What does it take to build a multi-brand functional beverage platform in an industry where most startups struggle to launch just one?

In this episode of Free Spirits, hosts Lars Miller and David Gonzalez talk with Evan Eneman, CEO of Iconic Tonics—a premium adult beverage portfolio launched in partnership with Snoop Dogg and powered by Harmony Craft Beverages.

With a background in investment, brand incubation, and operational strategy, Evan shares how Iconic Tonics was designed from day one to serve as a platform for beverage innovation—supporting multiple products, brands, and audiences across evolving retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

This isn’t just a conversation about branding. It’s a deep dive into the business operations behind modern beverage success:

• How Iconic Tonics handles launch strategy, distribution, and consumer education across multiple SKUs

• Why dose strategy and product format flexibility matter in the adult drinks space

• What Evan and his team are learning from early direct-to-consumer data and DoorDash sales performance

• How they’ve approached sampling, trade marketing, and retail activation in key markets like New Jersey, Minnesota, and Texas

• Why on-premise venues (concerts, events, hospitality) could be the biggest unlock for next-gen beverage growth

You’ll also hear how the Iconic Tonics team is using shared infrastructure to reduce startup friction, cut legal and operational overhead, and scale smarter across brands—while testing new functional beverage formulations in live venues and retail chains like Total Wine and Woodmans.

Whether you’re building a brand, scaling a portfolio, or navigating the challenges of modern beverage business models, this episode delivers grounded, operator-level insights on what it takes to win.

🎧 Tap to listen, subscribe, and stay tuned for more conversations at the intersection of beverage innovation, cultural influence, and consumer demand.

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

In this episode of the Free Spirits Podcast, hosts Lars Miller and David Gonzalez sit down with Peter Barsoom, founder of 1906 and one of the most forward-thinking minds in the functional product space. Known for pioneering fast-acting, low-dose edibles that deliver consistent effects, Peter is now turning his attention to the beverage category with Off Duty—a hemp-derived, zero-calorie shot designed to transform any drink into a precisely dosed cannabis beverage.

They cover:

• The founding story of 1906 and its focus on effect-first, functional products

• Why most edibles and infused beverages miss the mark on consistency and experience

• How Off Duty tackles the biggest problems with ready-to-drink (RTD) formats—portability, economics, and personalization

• What the rise of beverage enhancers means for the broader beverage industry

• The science and strategy behind pairing cannabinoids with adaptogens and nootropics

• How clear naming and storytelling help drive trust in adult beverage brands

Peter also shares how his background in finance and regulated markets shaped his product philosophy, why 1906 is still committed to dispensary sales, and what’s next for Off Duty—including function-forward versions of the shot designed for energy, mood, and relaxation.

If you’re in the beverage business, tracking functional beverage trends, or just want to understand where the next wave of innovation is coming from, this is a must-listen.

#beverage #beverageindustry #functionalbeverages #adultbeverages #beveragebusiness

In this episode of the Free Spirits Podcast, we’re joined by Ben Kennedy, CEO and co-founder of Fable Libations, one of the most distinct and disciplined brands in the modern beverage industry. Known for its award-winning botanical THC cocktails, Fable has carved out a space in the crowded world of functional beverages by refusing to follow trends—and instead setting its own.

Ben shares the behind-the-scenes journey of creating a premium adult beverage that mirrors the complexity of a craft cocktail, with zero compromises on flavor, formulation, or ingredients. We unpack the challenges of launching a beverage that doesn’t fit neatly into the typical categories of seltzer or mocktail, and discuss what it really takes to scale in a heavily regulated and increasingly saturated beverage business.

