Gay Water is a nned vodka soda and liftyle brand curated by and for the queer muny. We speak to founr Spencer Hodson about the makg of the brand, the challeng he's faced along the way, and the greater gay good.
Contents:
- NEW QUEER OWNED CANNED VODKA SODA ‘GAY WATER’ MAK S DEBUT
- YOUR INBOX IS HUNGRYENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRS BELOW TO GET FOOD NEWS LIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR BOX.FOOD NEWSKCHEN LEAGUEBY FOODBEAST SHOPCONTACTPRIVACYFOOD NEWSKCHEN LEAGUEBY FOODBEAST SHOPCONTACTPRIVACYADVERTISEMENTFOOD NEWSGAY WATER IS HERE, QUEER, AND READY TO BE THE DRK OF THE SUMMERDYLAN PAVLIKJUL 20, 2023PHOTO: GAY WATERANOTHER JUNE HAS E AND GONE WHICH MEANS THE DROV OF PANI WHO DOLE OUT GENERIC PRI MERCH HAVE OFFICIALLY RECED BACK TO HIBERNATN FOR ANOTHER ELEVEN MONTHS. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE PRODUCT THAT'S BREAKG THE MOLD ON NNED CKTAILS AND SHG THROUGH — TRODUCG GAY WATER, A NEW NNED VODKA SODA. ADVERTISEMENTSOCIAL MEDIA STAR SPENCER HODSON (@HODDSPENRS) REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SO FEW PRODUCTS THAT TLY REPRENTED PRI AND THE QUEER MUNY OUTSI THE NF OF PRI MONTH AND CID THAT NEED TO CHANGE. WHILE GAY WATER IS THE UNIVERSAL LLOQUIALISM FOR A VODKA SODA THE QUEER UNIVERSE, THE BRAND SELF IS LOOKG AT BEG A HOEHOLD STAPLE. "GAY WATER IS MORE THAN JT A VODKA RTD — OUR MISSN ISN’T PRODUCT-FOCED OR BEVERAGE-FOCED; ’S MUNY-FOCED," HODSON TOLD FOODBEAST ON LNCH DAY. "WE FELY FOREE OURSELV EXPANDG TO NEW TEGORI AND PRODUCTS THE G MONTHS."PHOTO: @HODDSPENRSADVERTISEMENTWE HAVE SEEN RECENT NEWS HOW CERTA ALHOL BRANDS HAVE ACTED AND RPOND TO CRICISMS AGAST THEIR LGBTQIA+ BRANDG — HT HT DYLAN MULVANEY — SO 'S REHG TO SEE A PLETELY QUEER-BRAND PANY LIKE GAY WATER MAKE WAV."I STARTED GAY WATER BEE OF THE REALIZATN THAT THE SPIRS DTRY, CLUDG BUD LIGHT, LACKS QUEER REPRENTATN," HODSON REVEALED. "I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL BRANDS THAT RAISE AWARENS FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, BUT I HAVE TO ADM THEIR MPAIGNS LACKED NSISTENCY. OVERALL, THEY FELT MORE LIKE A ONE-TIME THG, AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED SOMETHG BOLD AND ONGOG TO ENSURE PROPER MUNY REPRENTATN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THAT'S WHAT SPIRED GAY WATER — THE NEED FOR THENTIC QUEER REPRENTATN. THIS IS SOMETHG THAT ISN’T GOG TO GO AWAY — WE’RE HERE, AND WE MATTER."AS A CUR NSUMER, I HAD TO ASK HODSON WHERE HE ME UP WH THE GEN IA TO MARKET THE EVER-POPULAR