Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
It's what you do at times like this. You help where you can. Of course, we're not putting our lives at risk like these first responders, not by any means. But we're doing what we can to support them.
Jesse Zien, BSMTH'04, works for a bank in Chicago, but he spends his nights and weekends working at Two Eagles Distillery, which he co-founded with a few friends in 2017. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the Mount Prospect, Illinois, distillery has paused production on its spirits and converted its facility and equipment to make hand sanitizer for those in need of it. (The virus has caused a shortage in supply.)
Since converting its operation a few weeks ago, Two Eagles has already made and donated (or committed to donate) hundreds of 4-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer to area police departments, fire departments and a manufacturer making parts for ventilators.
To help cover production costs, Two Eagles has launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $18,000 of its $25,000 goal. Every donation will go to the creation of free hand sanitizer for Chicagoland communities.
How did you convert your distillery into a hand sanitizing operation?
The big thing is, do you have the equipment you need to make high-proof alcohol? Not every craft distillery does. A lot of people out there are able to make whiskey and gins. But to make a vodka, like we do, you need to be able to make 95% alcohol, 190 proof, and you need very tall columns to get that high-proof alcohol. Our operation was suited to make 80%-alcohol hand sanitizer.
When we were setting up our vodka, it took us probably four months, between the label, getting the bottles, finding a supplier. For the hand sanitizer, we were able to work together and get everything ordered in about four hours. Granted, it's not the prettiest bottle (laughs). But it works.
How many bottles will you be able to make?
We'll be able to make thousands. Each bottle costs about $4 to make. We're not Purell (laughs), so we won't be able to buy bottles and isopropyl alcohol in large quantities. But since we've launched this GoFundMe, we've really been able to get what we need to make this work.
Were you surprised by the community response?
We weren't really sure about doing the GoFundMe. But we started making this stuff, and I gave some to my neighbor, who's a Chicago police officer. He and some other people wanted to know where to donate, so we started raising funds.
We've also been receiving support from the Creighton community. The families I keep in touch with, every single one of them has been donating.
Hopefully people will keep responding. Every dollar is going into making more hand sanitizer.
You and your distillery co-owners have day jobs and families. What made you decide to launch this operation in the midst of everything else going on in your lives?
It's what you do. There's no other answer. It's what you do at times like this. You help where you can. Of course, we're not putting our lives at risk like these first responders, not by any means. But we're doing what we can to support them.
You know, I've got a decade of Jesuit education in me (laughs). I went to Loyola Academy for high school, I went to Creighton for undergrad, and I got my MBA from Loyola University Chicago. I was taught to serve and help others.
In fact, Two Eagles Distillery originally got started with the help of a Creighton connection.
Yes, when we first got up and running a few year ago, I reached out to fellow Bluejay Pat Hoffman (BSBA'89), who owns Lonely Oak Distillery in Earling, Iowa. He was super welcoming and helped us get Two Eagles going. So, none of this would have been possible without that Creighton connection to start it off.
By the way, Lonely Oak Distillery is making hand sanitizer right now, too.
