It all happened so fast. And then it was over. But the fickle Texas weather gods saved the best day for the last. Day Three at the Roaster’s Village at South by Southwest could not have been any better; it was perfect coffee drinking weather. We’re rounding out our coverage of the first-ever coffee pavilion at SouthBites—the food and beverage side of SXSW—with a look at four more brands for the inaugural Sprudge-curated coffee activation. It’s a bit bittersweet to be writing about these last four companies, because it means our time here is wrapping up. Sunrise, sunset. We hope this will be the first of many installments to come in the future, but for now, let’s take a look back.
Third Wave Water
Coffee is 98% water, so of course we needed someone here to give some love to the majority of what’s in all these cups. After a successful trip to the Shark Tank, Third Wave Water came out to help attendees make better coffee at home. Giving out samples of both their standard and espresso profile packets, TWW was probably the most recognizable booth at the festival, thanks to their 11 to 12 foot tall Third Wave Water tower.
Those brave enough to let their curiosity lead them toward the tower were rewarded with a refreshing quaff of that hydrating elixir at the Third Wave Water fountain, dispensing ideal water for coffee, of course. As of press time, nearly 500 plastic bottles had been saved from finding their way to a landfill thanks thank to the TWWFountain.
Upruit
Brooklyn-based Upruit doesn’t consider themselves to be a coffee company; they are a carbonated tonic beverage company, who happens to have coffee in all their refreshing elixirs. With flavor options like Meyer Lemonade, Ginger Hibiscus, and Mint Grapefruit, Upruit offers a delicious ready-to-drink option that will be crucial in the coming summer months.
There’s a lot coming down the pipe for Upruit. Along with a fourth flavor currently still in R&D, Upruit will be launching a guest roaster subscription box program, where they will be working with different roasters to come up with new drink options delivered directly to the consumer’s door. Upruit is currently available at stockists in the Northeast, Amazon, and through their website.
Deadstock Coffee
Portland is the sneaker capitol of the world. Deadstock Coffee in Portland then, it stands to reason, is the sneaker coffee shop capitol of the world. For their corner of the Roaster’s Village, Deadstock came with custom burnt orange Nike Vandals, designed in collaboration with Mike Nerlino, a Deadstock customer from PDX who made the trip out here with owner Ian Williams and the rest of his uniformed crew. Always keeping a watchful eye for the stylishly shod, Williams was always out front, handing out Jason Markk Quick Wipes (a must-have for keeping your sneakers looking clean in the dusty pavilion) and pulling in folks to snap Polaroids of their sneakers, which will be posted on the Deadstock Instagram once they make it back to Portland.
Folks were equally mesmerized by what Williams calls (non-alcoholic) “adult Capri Suns,” pouch-style coffee drinks like the Lebronald Palmer—a black tea, coffee, and lemon based reinterpretation of the Arnold Palmer—and the Charged Up, with green tea, peach, and mango. I came for the Deadstock merch, specifically their crewneck sweatshirt, and stayed for a few splashes of the Lebronald. Both the drink and its namesake are the GOAT. Sorry Kobe.
Five Elephant
Hailing all the way from Berlin, Five Elephant made its way to Austin via Alpine, Texas, a town known mostly for its proximity to Marfa. Working the Five Elephant booth were the folks from Cedar Coffee & Supply, perhaps the best place to get coffee that far south and west in Texas.
Using a single Modbar espresso module, Five Elephant was serving up tasty espresso beverages as well as nitro cold brew and tons of cool merch, including totes and Department of Brewology prints.
Thanks for tuning in for our coverage of the Sprudge-curated Roaster’s Village here at SouthBites. We were super excited to be a part of the inaugural event. We can’t believe it’s already over. But we have a ton of cool stuff coming out in short order to bring you closer to the action over the last three days. And check out our Instagram live stories for a look back at our lovely, rambunctious time here at SXSW.
