At 25GRAMS, our love for coffee—especially cold brew—transcends flavor. We're committed to quality, sustainability, innovation, and inspiring journeys. These values ​​fuel our mission to collaborate with dreamers and doers who share our vision.

This week, we feature Moritz Pristauz and Julian Hörl—national champions and Olympic beach volleyball athletes—whose journeys inspire us. Just like our signature cold brew coffee, their story is courageous, dedicated, and refreshing.

Can you briefly introduce yourselves and tell us how your path to professional beach volleyball began?

Julian: My path to beach volleyball didn't begin in the traditional way—I was passionate about sports even as a child and tried out all sorts of different sports. It wasn't until I was 17 that I started playing volleyball in an indoor club. From the beginning, however, I enjoyed beach volleyball more in the summer. And at 21, I got the chance to pursue it more intensively in Vienna. Over the years, I developed step by step, participating in national and international tournaments and eventually establishing myself at the professional level and on the national team. Playing against the best teams in the world and constantly improving myself was always particularly motivating for me. This enabled me to fulfill my big dream of participating in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Moritz: I got into beach volleyball as a child through my parents, who also played, and through my grandfather, who was a volleyball coach at his school. I started playing professionally at youth tournaments, then went to a volleyball-specific high school, and from then on, I trained more and more. I fell in love with the sport and decided I wanted to pursue it professionally. Then I moved to Vienna and started training with the national team in Vienna.

What attracted you to beach volleyball rather than other sports?

Julian: I tried many different sports when I was younger – from snowboarding to soccer to golf. Beach volleyball simply fascinated me: the combination of technique, tactics, athleticism, and the fact that it's played outdoors. In beach volleyball, unlike indoor volleyball, you have to be able to do everything and aren't specialized in one task. I also like the team aspect – there are two of you on the court, everyone is responsible for everything, and you can't substitute new players. This means that you have to find solutions as a team in difficult situations. These aspects appealed to me and ultimately led me to focus fully on beach volleyball.

Moritz: What first got me into sports as a child was the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam in Klagenfurt; there was always a great atmosphere there. What kept me going and made me choose beach volleyball over other sports was the challenge of requiring a broad range of skills. It's athletic, requires technical and tactical skills, and you have to be able to do a little bit of everything, which always challenged and interested me.

What does a typical training day look like for you during the season?

Julian: A typical training day during the season looks something like this: We usually start the morning with a technical session on the sand, where we work specifically on elements like passing, receiving, and arm swing. The afternoon is often followed by either a strength or athletics session in the weight room or a second session on the pitch that focuses on game situations. We also do video analysis to analyze our own game or that of our opponents. There are also sessions with the mental coach. We often have one or two physiotherapy or massage sessions per week to treat minor ailments.

How do you deal with the physical and mental demands of elite sport?

Julian: The physical demands of elite sport are definitely high, but over time, you learn to cope well with them. Physically, it's important to regenerate consistently – that means sufficient sleep, targeted physiotherapy, mobilization, and, of course, a balanced diet. For me, strength training isn't just about maximum athleticism, but also about ideal injury prevention and preparing the body so well that you can play 6-7 games in the heat in 3-4 days.

Moritz: The mental strain of tournaments feels almost a bit more difficult. It's not always easy to handle the pressure we feel during matches, both from outside and from ourselves. But there are ways to prepare for it, with mental training techniques and strategies we've been working on. That's the harder part, but it's manageable—it's all about enjoying what you're doing, knowing your goal, trying to win, and in the end, I realize it's a privilege to have the job I have.

What inspired you to enter the cold brew coffee space? What appeals to you about 25GRAMS?

Moritz: I came to cold brew because I generally love drinking coffee. As beach volleyball players, we often play in extreme heat, so it's great to have an ice-cold sip of cold brew before or during practice—I much prefer it to hot coffee in those cases. The glass bottles are also very practical. When we're traveling and can't find good coffee, it's great to have it with us. What particularly appeals to me about 25GRAMS is their commitment to offering truly high-quality coffee, as well as the community behind the brand, the intersection of coffee with their visions, and their identification with their journeys, not just for coffee but also for the people—I really appreciate that.

How do you incorporate cold brew into your workout routine?

Julian: Cold brew fits perfectly into my daily workout routine. I often drink a cold brew before intense workouts or strength training. Especially in the summer, it's simply refreshing and helps me stay focused and alert. It's very convenient for me because I always have a few bottles in the fridge and can take them with me.

Do you think caffeine and cold coffee are beneficial for athletes?

Moritz: I often use cold brew in training—either in the gym or during ball practice—to get that extra jolt of caffeine to fuel me and make me feel more focused. I definitely believe caffeine has many benefits in sports, especially in beach volleyball, where so much quick action and space determines whether you hit the ball or not. You have to be constantly on your guard, and it's such small things that can have a big impact. A little extra alertness and attention in a game can mean the difference between hitting and missing;

Julian: I feel like caffeine enhances my performance. It helps me be more alert and focused during training or a game. Cold brew has the advantage of not being as upsetting to my stomach as other drinks. I used to often drink energy drinks during games, but I've now replaced them with cold brew.

Our philosophy at 25GRAMS is to motivate, inspire, and find communities we can be a part of, with whom we can build dreams and help people achieve their dreams and goals. That's why we're so excited to work with you, because you've always done this for your team and your community. What would be your most important goals with 25GRAMS that we could achieve together? What would you like to see?

Julian: Thank you very much – this is exactly the kind of partnership we're looking for. Our goal with 25GRAMS is to create a connection between sports, lifestyle, and community and bring this closer to people. We would like to implement projects together. Perhaps we can develop workshops, beach tournaments, or even content formats together that bring people closer to what 25GRAMS stands for.