A Texas-made, sustainable, allergy-friendly vodka by women and for women — and gluten-free men, too.
Gluten-intolerant but love a little firewater on occasion? Queen Bee Distilling, an ultra-premium luxury spirit brand, just came out with its first offering: Osmia Vodka. Distilled from raw, chemical-free honey and organic non-GMO sugar cane, it’s the (first) brainchild of Houston-based founders and longtime friends Catharine Faulconer and Kim Martin.
“We both struggle with autoimmune issues and allergies that require abstaining from grains, gluten, and nightshades — but we both love a good cocktail,” says Faulconer. “We looked around for a spirit that didn’t originate from allergens and came up with zilch. We’ve been friends for 45 years and enjoy each other’s company, so we thought, Why not form a company to meet an obvious need in the market?” says Martin.
“There is nothing we love more than bonding over a cocktail at the end of the evening, and now we can do that with an ultra-premium spirit of our own that’s inspired by nature, friendship, and the mighty queen bee,” says Faulconer.
Catharine Faulconer (left) and Kim Martin (right) are the co-creators of Queen Bee Distilling.
When Queen Bee set out to create the best sipping vodka, they knew they needed to start with local raw honey and ultimately partnered with Thirsty Bee Meadery in Tomball, Texas, just outside of Houston. “By using raw honey instead of corn, rice, barley, wheat, or potatoes, Queen Bee distills an allergen-free, ultra-premium vodka that helps save the bees, promotes sustainability by reducing water usage, and lowers the company’s carbon footprint,” says Martin.
The result, they add, is a spirit that is “as smooth as honey.”
It’s also gluten-, grain-, and nightshade-free and contains no chemicals, glycerin, or artificial additives.
“Our first Queen Bee offering, Osmia Vodka, has a clean, crisp, citrusy nose; a rich palate; a full-bodied texture; and a long natural finish with lingering floral notes,” says Faulconer. “It’s perfect for sipping or enjoying in a cocktail.”
And it’s already award-winning, having recently garnered Double Gold at the International Women’s Spirits Competition.
We talked with Faulconer and Martin about Queen Bee’s launch, their first vodka, and their signature cocktail — The Rose Queen.
Cowboys & Indians: Congrats on your inaugural offering, Osmia Vodka. What are you most proud of?
Catharine Faulconer: Our tagline is “Bee Fearless,” and I believe we are showing our daughters that if we can be fearless, they can Bee Fearless too.
Kim Martin: I am definitely most proud that we have put forward an award-winning product that is exactly what we hoped it would be — free of gluten, grains, nightshades and contains no additives whatsoever — and it is delicious and smooth.
C&I: Biggest challenge thus far?
Faulconer: Getting the label to stay on our hexagon bottle. GRRR …
Martin: Patience. Manufacturing takes time. I am just so excited to finally have Osmia on the market!
C&I: You’ve known each other for a long time. How did you meet?
Faulconer: We met when I was in first grade and Kim was in kindergarten at a small church school in East Texas called St. Andrews. We have a shared history so entwined we can finish each other’s sentences. In truth, Kim finishes mine.
Martin: My first memories of Catharine are on the playground, swinging next to each other and running back to class. Our school had the most magical playground with a huge set of swings, a merry-go-round, a teeter-totter, monkey bars, and beautiful trees that you could climb up.
C&I: Fast-forward about 45 years and the moment you two longtime friends decided to go into business making vodka. What was the back-of-the-napkin moment for Queen Bee Distillery? How did the friendship lead to a business partnership?
Faulconer: Kim and I had worked before on philanthropic activities and knew we are each other’s yin and yang. We both work hard and enjoy challenges. We aren’t afraid of mistakes and are happy to learn from them. And Kim can’t say “no” and I totally take advantage of her. So during Covid, when we are all drinking and playing mahjong together, I announced what I had been planning for a year or so. “I am going to make my own vodka that I can drink — who wants to go on this journey with me?”
Martin: How could I say no to that? I love to drink vodka! We immediately booked a trip to Denver for distilling classes and were on our way. I don’t know if it is a good or bad quality, but I really think I can do anything I set my mind to, so starting a vodka business just sounded like a fun challenge that I could do with my best friend. Plus, did I say that I love to drink vodka?!
