I Tried the Protein Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso, and I Get the Hype

When it comes to coffee, I don't play around. I look for highly-caffeinated, non-dairy options with fun flavoring . . . but nothing so sweet it'll make my teeth hurt. This is already tough criteria for most shops, so the idea that my morning cold brew could do all this and also contribute to my daily protein intake, feels like wishful thinking. That is, until I discovered the viral protein brown sugar shaken espresso.

I'd consider myself something of a brown sugar shaken espresso aficionado. My qualifications? I've been ordering them religiously for about three years now. They're reliable and delicious, but I wouldn't necessarily say they keep me going for long. This is where the protein version comes into play. Although the exact macros vary depending on the kind of milk you use, the drink comes in at around 150 calories and 20 grams of protein. The video I used in my experiment has garnered over 60K likes since February — but is it actually worth the hype?

To find out, I braved my local supermarket at the crack of dawn, leaving with a jug of oat milk and two shots of espresso over ice (courtesy of the in-house coffee shop). I took my loot to the parking lot, where I promptly combined eight ounces of oat milk into a blender bottle prepped with a scoop of the brown sugar oatmeal protein powder ($50) from Be Amazing.

the brown sugar oatmeal protein powder

From

$50

$50 at shopbeamazing.com

After shaking the protein powder and oat milk together, I poured the mixture over the espresso and watched it combine in a glorious java waterfall. I stirred everything together and took my first sip, eager to experience this version of "proffee" for the first time.

I've been let down by TikTok trends before, but I'm happy to say this drink exceeded even my high expectations. The brown sugar flavor definitely comes through, so it's a bit sweeter than your traditional shaken espresso, but to me, it's not as cloying as some of those syrupy vanilla lattes. I also didn't notice any chalky protein aftertaste, which I'm especially picky about.

I will note that — because I used oat milk — my drink was closer to 200 calories, which I'm totally fine with, but it might be something to be mindful of, considering a grande brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso from Starbucks is only 150 calories. In my opinion though, an extra 50 calories is worth 20 additional grams of protein I might not get otherwise. Not only can this help you feel fuller for longer (as it did for me), but it's also a major plus for anyone on a fitness journey trying to hit certain protein goals.

At $50 per bag, the Be Amazing protein isn't cheap, but if you struggle to hit your protein goals, it's a delicious (vegan!) option that doesn't take much time to incorporate into your routine. All in all, the protein brown sugar shaken espresso gets a big thumbs up from me, and I'm proud to say I officially understand the hype.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.