You’ll learn:

• Why functional beverage brands need a clear POV to avoid getting lost in a sea of sameness

• How Fable approached R&D, pricing, and shelf strategy with a long-term vision

• What it means to design a product for health-conscious professionals—not traditional cannabis users

• How retail education, in-market reps, and custom merchandising help build pull, not just push

• The key differences between building for hype vs. building for staying power in beverage culture

We also explore what’s next for Fable—from improving DTC repeat rates to planning for mainstream distribution and potential acquisition. If you’re curious about the future of functional beverages, the evolution of adult beverage habits, or the intersection of cannabis and premium product development, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of The Free Spirits Podcast, hosts Lars Miller and David Gonzalez sit down with Joanne Caceres, a partner at Dentons and one of the most trusted legal voices in the cannabis industry, to unpack the legal, cultural, and commercial forces shaping the future of functional beverages and hemp legislation.

Joanne has spent years crafting and advising on cannabis policy, from federal proposals to state-level bills. She joins the show to explain why hemp beverages are gaining traction faster than marijuana reform, and what that means for beverage industry founders navigating licensing, regulation, and DTC distribution.

We dig into:

• How the 2018 Farm Bill triggered an explosion of hemp-derived beverages

• Why functional beverages with cannabinoids, mushrooms, and nootropics are pushing regulatory boundaries

• The fragmentation of cannabis laws across all 50 states and what smart operators need to know

• Why Minnesota has become a model for sensible hemp beverage regulation

• How the alcohol industry is influencing cannabis policy — and what that means for brands

• The future of direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and whether it’s under threat from Capitol Hill

• What federal rescheduling would actually mean for the market — and why it won’t solve everything

• Lessons from Illinois, one of the first non-Western states to pass tightly regulated cannabis laws

• What good-faith regulators actually want to see from cannabis and hemp brands

• Whether we’ll ever see a regulatory framework that includes psychedelics, cannabis, and functional ingredients under one roof

Joanne also shares her behind-the-scenes insights on how cannabis legislation is drafted, who’s influencing the process, and how safety is often used as both a genuine priority and a political lever. If you’re building a beverage brand, advising on cannabis regulation, or trying to stay compliant while scaling your product nationally, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

👉 About Joanne:

Joanne Caceres is a Chicago-based cannabis attorney with a background in advising both private clients and public institutions on everything from hemp policy to multi-state compliance. She’s played a major role in drafting cannabis bills and offers a rare inside look into the legislative process shaping the industry.

💬 Topics include:

• Cannabis vs. hemp: why the divide persists

• The rise of functional beverages and what defines the category

• How the FDA, USDA, and TTB may share responsibilities in future regulation

• The risks of prohibition vs. the promise of smart regulation

• Why DTC is both a risk and a lifeline for hemp beverage brands

• And why a rescheduled cannabis market could bring both clarity and chaos

📌 If you’re serious about the future of cannabis, hemp, and functional beverage innovation, this conversation is a must.

✅ Subscribe to The Free Spirits Podcast for more interviews with founders, policy experts, and innovators redefining the beverage industry.

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In this episode of the Free Spirits Podcast, we dive into the evolving cannabis beverage industry with Ben Larson, CEO of Vertosa.

Discover how Vertosa leads the way in emulsion technology for infused beverages, impacting popular brands like Collective Project, Wunder, and Pabst High Seltzer. Ben shares his incredible journey from startup accelerator founder to navigating the complexities of the functional beverage landscape.

Packed with insights on key trends like 'mood modulation' and the challenges of regulation in infused beverages, this episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the future of adult beverages.

Learn why operational efficiency and transparency are crucial for success in the beverage business. Whether you're involved in the beverage sector, CPG, or simply intrigued by the innovations in functional drinks, you won't want to miss Ben's expert perspectives!

Whether you’re in beverage, CPG, functional drinks, or just fascinated by what it takes to scale in this space—Ben brings clarity to one of the most misunderstood parts of the industry.

📍 Find Vertosa: https://www.vertosa.com

📬 Subscribe to Herbal Profiles for infused beverage news: https://herbal.beehiiv.com

#Vertosa #FunctionalBeverages #BeverageIndustry #InfusedBeverages #BenLarson #CannabisBeverages #EmulsionTechnology #AdultBeverages #MoodModulation #FreeSpiritsPodcast #BeverageBusiness