Photo by Benjamin Rauls

Lone River Beverage Company built their brand by weaving their Ranch Water hard seltzer into the story of the American West. Ranch Water, made with lime and 100% agave, is inspired by the West Texas-born tequila-based cocktail of the same name. The cocktail’s origins are rooted in ranching culture — hence the name — meant to cool down ranchers after working all day in the dry heat of West Texas. With their Ranch Water product, the company is making moves to share a bit of that West Texan culture with the rest of the country in a ready-to-drink can. In an exclusive interview with Hard Seltzer News, Katie Beal Brown, founder of Lone River Beverage Company, spoke about her dedication to storytelling and what it means for her brand.

Building a Brand

“I always knew with my background that I wanted to look at this as building a brand versus just putting a product on the shelf,” Brown said. “As we started to build the brand, it was really rooted in far West Texas where the original recipe comes from — and obviously where I grew up and where my family still is.” 

Before Brown founded Lone River Beverage Company, the Texas native had a lucrative advertising career in New York — but West Texas called her back. For Brown, Ranch Water isn’t just a drink; it’s a storybook waiting to be cracked open and enjoyed with friends and family. So far, it has been a big hit, with consumer interest and demand rising since Ranch Water first hit the market in May. 

So, what is so appealing about the story of West Texas, and why did Brown bank her brand on it? 

Banking on West Texas

“When you look at far West Texas, in a lot of ways, it’s emblematic of the American West and the value sets associated with that,” Brown explained. “By way of that, I think we’ve been able to kind of build a brand that’s bigger than just the Ranch Water product — one that celebrates that kind of western lifestyle associated with [West Texas].”

Long have Americans looked back in time to the ideals and aesthetics of the wild west — from the Western classics of the 1950s and 60s, to the still popular country music scene. Values of the American West, such as strength, endurance, hard work and dedication, all date back to a time when people lived off the land and were more connected to the foods they ate, the tools they used and the clothing they wore. Ranch Water brings consumers a little bit closer to that older way of life, as they connect the brand to the country’s real history.    

Forging a Distribution Strategy

Currently, Ranch Water hard seltzers — the original, along with two new flavors that hit the market in August — are available state-wide in both Texas and Tennessee. 

“Tennessee was one that we were really interested to see the resonance in what the consumer would do, and we really benefited from the country music associations there,” Brown said. “We’ve managed to capture some pretty high profile country musician fans but also just tap into that audience that I think actually really spans much more of the US than people realize.” 

Indeed, the brand has found quick success with country music fans, in part to a bustling social media presence. By tying their brand with the same values and people associated with country music, Lone River has found a truly American market — one that is less niche than one might expect. Considering this, Brown predicts Lone River Beverage Company will continue to have success selling their story and their brand to consumers in other states as they expand outwards from Texas and Tennessee.

Differentiating by Storytelling

As big brands still dominate the market, it might do smaller companies good to differentiate themselves by connecting to consumers on a deeper level. Storytelling is one way.         

“I think recently what’s been really interesting to me is I think [with] a lot of these bigger brands that are driving the category, there isn’t as much storytelling behind them,” Brown emphasized. “I’m excited to see how [our story] continues to resonate with people and how we can continue to find ways and platforms to really share that story.”

Stephanie Meade
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