What happens when one of America’s most iconic beverage companies bets big on cannabis?

In this episode of Free Spirits, Lars and David sit down with Paul Weaver, Head of Cannabis at Boston Beer Company, to explore how the makers of Sam Adams, Twisted Tea, and Truly are building their cannabis beverage division from the ground up in Canada.

Paul shares how his early work in beverage innovation at Molson Coors led to a career-defining pivot into cannabis, and why Boston Beer views functional beverages as both a cultural shift and a smart hedge for the future of the adult beverage industry.

They discuss:

• How Boston Beer launched Teapot and Emerald Hour

• The regulatory realities of doing business operations in a federally legal cannabis market

• Who’s really drinking THC beverages (hint: it’s not who you think)

• Why co-manufacturing partnerships matter more than ever

• What U.S. brands can learn from Canada’s R&D advantage

Plus, Paul offers a behind-the-scenes look at innovation culture, consumer feedback, beverage formulation, and what might trigger a Boston Beer entry into the U.S. hemp beverage market.

If you’re building a beverage brand, managing R&D, or just obsessed with functional beverage trends, this one’s for you.

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – Paul’s transition from beer to cannabis

03:30 – Early R&D challenges with THC drinks

05:00 – How Canada’s system enabled innovation

08:30 – Starting the cannabis division at Boston Beer

13:00 – Lessons from launching Teapot & Emerald Hour

15:00 – Surprising buyer personas and feedback

16:00 – Vetting co-manufacturers for quality

19:00 – Why Boston Beer doesn’t own its own cannabis facility

20:30 – Consumer adoption and channel dynamics

23:30 – The overlooked senior demographic

26:00 – Building loyalty in a high-choice category

29:00 – U.S. hemp market: What Boston Beer is watching

34:00 – Future of big beverage & cannabis collabs

37:00 – Advice for hesitant legacy brands

39:00 – Naming, packaging, and taste-driven design

41:00 – Final thoughts: Stand out by being “undeniably dope

⏱️ Timestamps:

After nearly a decade in the NFL, Micah Hyde didn’t plan on entering the beverage industry. But a real estate investment in his Ohio hometown turned into something unexpected, a pivot from dispensary dreams to launching Hyde’s Hail Mary, a new functional beverage designed for recovery, presence, and better nights.

On this episode of The Free Spirits Podcast, Micah joins hosts Lars Miller and David Gonzalez to unpack the accidental beginnings of his beverage business and how his football career shaped everything from team-building to formulation strategy. This drink is a low-dose cannabinoid-powered sparkling sipper engineered to help people unwind without sacrificing performance or clarity.

Micah shares the thinking behind the 5/5/5 blend of THC, CBD, and CBG, how they landed on a flavor profile inspired by lemon shandy beer, and why his brand intentionally avoids the loud, stoner aesthetic. Instead, Hyde’s Hail Mary signals something more grounded, Midwest values, sports culture, and community-first branding.

As someone who still runs a youth-focused nonprofit, Micah speaks candidly about navigating the stigma of cannabis while building something he believes in. We get into tailgate tastings & long-term stadium ambitions, this conversation explores what it really takes to bring a regulated, functional adult beverage to market, and why legacy, identity, and recovery matter just as much as distribution.

⏱️ Timestamps

• [01:00] How a real estate play turned into a beverage startup

• [02:20] Finding the right team and working with Emergent Beverages

• [03:23] Functional benefits: recovery, mental reset, and the athlete’s lens

• [05:03] Formulating the 5mg THC/CBD/CBG stack

• [07:26] Lemon shandy inspiration and defining the beverage format

• [09:05] Local-first launch strategy in Buffalo

• [13:35] Designing a brand that signals beer, not cannabis

• [17:32] Balancing nonprofit work with cannabis stigma

• [20:55] Educating new consumers and community-driven messaging

• [24:05] Long-term goals: NFL stadiums and a new kind of social drink

In this episode of the Free Spirits Podcast, Lars Miller and David Gonzalez sit down with Julie Rhodes, founder of Kick Fizz and longtime beverage industry consultant, to explore what it takes to launch a differentiated brand in today’s crowded adult beverage space.

Julie shares why Kick Fizz focuses on low-dose, sessionable beverages that give consumers more control over their experience, and how she’s approaching the market with an online-first strategy before expanding into retail. From designing for multiple drinking occasions to creating products that are “fun without the fear,” Julie explains how Kick Fizz is carving out space in the functional beverages and beverage industry landscape.

You’ll hear:

• Why dose perception is subjective—and why options matter

• The role of education in helping consumers navigate cannabinoids and functional ingredients

• Lessons from moving from consultant to beverage operator

• How to clearly define your differentiators and target audiences in the beverage business

• The product roadmap for Kick Fizz, from day-and-night formats to new occasion-based releases

Whether you’re in the beverage business, tracking functional beverage trends, or looking to build your own brand, this conversation offers actionable insights on standing out, staying consumer-focused, and growing with intention.

#beverage #beverageindustry #functionalbeverages #adultbeverages #beveragebusiness