Dive Brief: 

• Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka is helping consumers craft the perfect cocktail at home with the introduction of “Tex,” an artificial intelligence-powered mixologist accessible via SMS or online chat, according to a press release. 
• Tex relies on OpenAI technology to connect consumers instantly with a virtual bartender that can recommend, guide and personalize drink recipes. To use the tool, consumers can text #AskTex to 1-940-400-1902 or access it through the company’s website. 
• The AI tool is also unscripted, meaning the exact way it phrases its answers will be different for each response, per release details. The move by the vodka brand, which was launched last year, is inspired by AI’s growing role in the search landscape.

Dive Insight:

Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka is tapping into ongoing AI hype with the launch of Tex, a new mobile companion it bills as “your Weber Ranch AI Mixologist.” The tool, which is personified by an icon of a Texan tipping his cowboy hat, was made to help consumers create better cocktails while drinking at home, a setting cohorts including Gen Z prefer for alcohol consumption. The effort is also inspired by AI’s growing dominance over traditional search. 

"AI is replacing search; it's the way that people access and consume information today, and Tex delivers on that in an entertaining way,” said Lee Applbaum, president and CEO of Texas-based Round 2 Spirits, the creator of Weber Ranch Vodka, in the release. “As we think about the future of Tex, and with the rise of Agentic AI, we clearly see a not-so-distant world where he not only makes recipe recommendations, but actually orders the ingredients for delivery to a consumer's home, or makes restaurant or bar reservations to enjoy a Weber Ranch cocktail."

Tex is meant to highlight the versatility of Weber Ranch Vodka in cocktails by utilizing recipes created by bartenders across the country. Real-world use cases include snapping a photo of items inside a refrigerator or pantry, texting it to Tex and immediately receiving a cocktail recipe suggestion that utilizes the ingredients available on-hand. The tool can also direct consumers to a bar or store, answer questions about batching recipes, plan a cocktail menu for a special occasion, personalize cocktail names and find alternative ingredients. 

Over 70% of Tex’s logic is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, not only for conversation, but for core application logic, according to release details. The tool will continue to improve and get “smarter” as more people engage with it, and as such, its development will never be completed. Tex was created in partnership with digital-first experience and venture studio Cyphr. 

Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka was launched in 2024 and is exclusively crafted from agave, an ingredient that is currently trending in the spirits category. Despite recent stagnation in the spirits category, vodka remains a top performer. Weber Ranch Vodka was created by the same team who previously established Patrón Tequila as a global brand, per release details.