What Is This Even?
The Hardcore Coffee Club (HXC.Coffee) is a small, invite-only club of folks in Austin, TX who want to learn more about tasting coffee, where it comes from, why that matters, how it's made and processed, who makes it, its botany, economics (macro/micro), political role, and cultural customs. Almost every culture has some kind of coffee tradition, we want to know it, come to a deeper contextual understanding and appreciation of it. That said, we try not to romanticize coffee too much – its a business of hard underpaid labor, and at core it's a roasted seed. That's humble.
Cool, I Guess, But How Does It Work?
Once a month, usually on the last Sunday of the month, we each bring a bag of recently roasted, whole beans, and go through a cupping exercise to taste side by side. Then we think and talk about flavor, and we think and talk about why.
If one of us has time, we may put together a small research deck on what we've learned about that given region or theme. Sometimes we'll watch videos. We have a GroupMe we chat in occasionally about coffee. We want to partner with more local roasters to do focused cuppings. We make an effort to focus.
Do I Have to Be A Coffee Expert?
Nah. We're all on our own journeys from brand new to actual roasters. We're all here to help and think, not criticize. No assholes or assholery allowed.
Is This Secretly a Brand Activation by Folgers?
No. We're just a group of friends and acquaintances who wanna nerd out and know coffee, and wanna be hardcore about learning about it, and Roman has to make a brand out of everything or else he can't keep track of it. We don't make money. Sometimes we do make breakfast.
Can You Get On a Soapbox Real Quick About Coffee?
We see coffee as this unique inroad to broader social, political, and intellectual topics beyond common liberal moral fetishization of labor and self-righteous consumerist do-goodery. There's a lot of virtue signaling in this space – like a weird amount of it – which, I mean, whatever, but we're not here to do that. We're all guilty. Also coffee tastes good.
How Can I Be A Team Player?
If you're here, it's because we invited you, and want you to hang out with us. Everyone who comes contributes by bringing a bag, helping set up, grind, or clean. Be a buddy.
Upcoming Possible Themes
• Coffees of Mexico
• Jamaican Blue Coffee - Is it bullshit? Is it evil?
• Barrel aged coffees
• Geisha Geisha Geisha
• Comparative Brew Method Testing
• Coffee Alternatives (okra seed, chicory, mesquite, stickyweed seed, etc.)
• September '24 - Coffee Festival Field Trip
• Holiday Blends + White Elephant Bean Exchange
• Pure Robusta
• Liberica and Coffee of the Philippines
• Eugenoides
• Geographical deep dives
• Decaf
• How Water Matters, A Taste Test
Previous Themes
• Arabica / Typica
• Commodity Coffee, Setting a Baseline
We're run by Roman Gonzalez, aka Rad Plant Man, who also catalogues his food, beverage, cocktail, and garden adventures on Instagram as Bar Roman. Make him famous.