Deeds Brewing produces hand sanitiser in beer cans; also will get taproom

A craft brewery battling due to coronavirus has come up with a brilliant way to get its crafted cans in the hands of those who need them most — just make sure you check the label first.

Patrick Alé and David Milstein from Deeds Brewing in Glen Iris are opening a taphouse on the premises, but in the meantime they’re producing hand sanitiser to get through the COVID-19 lockdown. Picture: Penny Stephens

A Glen Iris craft brewery struggling with sales during the coronavirus shutdown has adapted to source another — crafty — way to make money.

Deeds Brewing lost about half of its customer base when bars and pubs were forced shut

It then turned its attention to making hand sanitiser and, instead of revamping their packaging process, the company decided to make use of containers from a discontinued line of beer to hold their product.

Deeds Brewing plans to open taphouse and bar which can seat 150 people.

“It was very stressful for us,” Patrick Alé, who co-owns Deeds Brewing with David Milstein, said of the shutdown.

“We do a lot of business through kegs and beer doesn’t keep forever, so holding a large amount was not ideal.

“We don’t know when that side of the economy will reopen and we’ve got some amazing staff members, so we were also concerned about reducing staff hours.”

Mr Alé said the cans have ‘do not consume’ labels plastered all over the cans and that they worked well to decant the sanitiser into pump bottles that people have at home.

The hand sanitiser is 80 per cent ethanol and is being put in the brewery’s 330ml cans in order to reduce waste, as it is fully recyclable and also uses its packaging equipment. Picture: Penny Stephens

It comes as the brewery celebrates the future introduction of a bar to its site at 4 Paran Place, close to the Glen Iris railway station.

After initial plans of a brewery with taproom failed in 2016 and the stand-alone brewery opening in February last year, permission was finally granted by Stonnington Council.

“We’re stoked. It’s been a painful, long process and gone through a lot of hoops,” Alé said.

“This is a much different application to the original one.

“We have (now) got a few supporters in the local area, around the precinct they are very supportive.

“The aspiration is to have a community-minded area for people to come to.”

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Deeds Brewing will be able to hold 150 seats in its bar and taproom area.

“My hope is for a community focused taproom that brings together our amazing beer with a really good food offering,” Mr Alé said.

“We want to showcase our beer, community and environment.”