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Cole Hauser says he drinks up to four cups of coffee daily and loves experimenting with protein coffee
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PEOPLE caught up with Hauser for his brand Free Rein Coffee’s new Protein Coffee Collection
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Paramount+ renewed Dutton Ranch for a second season, and Hauser teases exciting developments for Rip Wheeler, Beth Dutton and Carter Green
Cole Hauser knows his way around a cup of coffee — both on and off the Dutton Ranch set.
The Yellowstone star, who reprised his role as Rip Wheeler alongside Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton in Dutton Ranch, tells PEOPLE exclusively that when it came to caffeine consumption on set, there was no competition.
“Oh yeah. I got them whipped for sure,” Hauser, 51, tells PEOPLE when asked who drank the most coffee among the cast during a conversation for his coffee brand, Free Rein Coffee’s new protein collection launch. “I drink, like, four cups a day, probably. I drink it until about one o’clock. I could drink it all day long. It’s my favorite.”
Hauser also knows exactly what his and Reilly’s characters would order if they were grabbing coffee.
Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler and Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in ‘Dutton Ranch’
Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+
For Beth, Hauser picked Branded and Choconela from his Free Rein Coffee Company, noting that “she’s got a little bit of spice to her.” Rip, meanwhile, would keep things decidedly cowboy.
“Obviously, American Dirt is kind of born from the cowboy world, so I’d say American Dirt for Rip,” Hauser adds.
The actor’s love of coffee isn’t just reserved for set. He says his typical routine starts with “about three cups of coffee” when he wakes up, though he’s recently been experimenting with adding more protein to his regimen.
His brand’s new Protein Coffee Collection, which includes K-Cup-compatible coffee pods and ready-to-drink cold brew beverages, marks the company’s biggest retail expansion yet (available in Walmart stores).
“I’m a little old school. I still like my black coffee,” Hauser says. “But this is an exciting new piece to Free Rein that our team has put together. It’s kind of [Free Rein Coffee Company CEO] Arlyn [Davich]’s baby, her creation. I’ve been working, as you know, for the last nine months, so they’ve done a wonderful job of putting together a delicious protein coffee mix that we’d hope will kick some ass in the marketplace.”
The actor, who recently returned from vacation, has also been giving his body some time to recover before getting back into his usual workouts, with some help from the protein prodcut.
“On the days that I train — which I’ve been kind of resting my body lately, but I’m going to get back into it — I’ll do a little bit of protein,” he explains. “I’m just kind of getting into this new mix.”
“When I get my next shipment of Free Rein protein coffee, I’m going to start hitting the gym with it,” he adds.
For now, Hauser is enjoying a much slower pace after the demanding production of Dutton Ranch‘s first season.
When he’s not filming, his ideal morning is a simple one: “Waking up. I live on the ocean, so just kind of zoning out, staring at the water, watching the birds wake up, taking it slow and watching the house come alive with the kids, my wife and my five dogs.”
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The downtime comes after what Hauser previously described to PEOPLE as a particularly grueling first season of the Yellowstone spinoff. The cast and crew battled everything from extreme heat to freezing temperatures and ice storms throughout production.
“We went through a lot of weather issues with the heat, then the freezing cold, and there were ice storms,” he recalled. “It was just nuts.”
By the end of filming, Hauser said the cast and crew were ready for some much-needed rest.
“I think everybody at the very end of episode 9 was ready to take a breather, go home, rest up and get ready for this next year,” he said.
Cole Hauser drinking Free Rein coffee
Credit: Free Rein
Despite the difficult conditions, Hauser called the season “very rewarding in the end” and said he “can’t wait to continue to make Dutton Ranch as good as it can be.”
In June, Paramount+ renewed Dutton Ranch for a second season, which is expected to begin production in early 2027. Before returning to work as Rip, Hauser says taking a breather — and focusing on his coffee venture — is at the top of his agenda.
As for what awaits Rip when he does saddle up again, Hauser isn’t giving much away. He did, however, praise incoming showrunner Ben Cavell and tease an exciting next chapter for Rip, Beth and Carter (Finn Little).
“We have a wonderful new showrunner, Ben Cavell, and I’ve been talking to him. He’s a very special guy, and I think the future is bright — not only for myself, but Beth and Carter and the show in general,” he said. “I think this is going to be a really nice next step.”
Season 1 of Dutton Ranch is now streaming on Paramount+.
Read the original article on People
