our story — gay water

Contents:

• INFLUENCER TURNED ENTREPRENR HOP TO RECLAIM THE WORD ‘GAY’ WH GAY WATER DRK
• 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 VARIETY PACK
• GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?

INFLUENCER TURNED ENTREPRENR HOP TO RECLAIM THE WORD ‘GAY’ WH GAY WATER DRK

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.

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!

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 VARIETY PACK

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.

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

Influencer turned CEO Spencer Hodson has lnched Gay Water wh the hop of reclaimg the word ‘gay’.