VODKA SODA:ADVERTISEMENT"GAY WATER HAS BEEN THE MAKG SCE 2022! IT ALL STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I WENT ON A TRIP WH A GIRL IEND WHO HAD JT BEGUN WORKG AT A MAJOR BEVERAGE PANY. WE WERE CHATTG ABOUT HER NEW JOB, AND I SUALLY ORRED MY GO-TO DRK, A VODKA SODA (WHICH ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FAVORE AMONG QUEER FOLKS). I PLAYFULLY MENTNED TO HER THAT THE GAY MUNY AFFECTNATELY LLS THIS DRK "GAY WATER." SURPRISGLY, SHE WAS ALREADY FAIAR WH THE TERM. THAT SIMPLE NVERSATN SPARKED SOMETHG WH ME, AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY SPIRED TO TAKE ACTN. THE VERY NEXT DAY, I BEGAN CRAFTG A BS PLAN TO CREATE A MUNY AND MISSN-DRIVEN PANY AIMED AT MAKG A POSIVE IMPACT ON THE LGBTQ+ MUNY."THE NEW LE OF NNED CKTAILS CLUS FOUR DIFFERENT FLAVORS: LIME, PEACH, WATERMELON, AND GRAPEU. UNLIKE MOST SELTZERS ON THE MARKET TODAY, GAY WATER IS MA WH REAL VODKA AND SIMPLE GREDIENTS, CLOCKG AT ONLY 80 LORI. I N NFINTLY SAY THAT I TRIED AND LOVED THEM ALL BUT LIME WILL ALWAYS BE MY #1. PRODUCTS ARE SOLD AS A SIX-PACK OF LIME OR A VARIETY PACK OF TWELVE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO FD YOUR CLOST RETAILER, GET PRODUCT SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU, OR SNAG SOME CUTE MERCH, CLICK HERE AND GET YOUR GAY WATER ASAP. YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE FOMO ON THIS ONE, Y'ALL. FEATURE PHOTO: GAY WATERSHARETWEETWE DELIVER!
- GAY WATER, A NEW NNED CKTAIL, WANTS TO BE THE ANTI-BUD LIGHT
- GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?
- GAY WATER, A NEW NNED CKTAIL, WANTS TO BE THE ANTI-BUD LIGHT
- CANNED COCKTAIL GAY WATER AIMS TO RIGHT BUD LIGHT'S LACK OF LGBTQ+ SUPPORT
- HI, GAY! - CANNED VODKA SODA BRAND CREATED BY AND FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AIMS TO DTIGMATIZE THE WORD 'GAY', LNCH WH FOUR INIC FLAVORS
- A DRK FOR THE COMMUNY - GAY WATER
- ‘GAY WATER’ IS A NEW VODKA SODA STARTUP WH A MISSN TO CELEBRATE LGBTQ+ INTY
NEW QUEER OWNED CANNED VODKA SODA ‘GAY WATER’ MAK S DEBUT
The new queer owned nned vodka soda brand 'Gay Water' mak s but wh four lic flavors and a view to expand. * gay water vodka soda *
For many years, the term ‘gay water’ has been known wh the queer muny as a lloquialism for a vodka soda. As of today, the brand Gay Water officially lnch to brg that phrase to the mastream as one of the first alholic beverag found and ground the LGBTQ+ muny. Gay Water is more than a beverage pany, is a brand that will reprent the LGBTQ+ muny 365 days a year.
