Protein cocktails are a thing now. Just, why?
No day is a cheat day when you can get your gains at happy hour
By Sirena He
BULKING. Beefing up. Putting on mass. Going beast mode. Whatever you call it, there’s a lofty protein goal attached. And where can’t you find protein these days? It’s in soda, candy, Starbucks coffee. That feels wrong, but protein is scientifically proven to be good for your heart and bones as well as help you feel full. Are the TikTok docs and dietitians who sing its praises onto something?
Now, there’s a trendy way to sneak some grams in on your cheat day, served somewhere unexpected: the cocktail bar. The next drink you order could be protein-boosted, and you might not even know it.
On March 15, National Espresso Martini day, one of the USA’s biggest chain restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings, released the Espresso Proteini. Yep, it’s exactly what you think it is. Actually, maybe a bit more. Because there’s 10 grams of protein powder mixed with Buffalo Wild Wings dry rub to give it a little kick. That might sound like blasphemy to the cocktail enthusiast, but it’s just a sign of the times.
“People are looking for protein everywhere right now,” Tristan Meline, brand president at Buffalo Wild Wings, tells Esquire. “So this was our playful take on bringing that trend into a space you wouldn’t normally expect.”
If that sounds strange, bartenders we interviewed insist that protein cocktails have been around for forever. Ever had a whisky sour? Hate to break it to you, but its creamy texture comes from frothed egg whites. In fact, most sours have egg whites in them. Beyond that, creative bartenders have incorporate milk, fat-washing, and broth to their cocktails to improve depth of flavour or add salinity.
Bartenders are definitely getting bolder though. Warrenpeace, a cocktail bar in Tribeca, has been slinging what’s dubbed the Balkan Breakfast since winter.
“The owners of the bar and many of the staff are from Albania, and there they have this distilled grape spirit called Raki, which we wanted to use in the cocktail,” head bartender Spencer Leibold says. “We infused black sesame seeds to give a smooth toastiness to the drinks.”
As gym bros already know, sesame seeds are a fantastic source of plant-based protein. Toss in Borghetti espresso liqueur and cold brew, and the Balkan Breakfast becomes the perfect pre-workout cocktail.
The Bullshot is another iconic protein-juiced cocktail. “I knew about the Bullshot because my dad used to drink them,” says Yasmin Kaytmaz, owner of The River in Manhattan’s Chinatown. ”Hemingway did too, and I thought, We have to add that to our menu.”
The cocktail is made of rich beef broth, Worcestershire, celery salt, and most importantly, vodka. “Men love it,” Kaytmaz says. Not surprising, since the Bullshot is the next best thing to having beef broth at the bar. Down a couple of these and you’ll definitely be ready to get your pump on.
Over in Cambridge, Massachusetts, State Park Bar put their own spin on a protein cocktail: the Chicken Soup Martini.
“It’s basically a dry martini, but we incorporated roasted chicken bones,” co-owner Evan Harrison says.
Hold up, chicken bones in a martini? Not exactly. The bartenders dissolve chicken bones in acid and add a dash to the cocktail. Harrison borrowed the technique from Mr Lyan in London, one of the world’s best bars. The result is a rich, umami-packed dry martini that’s surprisingly light.
But wait, doesn’t alcohol disrupt our body’s ability to absorb protein? The National Academy of Sports Medicine certainly says so. Alcohol has also been shown to inhibit muscle growth.
“Gym bros hold this against me, saying, ‘Alcohol kills gains. Alcohol inhibits protein synthesis for muscle recovery,’” says Christopher Wolstenholme, founder of Mate! protein cocktails. “This is true, but it’s not a be-all and end-all.”
If you have one or two drinks, your body should still continue to function normally. If you have a glass of wine with a steak, does that mean you didn’t eat the steak?
There might even be some benefits to protein cocktails. Through anecdotal experience, Wolstenholme has found that they reduce hangovers, and because protein signals to your brain that you’re full, the hankering for late night snacks.
All this proves is that, after thousands of years, the world of booze still has unlimited potential for innovation. Maybe one day, someone will crack the formula for a cocktail that cures hangovers and grows your muscles. We seem to be well on our way.
This article originally appeard in Esquire US.
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