An outpouring of generosity from a New Hampshire distillery

By Tiffany Cuddihy | Citizens Staff

Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries a recipient of $15,000 grant from Citizens Small Business Recovery Program

Since March 19^th, not a single drop of drinkable alcohol has been produced at Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries in Newport, New Hampshire. Instead, the family-run and female-founded distillery has been hard at work turning almost $17,000 worth of vodka into countless bottles of hand sanitizer to be handed out free of charge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There has been such a shortage [of hand sanitizer], and I knew we could help,” says Michelle Widmer, founder and owner of Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries.

Restilling vodka is the process of running it back through the still in order to get more alcohol out of it. The still separates ethanol alcohol from water by applying heat to the mixture. Widmer then collects the alcohol in a jar. To meet CDC guidelines, hand sanitizer must be at least 80% alcohol. Widmer’s hand sanitizer recipe meets the criteria; in fact, it was created in partnership with a nearby pharmacist, who signed off on the recipe as pharmaceutical grade.

Newport, New Hampshire — affectionately known as “The Sunshine Town” — is the kind of place where community comes first; where there’s nothing odd about a local distiller and a local pharmacist joining forces to formulate hand sanitizer. It’s a place where neighbors actually do lend sugar to each other.

Or, in this case, donate it.

“Our friends and neighbors have really been a huge support to us,” Widmer says. “They’ve donated molasses, aloe, and even alcohol from their own cupboards to make sure we have the ingredients we need to keep making the hand sanitizer.”

One such ingredient is 190% proof, which is 95% alcohol. Normally, one needs a medical grade license to obtain it, but fortunately, Cody Morrison, the economic development coordinator for the town of Newport, stepped in and helped Widmer work with the liquor commission to secure the product.

“We’ve been able to give hand sanitizer away for free because everyone has been so generous to us,” Widmer says.

As a small business — one that’s only been around for a year — giving anything away for free right now is certainly a brave act of kindness. So, it’s perhaps fitting that each bottle of the hand sanitizer has the Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries logo — a portrait of a lion — prominently placed on it. A symbol of bravery and leadership.

To show support of its work for the Newport community, Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries, LLC is one of 134 recipients of a $15,000 grant through Citizens Small Business Recovery Program. Citizens has distributed $5 million to help small businesses and organizations cope with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a collective $2 million in grants to local businesses like Widmer’s to help pay for expenses like staffing needs, lost income, and recovery efforts.

“With this grant, we’ll be able to hire more help and buy an additional still,” Widmer says, a mix of enthusiasm and relief in her voice. “Now we can keep making hand sanitizer while also producing our consumable alcohol.”

Widmer’s leadership skills are as powerful as the stuff she bottles. From working the still to organizing orders, she is the boss.

Hear her roar

Widmer grew up in New Hampshire, but not in the distillery business. It wasn’t until she met her husband, whose family owned Widmer Winery in New York’s Finger Lakes region, that she became interested in the craft.

He taught her everything he knew and has been her biggest fan — so much so that he didn’t want to share his name for this story at the risk of overshadowing her hard work.

“This is a man’s business, and it’s not easy for a woman to break through,” Michelle says.

Widmer is the sole owner of the distillery, but her husband is right there by her side when she needs him. He’s the one who watches the news and keeps track of the pandemic updates.

Widmer’s husband says they’re prepared to produce hand sanitizer through December 2020 in case a second wave of COVID-19 spreads.

From vodka production to virus prevention

Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries is located in Newport’s old police station. In fact, the area formerly known as jail cell #1 is where Widmer runs the alcohol through the still. The tasting room is the old chief of police’s office.

Change is inevitable, even in a small town. Change can also be unexpected. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing small businesses to be agile and creative if they want to survive; even then, the future isn’t certain for many of them.

That’s why Widmer is working on spinning off her hand sanitizer production from the distillery as a long-term business model.

“We offer a higher quality hand sanitizer than most companies,” Widmer says. “People want to know they're getting a product that actually works against the threat of COVID-19, and that’s what we're working hard to provide.”

To keep up with the need for hand sanitizer, at one point Widmer and her staff were working 12 to 15 hour shifts, seven days a week. Fortunately, they’ve since been able to catch up and are currently providing hand sanitizer to 13 surrounding towns on a more sustainable schedule. Their turnaround time is quick; they’re often able to get orders out within a day.

They’ve also partnered with All Terrain, another Newport business that offers a broad range of safe, effective insect repellents, sunscreens, first aid supplies, and now hand sanitizers. On top of handing out 2oz. and 4oz. sample-size bottles for free, they’re also selling gallons of hand sanitizer to restaurants, childcare centers, and other businesses who need to meet government guidelines in order to reopen.

“We’ve had to change our business model to keep up with the huge increase in demand for hand sanitizer,” shares Widmer.

The State of Small Business Report, issued by Facebook and the Small Business Roundtable, does show that around 57% of small business owners are optimistic or extremely optimistic about the future of their businesses despite the COVID-19 crisis.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some fear or uncertainty surrounding what’s next for their business and customers.

Before the lockdown, the distillery was creating all-natural flavored vodka, liqueurs, bourbon, and whiskey. Pivoting to hand sanitizer has helped fight the coronavirus while keeping the lights in the distillery on. Widmer is optimistic she’ll soon be able to manufacture spirits once again, along with the hand sanitizer — thanks to the new still she plans to buy with the grant money.

The grant will also help defray the cost of new safety protocols at the distillery. Staff and customers are being asked to wear face masks, surfaces are being disinfected regularly, all tables are six feet apart, and senior customers have their own section to shop. (And, of course, hand sanitizer is readily available.)

The distillery has also set up a food pantry on site to help local families during this difficult time. This is how the Newport community takes care of each other.

If there’s ever any doubt that a small-town business can make a big impact, Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries is 100% proof of how possible it is.

We’re made ready to help small businesses

For further information about how to support Widmer & Davis Artisan Distilleries, please click here.

And check out all the ways Citizens is supporting local businesses and our communities during the pandemic.