Chef David Burke’s Supplier Turns Alcohol Into Hand Sanitizer

Chef David Burke has an incredible restaurant and bar in Sea Bright. Now the liquor supplies for his bars/restaurant is turning alcohol into hand sanitizer, and you'll be able to get some!

DRIFTHOUSE by David Burke & Nauti Bar by David Burke at the Driftwood Cabana Club on Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright consider necessity the mother of invention.

And one of Chef David Burke's suppliers for DRIFTHOUSE and Nauti Bar, effective immediately, is repurposing its alcohol to meet hand sanitizer shortages caused by Covid-19. Nauti Spirits Distillery has turned some of its very high-proof spirits into sanitizer. 

Chef Burke uses Nauti Spirits Distillery’s rum, gin, and vodka as Drifthouse’s house spirits. (Drifthouse's dining room is closed temporarily after the governor’s executive order shut down non-essential businesses but is providing a takeout dinner menu Tuesday - Saturday.

And after the first batch hand sanitizers goes to first responders, Drifthouse will include a Nauti Spirits hand sanitizer bottle in their takeout orders while supplies last.

The founder of Nauti Spirits Distillery says, "Fortunately, we have been distilling a great deal over the last three months to use up the corn and sweet potatoes that we had grown on our land this past year. As a result, we currently have a high inventory of grain neutral spirit (known as GNS; 190 proof alcohol) that we were going to use in producing our spirits. One of our owners, Dorey Bryan, and I started working together over a week ago to come up with a plan that would allow us to legally produce scarce supplies of hand sanitizer.  And, now, we've taken some of that GNS and repurposed it as the primary ingredient in 80% ethanol hand sanitizer."

The entire first batch of this sanitizer, starting today, (thousands of personal size spray bottles) will go to first responders and assisted living/skilled nursing centers; i.e., those who need it the most, for free.

Afterwards, they will continue to provide this needed service/product at a price that allows them to cover their costs to produce it, for as long as they are able. That's when Drifthouse will include a Nauti high-grade hand sanitizer bottle in takeout orders while supplies last.

“These are the kind of partnerships that are formed in the hospitality business,” says Chef Burke. “In times of crisis we must be resourceful. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And this is what happens when the entrepreneurial and hospitality minds come together. This is exactly what we need to stay positive to beat this virus; we have to work together to come up with solutions.”

Meanwhile, Chef Burke has instituted some new innovative ways to repurpose Drifthouse to serve the public with takeout...and make sure you try the best bacon on the planet!: