Athletic Brewing teams with Portland Chef on NA AfterShift IPA

 Top Chef Masters champion and frequent television food star Chris Cosentino (currently of Jackrabbit in downtown PDX) has teamed with Athletic Brewing on a uniquely flavored non-alcoholic IPA with bay leaf and lemon verbena. Over his 25-year career, Cosentino has been a professional mountain biker, restauranteur and philanthropist, but is taking his experiences in the kitchen into educating the design of this uniquely spiced limited release beer - After Shift IPA.

Long days and nights in the kitchen were followed by endless “after shifts” for @ChefChrisCosentino. The work-hard, play-hard mentality of the restaurant industry meant one day rolled into another, leading to depression and anxiety. Success came at a price, and Cosentino knew it.

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The limited-release IPA, AfterShift, is a crisp and complex beer born out of an unlikely camaraderie between chef and brewer—both rule-breakers and taste-makers colluding to bring something to the table like never before. AfterShift boasts a refreshing blend of Lemon Verbena and Bay Leaves, made even more dynamic with Cascade hops. A delicate malt profile made of Triticale and Organic Vienna varieties plays backup to the assertive and aromatic symphony of the hops and herbs. The finish is a bright and effervescent burst of freshness and is both fragrant and mouth-watering.

“The after shift in a restaurant is a very unique time. The rush is over and people are starting to get lax. It’s all about taking a break. For me, to have the after shift be non-alcoholic is even more powerful because mixing alcohol with mental health meds was like adding gas to a fire,” said Cosentino. “I always have these crazy ideas about mixing flavors in an effort to create taste memories. AfterShift smashes together the botanicals you have in gin, the effervescent of champagne, and the hoppy bitterness of a great IPA to create flavor that works really well with food. A great beer should complement the food not mask it.”

Just as Cosentino found balance with a non-alcohol beer for his after shift, cycling has been an integral part of finding balance in life. A pro mountain biker in the heyday of the 24-hour endurance race, Cosentino found solace in pushing through the pain to find out where his limits were.

"Everything I ever did was pushing myself as far as I could physically. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that my brain was broken as a kid" said Cosentino. “’I’ve learned life is about consistency, not compromising in your beliefs, and follow-through. It's about putting in the time and energy to get there, and that's when it gets really fun. AfterShift to me is an example of pushing limits of what is possible with a craft beer.”

Athletic Brewing co-founder John Walker who worked with Chef Cosentino to create the recipe said, “When I am not brewing, I am cooking. It was an incredible experience to work with a chef of Chris talent. He knew exactly how to communicate the flavor profile that he was thirsting for in this collaboration, and his input made AfterShift something truly different than other athletic beers available.”

The truth is I love the flavor of beer so I was missing that component of having a beverage,” said Cosentino. “It is amazing to give an option to people because nobody should feel ostracized because they don’t drink. AfterShift offers the flavor that beer lovers recognize and want without regret.”

The collaboration with Cosentino goes beyond the beer and extends to the specially designed packaging which features images taken from the chef’s tattoos. The images include spatulas, forks, and knives.

Athletic will release the limited edition AfterShift on November 16 on AthleticBrewing.com.

The non-alcoholic beer market in the U.S. surged to $132 million in 2019 and, despite the pandemic, is pacing at 40 percent growth in 2020. Athletic Brewing surpassed its 2019 brewing levels in May of this year. In just its third year of operation, the company has outgrown the 12,000 barrel capacity of its brewery headquartered in Connecticut, and the brewer has expanded its capacity by adding 125,000 barrels in their new San Diego facility.

Named by Fast Company magazine as one of the “World’s Most Innovative” companies in 2020, craft-beer fans can find Athletic Brewing’s revolutionary Upside Dawn Golden Ale, Run Wild IPA, Cerveza Atletica (Copper Ale) at major retailers like Total Wine and Whole Foods.  Athletic also ships directly to consumers at www.athleticbrewing.com where athletic beer lovers can purchase Athletic’s full portfolio of flagship, seasonal and specialty beers plus join the brewer’s subscription offering - The Athletic Club.

About Chris Cosentino

Passionate chef, cyclist, author, and philanthropist, Chris Cosentino is renowned for both his innovative approach to sustainable eating and his quest for adventure. Cosentino mastered the arts of whole animal cooking and handcrafted cured meats, as well as classic Italian cooking inspired by the teaching of his great-grandmother Rosalie. Cosentino continues to raise awareness about sustainable eating, believing that healthy food should be accessible to all.  This belief appears often in his philanthropy, including events with Chef’s Cycle No Kid Hungry and World Central Kitchen.

A Rhode Island native, Cosentino is a graduate of the culinary program at Johnson & Wales University. He honed his culinary skills on both coasts and traveled as much as possible on culinary adventures to expand his knowledge. He rose to celebrity chef prominence following his appearance on The Next Iron Chef, Chefs vs City, and Iron Chef America before winning BRAVO’s Top Chef Masters Season 4, raising $141,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Cosentino’s quest for adventure and competition extends far beyond the kitchen. He competed as an ultra-endurance bike racer in his 20s and continues to push his limits with adventure cycling and gravel racing, sometimes even cooking a meal for his competitors at the end of a race.

Cosentino created and was the co-owner and chef of San Francisco’s celebrated Cockscomb restaurant. Current projects include Jackrabbit in Portland, Acacia House at Las Alcobas in Napa Valley, and Rosalie in Houston. When he’s not cooking, Cosentino can be found riding his bike, skiing, or relaxing with his wife and son at home in San Francisco.

About Athletic Brewing

Athletic Brewing Company is reimagining beer for the modern, active adult. Their great-tasting athletic craft brews let you enjoy the refreshing taste of craft beer, without the alcohol or the hangover. You can enjoy them anytime, anywhere and still be healthy, active, and at your best; it’s the very reason they started brewing them in the first place. With custom breweries on the East and West coasts, their lineup has earned accolades throughout the industry, even against full-strength beers, including the 2020 World Beer Award Gold medal for Run Wild. To top it all off, as part of the Athletic Brewing “Two for the Trails” initiative, 2% of all sales are donated to causes and organizations that support healthy, outdoor, active living.

Whether you've decided to cut alcohol out of your life for good, for a night, or for just one drink, Athletic Brewing Company provides an option without compromises that you’re guaranteed to enjoy.