YOUR INBOX IS HUNGRYENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRS BELOW TO GET FOOD NEWS LIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR BOX.FOOD NEWSKCHEN LEAGUEBY FOODBEAST SHOPCONTACTPRIVACYFOOD NEWSKCHEN LEAGUEBY FOODBEAST SHOPCONTACTPRIVACYADVERTISEMENTFOOD NEWSGAY WATER IS HERE, QUEER, AND READY TO BE THE DRK OF THE SUMMERDYLAN PAVLIKJUL 20, 2023PHOTO: GAY WATERANOTHER JUNE HAS E AND GONE WHICH MEANS THE DROV OF PANI WHO DOLE OUT GENERIC PRI MERCH HAVE OFFICIALLY RECED BACK TO HIBERNATN FOR ANOTHER ELEVEN MONTHS. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE PRODUCT THAT'S BREAKG THE MOLD ON NNED CKTAILS AND SHG THROUGH — TRODUCG GAY WATER, A NEW NNED VODKA SODA. ADVERTISEMENTSOCIAL MEDIA STAR SPENCER HODSON (@HODDSPENRS) REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SO FEW PRODUCTS THAT TLY REPRENTED PRI AND THE QUEER MUNY OUTSI THE NF OF PRI MONTH AND CID THAT NEED TO CHANGE. WHILE GAY WATER IS THE UNIVERSAL LLOQUIALISM FOR A VODKA SODA THE QUEER UNIVERSE, THE BRAND SELF IS LOOKG AT BEG A HOEHOLD STAPLE. "GAY WATER IS MORE THAN JT A VODKA RTD — OUR MISSN ISN’T PRODUCT-FOCED OR BEVERAGE-FOCED; ’S MUNY-FOCED," HODSON TOLD FOODBEAST ON LNCH DAY. "WE FELY FOREE OURSELV EXPANDG TO NEW TEGORI AND PRODUCTS THE G MONTHS."PHOTO: @HODDSPENRSADVERTISEMENTWE HAVE SEEN RECENT NEWS HOW CERTA ALHOL BRANDS HAVE ACTED AND RPOND TO CRICISMS AGAST THEIR LGBTQIA+ BRANDG — HT HT DYLAN MULVANEY — SO 'S REHG TO SEE A PLETELY QUEER-BRAND PANY LIKE GAY WATER MAKE WAV."I STARTED GAY WATER BEE OF THE REALIZATN THAT THE SPIRS DTRY, CLUDG BUD LIGHT, LACKS QUEER REPRENTATN," HODSON REVEALED. "I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL BRANDS THAT RAISE AWARENS FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, BUT I HAVE TO ADM THEIR MPAIGNS LACKED NSISTENCY. OVERALL, THEY FELT MORE LIKE A ONE-TIME THG, AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED SOMETHG BOLD AND ONGOG TO ENSURE PROPER MUNY REPRENTATN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THAT'S WHAT SPIRED GAY WATER — THE NEED FOR THENTIC QUEER REPRENTATN. THIS IS SOMETHG THAT ISN’T GOG TO GO AWAY — WE’RE HERE, AND WE MATTER."AS A CUR NSUMER, I HAD TO ASK HODSON WHERE HE ME UP WH THE GEN IA TO MARKET THE EVER-POPULAR VODKA SODA:ADVERTISEMENT"GAY WATER HAS BEEN THE MAKG SCE 2022! IT ALL STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I WENT ON A TRIP WH A GIRL IEND WHO HAD JT BEGUN WORKG AT A MAJOR BEVERAGE PANY. WE WERE CHATTG ABOUT HER NEW JOB, AND I SUALLY ORRED MY GO-TO DRK, A VODKA SODA (WHICH ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FAVORE AMONG QUEER FOLKS). I PLAYFULLY MENTNED TO HER THAT THE GAY MUNY AFFECTNATELY LLS THIS DRK "GAY WATER." SURPRISGLY, SHE WAS ALREADY FAIAR WH THE TERM. THAT SIMPLE NVERSATN SPARKED SOMETHG WH ME, AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY SPIRED TO TAKE ACTN. THE VERY NEXT DAY, I BEGAN CRAFTG A BS PLAN TO CREATE A MUNY AND MISSN-DRIVEN PANY AIMED AT MAKG A POSIVE IMPACT ON THE LGBTQ+ MUNY."THE NEW LE OF NNED CKTAILS CLUS FOUR DIFFERENT FLAVORS: LIME, PEACH, WATERMELON, AND GRAPEU. UNLIKE MOST SELTZERS ON THE MARKET TODAY, GAY WATER IS MA WH REAL VODKA AND SIMPLE GREDIENTS, CLOCKG AT ONLY 80 LORI. I N NFINTLY SAY THAT I TRIED AND LOVED THEM ALL BUT LIME WILL ALWAYS BE MY #1. PRODUCTS ARE SOLD AS A SIX-PACK OF LIME OR A VARIETY PACK OF TWELVE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO FD YOUR CLOST RETAILER, GET PRODUCT SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU, OR SNAG SOME CUTE MERCH, CLICK HERE AND GET YOUR GAY WATER ASAP. YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE FOMO ON THIS ONE, Y'ALL. FEATURE PHOTO: GAY WATERSHARETWEETWE DELIVER!