C&I: Let’s chat for a bit about that great company name. What’s the backstory?
Faulconer: Queen Bee encompasses everything about us. As I am writing this, I am looking out my window and watching all the different bees congregate on my pentas. So to answer your question, in a beehive, all the workers are female, not that men aren’t important, but that is the way the hive works. We, too, hire predominantly females —from our three attorneys, our beekeeper, our master distiller, our crew of PR gurus to our bottle designer, our graphics designer, and our distributor we have consciously chosen to break that ceiling. We wanted the name to reflect that we are environmentally conscious by lowering our carbon footprint and helping the bees because without them we wouldn’t last longer than five years. We also think the name reflects that we are making this for women. Go into any liquor store and look around. It looks like it is a man cave. Women drink and want something that isn’t candy-flavored but sophisticated.
Martin: Well said!
C&I: Tell us about the autoimmune journey. What’s that been like, and how does it inform what you’re doing with Queen Bee?
Faulconer: When I was at the University of Texas, I caught strep throat and I had never been sick before, so I let it get out of control. It ends up that was the trigger to my psoriasis. I have guttate psoriasis that looks like red dots or mosquito bites from head to toe. There is not a cure for it, and I didn’t want to do cortisone, because that is not sustainable long term or a lifetime. I knew I needed to find a solution and found the AIP (short for autoimmune protocol) community. I found doctors and nutritionists that helped me get on an AIP diet and lifestyle. I can’t have gluten, nightshades, grains, and anything genetically modified like corn, which is also a grain. Long story short, I was willing to take those things off the table, but still wanted a drink. It is so difficult to find a vodka (actually a lot of spirits) that aren’t sourced by what I call the “nasties.”
Martin: I have severe allergies. I have always suffered with them, but it took a very scary turn three summers ago after visiting Montana. I came home and threw a dinner party and ate a piece of pork, which got lodged in my esophagus. I ended up having an emergency endoscopy and getting diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). It is an allergic inflammatory condition of the esophagus. Like Catharine, I have to be careful of what I eat. I am dairy-free and gluten-free.
C&I: Any insights as women, for women?
Faulconer: I think what I am most surprised by and not really sure why, but how supportive other women are and have been to us. There are not many women in this industry, but the ones that are, like our master distiller, have been so generous with their time and expertise. Women get such a bad reputation for being catty and, dare I say, bitchy, but we have encountered such mentorship and grace and support.
Martin: That is so true! We have been supported by women at every turn. It has made the whole adventure so worthwhile. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, try new things, and challenge yourself. Be positive and work hard!
C&I: Why stay in Houston? What do you love about H-Town?
Faulconer: Despite the heat and humidity and small-town roots, I love the big city! I love the restaurants, I love the friendly people, I love that we have two airports and can go anywhere (I have my carry on and makeup bag always packed — thank you, Lynn Wyatt), I love all the choices, I love the diversity, I love the shopping. I can keep waxing poetic. … Lastly, I love the people here. My family and friends — and thus my heart — are in Houston.
Martin: Houston has an unmatched spirit of generosity, friendliness, inclusivity, and acceptance. I have made some of the dearest friends here and have grown into a person of curiosity and boldness because of what I have been able to do here in Houston. I am a big fan of all the topnotch sports teams — the Astros, the Texans, the Rockets. We attend and appreciate The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and are always in awe of how much money they raise for scholarships. Our family hands out cut fruit to the runners of the Houston Marathon. Houston has great concert venues, where I have seen George Strait, Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, Cher, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones (three times), the Eagles (twice), and Madonna (twice). Houston has an incredible restaurant scene. Our shopping is incredible. The natural beauty of Memorial Park, the arboretum, and the history and beauty of Bayou Bend and the museum district give Houston a distinct cultural significance. Maybe most important, our medical system is the best in the world. We are truly blessed here in Houston. It is my home now, full of close friends and family and lots of good memories.
C&I: Tell us a little about your East Texas roots.
Faulconer: Growing up in Tyler had a profound impact on my childhood. I grew up on a street filled with friends. We went outside and roamed the neighborhood until dark. We picked blackberries, rode bikes, used our imaginations, and felt like superheroes who could conquer the world. High school was a safe place to try different things and fail without long-term repercussions.
