Gay Water, a new nned cktail, wants to be the anti-Bud Light - WTOP News

Contents:

• MOVE OVER BUD LIGHT, GAY WATER IS HERE AND IT’S QUEER
• IT’S HERE, IT’S QUEER: INTRODUCG GAY WATER, A LGBTQIA+ CANNED VODKA SODA BRAND AIMG TO DTIGMATIZE THE WORD GAY
• 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!
• CANNED CKTAIL ‘GAY WATER’ AIMS TO SH ON BUD LIGHT’S DYLAN MULVANEY DISASTER
• WILL YOU BUY GAY WATER?
• GAY WATER LIME
• 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
• A DRK FOR THE COMMUNY - GAY WATER
• ‘GAY WATER’ IS A NEW VODKA SODA STARTUP WH A MISSN TO CELEBRATE LGBTQ+ INTY
• GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?

MOVE OVER BUD LIGHT, GAY WATER IS HERE AND IT’S QUEER

*Photo cred: Gay Water via Instagram. Where Bud Light sks, Gay Water ris to the ocsn.

On Thursday, the brightly-packaged nned alholic beverage Gay Water lnched s way to happy hours. Named after the nickname given to the vodka and soda bo that’s equently orred gay bars, Gay Water wants to be the drk of choice for the queer muny.

Spencer Hodson, a gay man, created the product wh the LGBTQ+ muny md. Hodson created Gay Water to be out, loud, and proud. And while Gay Water’s four sugar-ee flavors, watermelon, lime, peach and grapeu, n be purchased select retailers, Gay Water’s reach is expand through onle sal.

IT’S HERE, IT’S QUEER: INTRODUCG GAY WATER, A LGBTQIA+ CANNED VODKA SODA BRAND AIMG TO DTIGMATIZE THE WORD GAY

“Puttg a product wh the word gay the tle is reprentatn self.

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!

Sometim great ias start om vatn nversatns, as did the creatn of Gay Water. Wh that, Hodson believ that ’s “exactly the right time” to enter Gay Water to the market.

CANNED CKTAIL ‘GAY WATER’ AIMS TO SH ON BUD LIGHT’S DYLAN MULVANEY DISASTER

Gay Water is here to turn the tis wh a premixed cktail that was tentnally signed for everyone. (Photo: Gay Water).

Gay Water is a new vodka soda pany lookg to shake thgs up and reprent the queer muny by stigmatizg the word gay wh s boozy nned beverag. The fn of “gay” means “happy, ” yet over the years perceptn of the word shifted to negative as people began g as a disparagg term for people and thgs.

WILL YOU BUY GAY WATER?

“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. First wh Mom Water then Dad Water and now Gay Water.

The name of the brand fs the product sce the term ‘gay water’ has been known wh the queer muny for some time now as a lloquialism for a vodka soda. There are several brands jog on the love cludg Gay Beer, Supergay Vodka and Drag Superstar RuPl’s le of nned cktails and mocktails, Hoe of Love.

GAY WATER LIME

Gay Water Gay Water sgle flavor packs will nta six 12oz ns for $18.

GAY WATER, A NEW NNED CKTAIL, WANTS TO BE THE ANTI-BUD LIGHT

Gay Water is shippg to 35 stat and is available onle at the brand’s webse or at retailers across the US. In a sea of nned cktails, Gay Water wants to stand out.

HI, GAY! - CANNED VODKA SODA BRAND CREATED BY AND FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AIMS TO DTIGMATIZE THE WORD 'GAY', LNCH WH FOUR INIC FLAVORS

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.

A DRK FOR THE COMMUNY - GAY WATER

“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.

‘GAY WATER’ IS A NEW VODKA SODA STARTUP WH A MISSN TO CELEBRATE LGBTQ+ INTY

“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. 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.”.

GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?

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.