Lnchg Thursday is a brightly lored nned vodka and soda beverage lled Gay Water that proudly displays who ’s for, stead of backg off om support for the LGBTQ+ muny like Bud Light did. * gay water vodka soda *
At s earlit fn, “gay” means “happy, ” yet over the years perceptn of the word shifted to negative as people began g as a pejorative label for people and actns. “There has been a distct lack of LGBTQ+ reprentatn the alhol dtry, but Gay Water aims to change this, ” says Spencer Hodson, Founr and CEO of Gay Water. Gay Water.
Wh three simple gredients, only 80 lori and 4% ABV, gluten-ee and no sugar, Gay Water also aims to appeal to folks tryg to make healthier liftyle choic, but still want to enjoy alhol. Gay Water will lnch wh four rehg flavors: watermelon, lime, peach, and grapeu wh plans to expand to more product l the g months. Gay Water sgle flavor packs will nta six 12oz ns for $18.
Gay Water is available onle and at retailers across the US.
GAY WATER, A NEW NNED CKTAIL, WANTS TO BE THE ANTI-BUD LIGHT
Urban Dictnary, "Gay Water" is "A vodka soda water wh lemon or lime. A gay man's perfect gateway to a good buzz and a small waistle." In a sentence: * gay water vodka soda *
For more rmatn on Gay Water Vodka Soda, vis.
GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?
For many years, the term 'gay water' has been known wh the queer muny as a lloquialism for a vodka soda. As of today, the brand Gay Water officially lnch to brg that phrase to the mastream as one of the first alholic beverag found and ground the LGBTQ+ muny. * gay water vodka soda *
About Gay WaterGay Water is not jt any nned vodka soda pany, but a queer missn-driven liftyle brand that aims to celebrate and empower the LGBTQIA+ muny. We believe reclaimg the word ‘gay’ by makg visible every day – be at your lol bar, rtrant, liquor store, grocery store, and of urse, your own home.
An entreprenr lnched a nned cktail this week lled “Gay Water” that’s aimed at LGBTQ drkers — and said he’s lookg to palize on Bud Light’s mistak.
But “Gay Water” — which adopts a moniker the gay muny has long given to the simple vodka and soda cktail — has been spired by the dtup to bee even bolr about the dience ’s targetg, founr and CEO Spencer Hodson told The Post. Gay Water — a nned cktail brand that plays on the gay muny’s lloquialism for the vodka-and-soda mixed drk — lnched on Wednday and promis to unrstand s dience better than Bud Light.Spencer Hodson/Instagram.
GAY WATER, A NEW NNED CKTAIL, WANTS TO BE THE ANTI-BUD LIGHT
HI, GAY! - Canned Vodka Soda Brand created by and for the LGBTQ+ muny Aims to Dtigmatize the word 'Gay', Lnch wh Four Inic Flavors * gay water vodka soda *
The 30-year-old Hodson said he is g suggtive — albe playful — msagg and imagery Gay Water’s social media and webse, cludg a provotive nod to the 12-ounce n’s 6.1-ch height. “Our missn is to -stigmatize the word ‘gay’ and start to create reprentatn spac that tradnally don’t have queer-owned products, let alone products wh the word ‘gay’ their tle,” Hodson told The Post. “When was the last time you saw the word gay at a rtrant, bar, liquor store, or grocery store?
The word ‘gay’ origally was fed as happy, and we’re hopg to remd folks of that by beg prent,” he add. Founr Spencer Hodson, a gay man, says the brand is about reclaimg the word “gay” as a word that “jt means happy.”Spencer Hodson/Instagram. Gay Water’s brandg is full of playful, suggtive msagg.
“Part of the pot of lnchg outsi of Pri month is to rerce the msage that Gay Water is here to make the LGBTQ+ muny more visible 365 days a year, not jt a sgle month,” he said. Photo: Gay WaterAnother June has e and gone which means the drov of pani who dole out generic pri merch have officially reced back to hibernatn for another eleven months.
