As a qualified and trained social worker, Sule Dyer, 38, is an advocate for mental health. So when the pandemic began in TT in March 2020, he knew he needed to do something for himself, as well as to help others.
Dyer created a series of virgin, alcoholic and CBD (cannabidiol)-infused cocktails which he called HybridTT.
He explained that when the borders closed last year and movement was restricted, he could not travel, visit family and friends, go to the gym, watch sports or do anything else he used to do to relax and care for his mental health.
[caption id="attachment_903179" align="alignnone" width="603"] Sule Dyer, creator of HybridTT. PHOTOS COURTESY SULE DYER -[/caption]
“With that being taken away almost immediately, how I functioned changed considerably. I felt like I had to find an outlet to aid with keeping myself together.”
Before the pandemic, he would be the one to make cocktails at family limes, as he had done a bartending course, and he likes to drink. The plan was to package a few cocktails so friends and family could have something to drink if they wanted.
Since he has a background in media and advertising, he came up with the idea of merging marketing with the drinks. He said both marketing and social work are about anticipating and satisfying people's needs.
[caption id="attachment_903184" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Peach iced tea. -[/caption]
He believes one of those needs is CBD, an ingredient of cannabis which is known to have health benefits.
Dyer learned about the benefits of CBD from a friend who makes medicinal CBD products. He also knows several people who use it to manage their anxiety, and so he decided to try it in his drinks.
“I know a lot of people were experiencing challenges with the pandemic and beyond. CBD is about the medicinal. I have customers who purchase Hybrid
for their anxiety, who suffer with bad insomnia, who purchase it for pain management, for PMS. That’s what made me add it and that’s what made Hybrid what it is.”
After some help from friends, looking at tutorial videos on the internet, doing online research, and a lot of trial and error, he found the right extraction process.
“It was about trying to get the right extraction method that would blend well with cocktails and not just add an oil, because it would just be an oily drink, and oil and water don’t mix.”
[caption id="attachment_903185" align="alignnone" width="819"] HybridTT’s portugal iced tea. -[/caption]
When he decided to make it a business, he also he wanted it to be accessible and so he made the CBD drinks a reasonable price so more people could benefit.
“A lot of people are still fearful of the herb because of what they hear. I am trying to change that whole perspective and narrative and let people see it can be enjoyed once done properly.”
Dyer stressed that when he started HybridTT in May 2020 he had no intention of turning it into a business. However, bartending for a friend’s birthday party in June 2020 changed his plans.
“I’m big on packaging and imaging bec
