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