For athletes who would rather have a cold beer after a long workout than a typical post-exercise high-protein shake, there's a drink for you. A Canadian beverage company is introducing Lean Machine beer.

According to NPR's The Salt, a Canadian beverage company called Vampt has crafted a new, low-calorie, high-protein beverage, which is a cross between a beer and a workout recovery drink. The so-called Lean Machine "recovery ale," created by a team of food scientists, is a gluten-free drink with 7 grams of protein and 77 calories per can.

Vampt founder Ian Toews said the drink is infused with vitamins, antioxidants and electrolytes. It is similar to other sports drinks that replenish the body after a workout. Lean Machine also includes nutrients such as glutamine, Vitamin C, Zinc, and sodium potassium

"All beer contains proteins and nutrients that help the body recover, but a lot of that is taken out in the brewing process," Toews said. "We're adding the important elements back in."

With the drink, athletes can get what they need from the beverage as well as the added benefit of an alcohol buzz. It has 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. Toews hopes the beverage appeals to young fitness individuals who also like to drink.

"It's a form of guilt-free drinking. It's going to appeal to guys that want recovery benefits, but also want a beer with the boys, for social reasons," Toews told The Salt. "We just thought that maybe we could do something that would support a drinker, make it still socially fun, and help them accomplish what needs to be accomplished after an aggressive workout."

That said, some question if a beer can actually hold so many benefits. According to John Hawley, an exercise and nutrition researcher at Australian Catholic University, too much alcohol can "impair protein synthesis."

"It impairs some of what we call the protein signaling molecules in the body. These are the traffic lights that turn on protein synthesis," Hawley told The Salt. "[Alcohol] dims the traffic light signals. So ultimately, that whole muscle protein synthesis is slowed down."

Lean Machine will be available in select Canadian markets in April. Depending on interest from U.S. markets, the company is hoping to have Americans cranking open a 12-ounce protein beer, by next year.

"We're just a beer with benefits," Toews said.