THC beverages are officially hitting the big leagues—and Chicago’s United Center is the proof point. 

In Episode 124 of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Rick Schepp (GM of Beverage, Señorita & RYTHM) and Charles Bieler (Co-Founder, Señorita) to unpack what it really takes to build hemp-derived THC drinks that can scale into major venues, national retail, and mass culture.

From on-premise conversion and the power of sampling, to effect-led product strategy and the looming “hemp ban” uncertainty, this conversation gets into the operational reality behind the headlines—and why low-dose beverages may be the clearest bridge between cannabis and everyday consumers.

What You’ll Learn

• How the United Center deal came together—and what it signals for concerts, sports, and mainstream adoption
• Why sampling is the #1 lever for driving trial and repeat purchases in THC beverages
• What “scale” actually requires: supply chain readiness, retailer support, and customer-first execution
• The difference between hemp retail vs. dispensary channels—and how dosage shapes the line
• How Rhythm is approaching effect-based beverages (uplift vs. wind-down) to mirror real cannabis use cases
• How leaders are scenario-planning for 2026 policy uncertainty without freezing growth

Meet the Guests

Rick Schepp is the General Manager of Beverage at RYTHM, where he leads strategy, innovation, and commercialization for its THC beverage portfolio, including Señorita. With prior leadership roles at Beam Suntory and experience at Boston Consulting Group, Rick brings a rare blend of CPG rigor and cannabis-specific insight to one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories.

Charles Bieler is a veteran beverage entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Señorita. Best known for his award-winning wine portfolio at Bieler Wines, Charles applies decades of winemaking expertise—flavor structure, ingredient integrity, and balance—to THC margaritas, helping elevate cannabis beverages from novelty to legitimate category.

Why Tune In?

If you’re building in cannabis, hemp, or beverages, this episode is a practical roadmap for navigating retail realities, policy turbulence, and the cultural shift toward low-dose alternatives—without losing sight of what consumers actually want.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

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Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

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