StrangeLove: A Toast to the Unconventional, A Journey of Flavours.

On the sunlit shores of Byron Bay, where the mornings unfurl like the brushstrokes of an expressionist artist, and the air hums with the tang of salt and endless possibility, a quiet revolution was brewing. But this wasn’t your typical protest - no banners, no chants. This was a rebellion of flavor. StrangeLove didn’t emerge to craft drinks that promise to elevate your social status, solve your existential dilemmas, or transport you to some mythical realm. No, it came into existence with a singular, unapologetic purpose - to create drinks that are, first and foremost, extraordinary. Drinks that exist simply to exist - bold, unrestrained, and full of flavor. Beverages that don’t need to prove anything; they’re just here to make your taste buds dance, to deliver pure joy in every drop, and to remind you that sometimes, the most profound thing a drink can do is be unabashedly, unpretentiously, delicious.

Picture it: a serene yet slightly offbeat town, a place where surfers don’t just ride waves - they ride the winds of change. In this land of sun, sand, and sandwiched between art and the absurd, StrangeLove found its voice. It wasn’t born in the sterile confines of a boardroom but instead in the messy, sun-drenched creativity of Byron Bay itself. Like a song that emerges from the hum of an electric guitar, this brand wasn’t content to hum along with the usual crowd - it was ready to compose a new melody entirely.

A Manifesto Written in Fizz

While the world sipped on the same tired concoctions, content to let their drinks play the background role of quenching thirst, StrangeLove decided it was time to shake things up. This was no ordinary beverage brand. No, this was the drink world’s equivalent of a rockstar - raw, unapologetic, and ready to tear up the rulebook.

Imagine Byron Bay, where the waves crash not just against the shore but against the ordinary. Here, the local saying isn’t “Why not?” - it’s “Why the hell not?” It was in this atmosphere of audacious possibility that StrangeLove popped its first cap, determined not just to make drinks, but to make waves. In the beginning, their drinks were more than beverages - they were an experience. These weren’t shy little sips; they were bold, brash, and designed to knock you out of your comfort zone like the first taste of a spicy chili. Every drop was like a loud, defiant note played in a world too comfortable with soft, whispered harmonies.

The Maverick Behind the Magic

Of course, such a phenomenon doesn’t sprout from thin air. Behind StrangeLove is a visionary, a modern-day alchemist who saw a world filled with the expected and decided to spice it up - literally and figuratively. In 2012, this bold creator didn’t just launch a ginger beer - they unleashed a fiery concoction that could've put a rocket on the moon. It was a drink so intense, it might as well have come with a warning label that said, “Consume only if you’re brave enough.”

The result? A drink so potent, it could have been the spark for a full-blown rebellion - or at least a lawsuit. But, like all great revolutionaries, StrangeLove wore its scars with pride. The controversy was just a badge of honor, a testament to their commitment to going all in. No half measures. No apologies. Just flavor.

Turning Up the Heat—and the Flavors

Once they had their foot in the door, StrangeLove wasn’t about to step back and sip on its own success. Instead, it ramped up the intensity, knowing that the path to greatness isn’t paved with safety. The original ginger beer was just the beginning, like a single note in a symphony that was about to explode into an unforgettable composition.

Bitter Grapefruit? Blood Orange & Chilli? Each new flavor was like a challenge: Can you handle it? The drinks weren’t just beverages - they were dares. Dares to embrace the strange, the bold, the beautiful. And Byron Bay, a town that celebrates the bizarre with the same enthusiasm it does the beautiful, was the perfect place for these bold experiments to thrive. This was a community that didn’t just appreciate oddity - it wore it like a badge of honor. Why shouldn’t their drinks be as extraordinary as they were?

From Gin to Tonic: Crafting a Revolution

By 2016, the world had fallen head over heels for craft gin. You might think that with such a craze sweeping through bars and restaurants, StrangeLove would simply sit this one out, content to watch the spectacle unfold. But no. In true StrangeLove fashion, they didn’t just watch the parade - they threw on their own float and turned it into a celebration of flavor.

Enter the Premium Mixer Range, designed to transform any gin cocktail from the mundane to the magnificent. These weren’t your average mixers. These were bold enough to make even the most stoic bartender crack a smile. They weren’t just the background - they were the main act, ensuring that every sip of gin was a masterpiece in the making. Craft gin was the canvas, but StrangeLove’s mixers were the vibrant paint, splashed with the colors of adventure.

Unique Marketing and Curated Apparel: A True Extension of the Brand's DNA

What sets StrangeLove apart isn’t just its audacious flavors - it’s the way the brand connects with its tribe. This isn’t about flashy ads or run-of-the-mill promotions. No, StrangeLove’s marketing is as distinctive as its beverages - witty, quirky, and effortlessly cool, much like the brand’s founders and the community it’s built around itself. The brand’s personality is woven through every marketing campaign, engaging the audience with a wink and a nod that makes them feel like they’re in on the joke.

StrangeLove’s unique and witty marketing plays with the absurd, reveling in the strange while celebrating the beautiful. It’s not about selling a product; it’s about telling a story that resonates with those who see the world through a different lens. Every campaign is crafted with the same care and attention to detail as their beverages, offering a glimpse into the creative soul of the brand - bold, unexpected, and always a little bit rebellious.

And if you think it’s just about the drinks, think again. StrangeLove has also ventured into the world of stylish apparel, with a curated collection that’s as carefully crafted as their mixers. This isn’t your typical branded merchandise - it’s a chic, elevated line that complements and enhances the brand's identity. Like the drinks, the apparel is designed to embody the same sense of adventure, individuality, and irreverence. It’s fashion that speaks to the Stranger within us all, a collection that adds another layer to the brand’s DNA while ensuring that every part of the StrangeLove experience is wrapped in style. Whether it’s a sleek graphic tee or a laid-back hoodie, the apparel serves as a testament to the brand’s ethos - bold, simple, and always stylish.

A Toast to the Unconventional

StrangeLove’s story is a testament to the power of being authentically yourself in a world that’s often content to follow the herd. In a world where the safe choice is often the norm, StrangeLove was carving its own path, one bottle at a time. Their journey is proof that rebellion doesn’t have to be loud and disruptive - it can be gentle, even sparkling, with the power to change minds without raising a voice.

The launch of their Lo-Cal Sodas in 2018 embodied this spirit perfectly. These sodas were low in calories but high on attitude - transforming the designated driver from the most boring person in the room to the coolest cat with the best drink in hand. Forget about the typical soft drink filled with syrupy sweetness; StrangeLove was making soda cool again - without the alcohol, but still packed with personality.

The Odyssey Continues - Onward and Upward

As StrangeLove moves into its second decade, its journey is far from over. In fact, it’s just beginning to unfold like the waves that crash against the shores of Byron Bay. With each new flavor, each new venture, StrangeLove proves that it’s not just about the destination - it’s about the adventure that gets you there.

Today, StrangeLove’s bottles grace the shelves of everything from upscale eateries to down-and-dirty dive bars, each one a symbol of the brand’s dedication to exceptional ingredients and their unwavering commitment to the strange. Their story, like the ocean, is ever-changing, always moving, never stagnant. But one thing remains the same: StrangeLove will always be about embracing the weird and wonderful, one bold, delicious sip at a time.

As it stands, StrangeLove is a brand that wears its quirks like a crown—unapologetic, vibrant, and utterly true to its roots. The future? It’s still as wild and wonderful as the early morning light over Byron Bay, promising that, much like their drinks, the best is yet to come.

After all, sometimes the best way to create something extraordinary is to be wildly, brilliantly, unapologetically… Strange.

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Words by AW.

Photos courtesy of StrangeLove.