Athletic Brewing, Super Coffee create pre-workout brew

Limited release Suped Up contains 5 grams of protein in each serving

Athletic Brewing Co., Milford, Conn., has teamed up with Austin, Texas-based Super Coffee on the world’s first pre-workout brew. Called Suped Up, the new non-alcohol beer was inspired by the power of positive energy and the grind of endless grit, the company says.

Brewed with high-quality coffee and spent brewer’s grains, Suped Up is a rich, extra dark brew that is full-bodied and contains 5 grams of protein.

“Suped Up is a wonderfully balanced brew made with two pounds of coffee per barrel and upcycled barley rice protein,” said Athletic Brewing Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer John Walker in a statement. “It took us several months to develop and refine our process, but we’re super excited with the final recipe. It has distinct roasty and chocolatey notes with a pop of bold coffee flavor.”

The idea for Suped Up was born out of a friendship between Athletic Brewing co-founder Bill Shufelt and Super Coffee co-founder Jimmy DeCicco. The pair met at a fitness event in 2021 and quickly bonded over the daily grind of entrepreneurship. Shufelt and DeCicco would periodically check in with one another to share ideas, and quickly recognized an overlap in their respective customer bases.

“There is so much crossover between customers who reach for Super Coffee and those who keep Athletic Brewing in their fridges,” DeCicco said. “We thought it would be fun to team up and give our audiences a beverage that combines the best of both worlds ― a protein coffee in a non-alcoholic beer format.”

To promote the new brew, the two companies created a catchy jingle and commercial that will run across social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The ad features four athletes ― including Athletic Brewing ambassador Brian Mazza, fitness influencer Matt Choi, personal trainer Tara Nicole, and Austin, Texas-based creator Rose Lichtenfels ― working out in lumberjack outfits while drinking Suped Up.

“More than anything, we wanted to have fun with this collaboration,” Shufelt said. “Nevertheless, Suped Up was a unique technical challenge for our brewing team, and an exciting opportunity for us to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible in non-alcoholic beer.”

Suped Up will be available to purchase exclusively on athleticbrewing.com for a limited time beginning March 7. Each 12-ounce can of Suped Up is less than 0.5% ABV and contains 130 calories, 23 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein, and zero grams of fat.

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The Non-Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at Beverage Marketing Corporation detail how established categories ― like carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, fruit beverages ― and emerging beverage segments ― such as plant milks, ready-to-drink coffees and teas ― are navigating these shifts.

This important industry event is a learning and information sharing experience for warehousing, distribution and fleet management professionals who will have the opportunity to continue to share ideas and network with their industry peers in a safe and productive format as we continue to navigate these challenging times.