Martin: My father was from a large family who farmed right outside of Tyler. He started as a teller at Tyler Bank & Trust in the late 1940s and retired as a senior vice-president after 40 years. He helped families with loans for houses and cars, and I was always proud of the many friends he had in Tyler. He was a great dad who instilled in me the value of hard work, honesty, integrity, and the importance of helping others. My mom was a beauty and grew up between Houston and Louisiana, and she worked hard for her whole life, too. They both loved me very much and gave me a childhood filled with adventures around Lake Palestine, family get-togethers filled with good food and lots of cousins! I had a perfect mixture of my countryside family, visiting grandparents, aunts, and uncles who lived right outside the Tyler city limits balanced with visits to see my dad at the bank and all of the formality of his business world. Sadly, they have both passed away, but when I go home, my memories come back so vividly. When I visit Tyler, I love to drive around and try to get lost. I call it “taking trips down memory lane.” Jerry Jeff Walker, who played at my 1995 wedding reception, wrote a song called “The Pickup Truck Song.” It brings tears to my eyes because it completely describes my childhood and the simplicity of riding around with my father in and around Tyler in an old Chevy pickup having simple fun with those you love the most. Tyler represents family to me and will always have a big, warm place in my heart.
C&I: What are you most looking forward to with this distilling journey you’ve embarked on together?
Faulconer: I am so grateful for Kim and our friendship. We agreed when we started this enterprise, that if Queen Bee ever got in the way of our friendship we would dissolve it. So I look forward to how we laugh, negotiate, and have so much fun drinking on the job.
I am looking forward to our whole suite of spirits made by women for women. It will all be ultra-premium and clearly marked on our labels what the source is and what we have not added. We have been so programmed to accept alcohol that we don’t know its source or that glycerin, sugar, or other additives have been added. Ultimately, I would like labels to reflect what is in the bottle. We deserve it.
Martin: I do not know what I would do without Catharine! She is intelligent, assertive, hilarious, a great listener, considerate, and gets things done. She is also a kind and devoted friend, wife, and mother. She is someone I am glad I know. I cannot wait for our continuing adventures!
One final thought: During our first Osmia distillation, we opened the large garage doors for air circulation, and bees flew inside the distillery! It was just amazing. It was like nature giving us a little blessing on our journey.
SALUT!
We asked Catharine and Kim for their favorite drinks and favorite toasts to raise a glass with.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
— An Irish Blessing
Catharine Faulconer: Well, the favorite cocktail all depends. When I am done playing golf on a hot day, Rose Queen or Pink Palmer. When I am out with girlfriends,Cosmia. When I am on a date night with my husband (who doesn’t drink), Bee 52. During colder months, Blooming Mule or Jule’s Mule. My son’s favorite, Dirty Shirley. My daughter’s favorite, Southern Belle. My mom and dad’s favorite, Royal V&T.
Kim Martin: A Queentini is my favorite — Osmia with a little olive juice, shaken a long time so it is full of little ice crystals, and three jalapeño-stuffed olives served in a beautiful coupe glass; it is so elegant and makes me feel very special. With girlfriends, you cannot beat our fun and festive Cosmia with the orange warmed with a flame — elevated and so flavor-packed. And, finally, I love a crisp, simple, and refreshing vodka soda on a hot afternoon with lots of fresh lime!
Recipe: Rose Queen
This fresh, bright, and bubbly cocktail is ideal for patio sipping on warm summer nights. You can find additional cocktail recipes featuring Osmia Vodka — including the Queentini and Dirty Shirley — at queenbeedistilling.com.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Queen Bee Osmia Vodka
- 2 ounces Fresca
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- Perrier or soda water
- Lime, to garnish
Instruction
- Fill a lowball glass with ice, chilled Osmia Vodka, Fresca, and cranberry juice. Stir to combine. Top with preferred sparkling water and a lime wedge.
Osmia Vodka ($98 MSRP / 80 Proof) is now available for purchase at select retailers in Houston and online at queenbeedistilling.com.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Queen Bee Spirits