AUSTIN, Texas _ It was just a few weeks ago that Texans were using their perfectly good Tito's Vodka to make hand sanitizer to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, causing the company to say, in effect, "wait, no, don't do that," over and over again.
Now, Tito's Vodka is taking matters into its own hand sanitizer _ the Austin-based brand is testing formulas for its own sanitizer to be produced in its distillery.
Tito's has enough ingredients and equipment to make an initial 24 tons of hand sanitizer, which will be distributed for free to help combat the coronavirus, officials said in a statement.
"While we advise that you cannot use our standard vodka product as a hand sanitizer, our team at the distillery has been working to get all of the pieces in place to begin production on a hand sanitizer that adheres to industry and governmental guidance," the vodka brand said in the statement.
The announcement comes after the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau authorized production of ethanol-based hand sanitizers by permitted distillers last week.
Officials don't yet have details on when the hand sanitizer will be ready or where people will be able to get their hands on it.
"We will update you as we know more," the brand said.
