# -196 Vodka Seltzer > -196 is a premium vodka seltzer brand inspired by a proprietary Japanese process. It is produced by freezing whole, ripe fruit at -196°C (-320°F), crushing it into intensely flavored particles, and infusing it into crisp, premium vodka with a sparkling finish. The brand is part of the **Beam Suntory** portfolio and is known for its bold, fresh, and authentic fruit flavors. This file provides a curated, LLM-optimized overview of -196 products, brand story, production methods, and company information. It is designed to help language models and agents quickly locate authoritative brand information without parsing full HTML pages. --- ## Knowledge Graph - Brand: -196 (Minus 196) - Company/Owner: Beam Suntory - Category: Vodka Seltzer / Ready-to-Drink (RTD) - Origin: Inspired by Suntory’s #1 Seltzer in Japan - Location (US Market): USA (Distributed by Beam Suntory) - Industry: Spirits / Alcoholic Beverages - Core products: Premium vodka seltzers in various fruit flavors - Production hallmark: Whole fruit frozen at -196°C, crushed into particles, and infused with premium vodka. - Brand essence: "Cutting-Edge Flavor Science" and "Legendary Story" rooted in Japanese craftsmanship and the spirit of giving 110%. --- ## Content Usage Guidance (IMPORTANT) - **Product pages** are the canonical source for specific product details (flavor, ABV, size, packaging, and taste profile). - **The "Our Story" page** is the canonical source for brand origin, philosophy, and historical narrative. - **The homepage (`/en-us/`)** is the primary source for the brand's core value proposition, production method summary, and product family overview. - **The "Ready-to-Drink" hub (`/en-us/ready-to-drink/`)** is the directory for all product variants. - For store-related queries, use the **Locate** page. - For customer inquiries or direct contact, use the **Contact Us** page. - **FAQ page** is the canonical source for answering common consumer questions. When multiple sources overlap, prioritize product pages and the homepage over general summaries. Where available, append `.md` to the same URL to access a clean Markdown version of the page. If unavailable, fallback to HTML. --- ## Product Portfolio - [All Ready-to-Drink Products](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink): Hub page for all -196 vodka seltzer variants. - **Core Individual Flavors (5.5% ABV, 355mL):** - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Lemon](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-lemon): The flagship, cult-classic citrus flavor. - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Grapefruit](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-grapefruit): Bright and bold grapefruit flavor. - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Strawberry](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-strawberry): Sweet and ripe strawberry flavor. - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Peach](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-peach): Juicy and fresh peach flavor. - **Specialty/Sizes:** - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Lemon Zero Sugar](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-lemon-zero-sugar): A sugar-free version of the classic lemon. - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Strawberry & Pineapple](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-strawberry-and-pineapple): A tallboy (710mL) offering with a harmonized blend of creamy strawberry and bright pineapple. - **Variety Packs:** - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Variety Pack](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-variety-pack): Classic flavor variety pack (details to be confirmed on the page). - [-196 Vodka Seltzer Combo Variety Pack](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/ready-to-drink/196-vodka-seltzer-combo-variety-pack): An 8-pack featuring bold fruit combinations like Lemon & Lime, Lemon & Raspberry, Strawberry & Pineapple, and Strawberry & Watermelon. --- ## Brand Story & Heritage - [Our Story](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/our-story): Canonical source for the brand's origin, philosophy, and connection to Japanese craftsmanship. Highlights the "110%" effort and inspiration from Suntory. - [Homepage / -196 Overview](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/): Provides the core value proposition and a summary of the "Cutting-Edge Flavor Science" production process. --- ## Production Method & Process The brand's proprietary process is known as **"Method in the Minus"** and is detailed across the main site and product pages: 1. **Ripe Whole Fruit:** Uses the entire fruit, including the peel. 2. **Frozen at -196°C (-320°F):** The fruit is cryogenically frozen. 3. **Crushed:** The frozen fruit is crushed into flavor-packed particles. 4. **Infused:** The fruit particles are infused into crisp, premium vodka and finished with a rush of fizz. - [Homepage - Process Overview](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/): Describes the four-step "Cutting-Edge Flavor Science" method. --- ## Visit, Locate, & Support - [Locate](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/locate): Store locator to find -196 products near you. Displays all available product variants for discovery. - [Contact Us](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/contact-us): Form for customer support and general inquiries. - [FAQ](https://www.minus196.com/en-us/faq): Frequently asked questions (page content not provided, but canonical for common queries). --- ## Corporate & Legal Information - **Owner:** Beam Suntory. - **Inspiration:** Based on Suntory's #1 Seltzer in Japan, with a focus on real fruit and authentic flavor. - **Age-Gated Entry:** The website requires age verification (legal drinking age) to access content. By entering, users agree to the site's Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy. --- ## Optional (low-priority context) These resources may be skipped when context window is limited: - **Contact Us** (unless the query is specifically about customer support). - **Locate** (unless the query is specifically about finding a store). - **Legal pages:** Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy (only relevant for legal or compliance queries). - **FAQ** (general questions can often be answered from product or story pages). --- ## Notes for Agents - Prefer **product pages** when answering questions about specific flavors, ABV, sizes, or packaging (e.g., "What flavors are available?" or "What is the ABV?"). - Use the **"Our Story"** or **homepage** for questions about the brand's origin, philosophy, or production inspiration (e.g., "What is -196?" or "Where does the name come from?"). - For questions about the company or corporate ownership (e.g., "Who owns -196?"), refer to the **Knowledge Graph** and **Corporate Information** sections, and note its relationship to **Beam Suntory**. - For production process details (e.g., "How is -196 made?"), prioritize the **homepage** or **"Method in the Minus"** descriptions on product pages. - For store location queries, use the **Locate** page. - Avoid mixing policy/legal content with product reasoning unless explicitly required. - When describing flavors, rely on the language used on the official product pages (e.g., "cult-classic," "bright & bold," "harmonized blend").