Collaboration brew with culinary icons will benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation
MILFORD, CT and SAN DIEGO, May 1, 2025 Athletic Brewing Company, America's largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer, has joined forces with five celebrated culinary artists to launch Aftershift, a limited-edition brew created in support of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Crafted in collaboration with renowned chefs Chris Cosentino, Chris Shepherd, David Chang, Ashley Christensen, and Sarah Grueneberg, Aftershift pours a golden hue with bright notes of lime leaf and yuzu.
Representing the resilience and spirit of the food service industry, Aftershift embodies the shared dedication of five chefs who, drawing from their years spent navigating the demanding world of bustling kitchens, understand the profound importance of mental health within the culinary community.
"We're incredibly excited to introduce Aftershift in collaboration with these five legendary chefs," said John Walker, Co-Founder and COO of Athletic Brewing. "Their culinary expertise has shaped this brew into something truly unique and delicious. We're honored to collaborate with them while simultaneously supporting food service industry workers across the country."
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, $50,000 of Aftershift's profits will benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation. Founded by Chef Chris Shepherd, the nonprofit organization provides vital mental health support for food and beverage workers nationwide.
"The Southern Smoke Foundation is immensely grateful for this collaboration with Athletic and the opportunity to work alongside these other incredibly talented chefs," said Shepherd. "This will allow us to provide critical resources to service industry workers across the country who are facing mental health challenges."
Made for those who work hard and want to unwind without the buzz, Aftershift strikes a delicate balance of slight tartness and subtle bitterness — a true chef's kiss of flavor and the perfect reward after a long day.
"The ritual I missed most after a long shift was enjoying the vibrant flavors and the social aspects of having a drink with my peers," said Cosentino, who gave up alcohol six years ago. "Now, being able to help create Aftershift, a beautiful NA beer that not only delivers a bright and refreshing taste, but also gives back to the hospitality community, is incredibly rewarding."
Each 12-oz can of Aftershift is less than 0.5% ABV and contains 55 calories, 12g of carbs, 0g of protein, and 0g of fat. It will be sold exclusively on www.athleticbrewing.com beginning May 1, 2025, while supplies last.
Launched commercially in 2018, Athletic pioneered a proprietary method for making non-alcoholic beer, re-engineering nearly every step of the brewing process through hundreds of small-batch trials. This innovative approach has made Athletic the most highly awarded non-alcoholic brewer of the past decade, with over 100 taste awards. The company produces upwards of 50 NA brews annually and is the number one non-alcoholic beer brand in the U.S., with over 19% market share1.
According to recent data, 49% of Americans are trying to drink less in 20252. Dollar sales of non-alcoholic beer are up more than 22% over the last 52 weeks, and Athletic is driving 30% of category growth3.
About Athletic Brewing Company
Athletic Brewing Company is America's largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer. Athletic is revolutionizing how modern adults drink by crafting game-changing NA brews that can be consumed anytime and anywhere. Launched commercially in 2018, Athletic is the number one non-alcoholic beer brand in America and a top 20 U.S. brewing company4. Its award-winning brews are available nationwide at over 75,000 retail locations. Athletic operates custom breweries in Connecticut and California and donates up to $2 million annually to protecting and restoring outdoor spaces across the globe via its Two For The Trails program. Athletic is proudly a Certified B Corporation™. Learn more and shop at www.athleticbrewing.com.
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About Southern Smoke Foundation
Founded in 2017 by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd and Executive Director Lindsey Brown, Southern Smoke Foundation provides access to no-cost mental health services through its program, Behind You, and emergency relief funding to food and beverage (F+B) workers nationwide. This includes restaurant, bar, and café workers; farmers and ranchers; winemakers, distillers, and brewers; and anyone in the industry faced with financial hardship because of a medical emergency, accident, or other unforeseen incident.
To date, Southern Smoke Foundation has granted more than $14.5M to F+B workers nationwide, and since 2020, has provided access to more than 7,400 no-cost counseling sessions to F+B workers in ten states. To support Southern Smoke Foundation or to apply for assistance, visit southernsmoke.org.
1, 3 NielsenIQ, Total US xAOC + Liquor Open State + Conv, Latest 52 Wks ending 04/19/25
2 NC Solutions, The Sober Curious Movement
4 Brewers Association Top 50 U.S. Brewing Companies of 2024
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