Blake Lively's decision to not drink led to new business venture.
Blake Lively finds sobriety can be "alienating".
The 'Gossip Girl' actress loves being "social" but admitted she has often found herself feeling on the outskirts at social gatherings, so she was inspired to start her new business venture, Betty Buzz, a line of five flavoured drinks, which can be mixed with spirits or enjoyed on their own.
She told People magazine: “I don't drink because I don't like the effects of alcohol, but I like being a part of it.
"I like being social. I like people coming together. I found that sometimes not drinking, the thing that was interesting was that it was a little alienating, because you don't feel — and maybe it's just in your own head — but you just don't really feel a part of it."
Despite being teetotal, the ‘A Simple Favour’ star said she knew what she was doing because of her love of “flavour", which has led to the creation of Tonic water, Sparkling Grapefruit, Meyer Lemon Club Soda, Sparkling Lemon Lime and Ginger Beer.
She continued: When we first started talking about this company, one of the conversations that came up was like, 'Are we going to be pushing a boulder up a hill because you don't drink and mixers are made to mix with alcohol? I mean, that's the name of them. So are you going to have credibility in this space as somebody who doesn't drink?' And I was like, 'Yeah, because I feel like I'm somebody who really likes flavor, that's it for me.”
The 'Gossip Girl' star is not the first person in her family to dive into the beverage market as her husband Ryan Reynolds - with who she has daughters James, six, Inez, five, and two-year-old Betty - founded and owns Aviation Gin but she is the go-to bartender at their get togethers.
However, Blake found she had to do “much more more heavy” lifting when creating something exciting for herself.
And so while she is tee total, the actress likes to add a few “drops” of liquor to her drinks.
She explained: "iI gives it a flavour, but it's not going to give it a sort of experience — well, it'll give it a flavour experience — but not [much] alcohol.”
