Ogden’s Own Celebrates Pride 2021 with “Five Husbands of Utah” Special-Edition Bottle
Ogden’s Own, an award-winning leading distiller of craft spirits and the largest independently owned distillery in the state of Utah, is welcoming Pride 2021 through a brand-new, special-edition label for its Five Husbands Vodka. As part of the distillery’s ongoing commitment to celebrate Pride all year long – not only during Pride Month – the new Five Husbands bottle features a nod to its very own, adorned with five cherished members of the Utah LGBTQ+ community featured on the label. Each 2021 “Husband” is not only a friend of Ogden’s Own, but well regarded for using their creativity, influence, and talent to build towards a better, more inclusive tomorrow. The 2021 Five Husbands Vodka bottle is now available for customers at the Ogden’s Own Distillery store and will be available at liquor stores across Utah beginning in early June, with proceeds going directly to Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center, two charitable organizations that support the Utah LGBTQ+ community.
The 2021 “Five Husbands” featured on the label represent a broad range of professions and areas of expertise, but the common thread binding each Husband is that they are all Utah locals that are passionate about representing the LGBTQ+ community and spreading the message of inclusiveness on as large of a stage as possible. And now, meet your 2021 Five Husbands:
- Johnny Hebda – Johnny is a jack of all trades. A Nashville, TN native that has lived in Utah since attending BYU following the completion of his Mormon mission, Johnny currently serves as VP of Sales for AMP Smart, one of the nation’s fastest growing smart home companies. Additionally, he is a professional actor, model, director, and producer who is passionate about channeling his showbiz chops into social causes.
- Georgios Spiliopoulos – aka “DJ GSP,” Georgios is a native of Athens, Greece who has been a professional DJ for more than 15 years. In addition to being a DJ and music producer, Georgios is an event organizer and promoter, graphic designer, and record label owner. He has lived in London, Rio De Janeiro, Los Angeles and now makes his home in Salt Lake City.
- Rob Moolman, Ph.D – Rob is the Executive Director/CEO of the Utah Pride Center, a role he has served for more than three years. Among his many accomplishments with Utah Pride is establishing the SAGE program, which offers services for aging members of the LGBTQ community. A longtime friend of Ogden’s Own, he has partnered with the distillery on several occasions through the years to engage the community in LGBTQ+ events, causes and initiatives.
- CJ Hamblen – CJ is a real estate professional and aspiring personal fitness trainer, currently working as a leasing agent in Midvale, Utah. Born in Dallas, TX and raised in Sugarhouse, UT, CJ is a true creative, a music lover, and secret comic book and superhero aficionado. As an ardent believer in bringing awareness to both the LGBTQ+ and black communities, CJ is eager to use the Ogden’s Own platform to accomplish this in Utah and across the nation.
- Troy Williams – Troy is the executive director of Equality Utah and serves as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, ensuring that state laws include and protect LGBTQ Utahns and their families. Before his current role at Equality Utah, Troy produced reality television, including the TLC series, Breaking the Faith, which followed teens in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints fleeing polygamy – making a partnership with the creators of Five Husbands (and Five Wives!) Vodka an ironic twist of fate.
“Since the beginning, Ogden’s Own has been about supporting the LGBTQ+ community here in Utah through not only our words, but our actions, and we feel that this is our strongest statement to-date,” said Steve Conlin, co-founder and CEO of Ogden’s Own Distillery. “Each of our Five Husbands is equally impressive, not just because of their individual accomplishments, but because of their character and commitment to making Utah a great place to live. We’re humbled to honor such an incredible group of people through our new Five Husbands bottle and can’t wait to celebrate Pride 2021 by sharing their stories.”
Serving as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating diversity have been core pillars of Ogden’s Own since the distillery was founded in 2009. In 2019, Ogden’s Own introduced Five Husbands Vodka for the first time as a Pride Month special release, however the expression was met with so much enthusiasm and customer demand that the distillery immediately decided to make it a year-round offering, representing its support for LGBTQ+ community as a full-time commitment, rather than a one-month marketing ploy. Ogden’s Own has served as the official alcohol sponsor of the Utah Prude Festival for several years and once again will for Utah Pride 2021. Additionally, the distillery has driven awareness and public support for Utah-based LGBTQ+ organizations Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center over the years, most recently through an opportunity drawing collaboration with world-renowned glass artist Deborah Czeresko, winner of Netflix’s “Blown Away” Season 1, with all proceeds being divided between the two organizations.
Made from spring water sourced from the Wasatch mountains in Utah’s beautiful Ogden Canyon, gathered five gallons at a time, Five Husbands Vodka is made with distilled spirit originating from 100% corn at 80 proof (40% ABV), creating a subtle sweetness and smooth finish that is completely gluten-free.
Five Husbands’ 2021 Pride Edition is available now at Ogden’s Own Distillery Store, 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, Utah 84401, for the price of $19.99 for a 750ml bottle. For more information regarding Ogden’s Own’s canned cocktails, future availability of the products, and updates on all of Ogden’s Own brands, please visit www.ogdensown.com. For more information on supporting Utah LGBTQ+ causes, please visit www.equalityutah.com and www.utahpridecenter.org.
