Services Center, SLO Food Bank, and others.
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Most sobering was a call he received from the FBI field office in Los Angeles. His first reaction was cautionary. “Am I doing something wrong?” Bergh said. “Is this real? Is this somebody posing as an agent?” The disconcerting feelings are understandable considering Bergh’s family history. During prohibition, the feds shut down his great-great-grandfather’s moonshine operation, and a call from the FBI could certainly have disturbed the family spirits. After sifting through reactionary thoughts, he was assured that it was the FBI in need of sanitizer, and his curiosity turned to surprise. “They are organized, and you would think they have access to supplies,” Bergh said, “but they are out just like everyone else.” Being a local source for a federal agency in a time like this lifted the spirits of Bergh, and he said he hoped others would be inspired to do what they could to help in this time. “They have agents out in the field as part of the COVID-19 response team, and they are worried about running out of hand sanitizer,”
Bergh said. “This sanitizer is going to make a huge difference in keeping them and the public safe.” GETTING THE WORD OUT
First responders, government agencies, and charities in need of hand sanitizer may also contact Bergh at sanitizer@calwisespirits. com. His current pricing — based on existing supply costs — is $15 per gallon, which stands in contrast to the high markups seen elsewhere on hand sanitizer. “I hope to get more of our hand sanitizer out there so that our public servants can safely do their jobs in this time of crisis,” Bergh said. A COMMUNITY EFFORT
According to Bergh, the FDA has given distilleries the authority to produce sanitizer under World Health Organization standards. “As far as I know, this has never happened in the United States, it’s totally unprecedented,” he said. Continued on Page 19
Paso Robles Magazine | April 2020