CANNED COCKTAIL GAY WATER AIMS TO RIGHT BUD LIGHT'S LACK OF LGBTQ+ SUPPORT
However, there is one product that's breakg the mold on nned cktails and shg through — troducg Gay Water, a new nned vodka soda. While Gay Water is the universal lloquialism for a vodka soda the queer universe, the brand self is lookg at beg a hoehold staple. "Gay Water is more than jt a vodka RTD — our missn isn’t product-foced or beverage-foced; ’s muny-foced, " Hodson told Foodbeast on lnch day.
"We have seen recent news how certa alhol brands have acted and rpond to cricisms agast their LGBTQIA+ brandg — ht ht Dylan Mulvaney — so 's rehg to see a pletely queer-brand pany like Gay Water make wav.
HI, GAY! - CANNED VODKA SODA BRAND CREATED BY AND FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AIMS TO DTIGMATIZE THE WORD 'GAY', LNCH WH FOUR INIC FLAVORS
"I started Gay Water bee of the realizatn that the spirs dtry, cludg Bud Light, lacks queer reprentatn, " Hodson revealed.
That's what spired Gay Water — the need for thentic queer reprentatn. "As a cur nsumer, I had to ask Hodson where he me up wh the gen ia to market the ever-popular vodka soda:"Gay Water has been the makg sce 2022! I playfully mentned to her that the gay muny affectnately lls this drk "gay water.
Unlike most seltzers on the market today, Gay Water is ma wh real vodka and simple gredients, clockg at only 80 lori. If you'd like to fd your clost retailer, get product shipped directly to you, or snag some cute merch, click here and get your Gay Water ASAP.
A DRK FOR THE COMMUNY - GAY WATER
New York (CNN) — In a sea of nned cktails, Gay Water wants to stand out. In other words, where Bud Light has buckled unr prsure as bigotry grows agast the LGBTQ+ muny, Gay Water’s creator Spencer Hodson wants his new boozy brand to be the anthis of that. “The key issue that Bud Light tapped to was the fact that they didn’t unrstand their re dience and know enough about them, ” Hodson, a gay man, told CNN about the ntroversy that began when the Anhser-Bch beer brand sent fluencer Dylan Mulvaney a n of beer.
Gay Water, however, is out and proud.
The nned cktail is named after a lloquialism given to the popular mixed drk (vodka and soda) orred at bars by the gay muny. “Puttg a product wh the word gay the tle is reprentatn self, ” which he hop reclaims the word om the negativy ’s sometim associated wh.
‘GAY WATER’ IS A NEW VODKA SODA STARTUP WH A MISSN TO CELEBRATE LGBTQ+ INTY
He thought of creatg Gay Water about a year ago while on a vatn wh his iend that had got a job wh the beverage dtry. The two chatted about the limed amount of gay people wh , and wh Hodson burnt out om his tradnal day job tech, started the nned cktail. Hodson built up a strong social media followg on TikTok and Instagram durg Covid-19 and is g some of the money om that (as well as om iends and fay) to help fund Gay Water.
“Gay is an umbrella term and the ia behd the brand is to be as clive as possible, which means we want alli, we want straight people to be part of this muny we’re buildg. For now, Gay Water is sold largely onle (wh a few retailers) and four sugar-ee flavors — watermelon, lime, peach and grapeu — at lnch. Gay Water might not have the ep pockets pared to s petors, like Whe Claw, but “even at small sle, pani of many siz are havg succs makg spir-based seltzers and premixed cktails, ” Bryan Roth, an analyst for Feel Goods Company and edor of the alhol beverage newsletter, Sightl+, told CNN.
“There’s lots of space the spir-based seltzer tegory which Gay Water n play, pecially if the brand n offer a cultural or emotnal nnectn that will feel more excg than the prospect of another peapple-flavored vodka seltzer om natnal or ternatnal rporatns, ” Roth said. Of urse, other drks e the word “gay, ” too, cludg Gay Beer and So Gay Rosé, Hodson noted, which are also tryg to reach the queer muny and offer them an alternative the straight-domated space.