John Weissenberger: Blissfully caffeinated in Middle America
- Middle America is experiencing a surprising social shift centered around a growing culture of fantastic, indie coffee shops replacing the old diner-style coffee experience.
- This coffee boom is widespread, with numerous independent cafés offering diverse and creative drinks from West Virginia to Wyoming, challenging the traditional cultural and political stereotypes of the region.
- Starbucks' expansion has set a quality baseline and helped fuel interest, but local roasters and unique cafés provide a richer, more personalized coffee culture across Middle America’s smaller cities and towns.
- The rise of indie coffee culture presents a potential grassroots organizing opportunity for Democrats, as these cafés already host diverse community groups, highlighting a new way to engage the region’s population.
Something’s brewing in Middle America. What exactly is bubbling up in that vast, sprawling land — from the hazy heights of Appalachia, across the Ohio and Mississippi to endless waves of grain, up to the purple western ramparts? Shockingly, amidst the corn mazes, church steeples, Walmart supercentres and high school stadiums the size of Rogers Centre, lies hidden a stunning social upheaval. Fantastic coffee.
For the bicoastal elites this is an endless terra incognita that, thanks to modern air travel, can be conveniently flown over. Its cultural insignificance is reflected in the electoral map — a sea of red (Republican) counties sprinkled with a few blue (Democrat) dots, the state capitals and college towns. Leftists, like historian Thomas Frank, if they think of the region at all, are baffled. In his 2004 book “What’s the Matter with Kansas?”, Frank argued that Middle America was gripped by Marxist false consciousness. Kansans didn’t realize that abandoning their left-populist roots was a mistake and, despite all the evidence, liberal elites didn’t actually despise them. Well not much anyway. Little did Frank know that mid-westerners wanted to raise their consciousness, but it was through caffeine. So, what Democrats needed to do was sell their politics with a free espresso.
Take a random road trip across any section of the lower 48, as done by this writer, and you’ll cross rivers of the black elixir that sharpens the wit and soothes the soul. Google “best coffee in … (insert location here)” and multiple indie cafés pop up. Where once was diner joe, compared unfavourably to dishwater, is now eye-popping java, of every shape, size and description. Nothing short of mainlining caffeine, were it ever practical, could compare — and that would bypass the sheer pleasure of the drinking.
Purveyors, from drive-through kiosks to sparkling tile and metal sit downs, dot the landscape. Repurposed century homes house retro cafés of all kinds. Some have a disturbing predilection for cats. Again, if Democrats were smart, they’d start organizing here. After all, the places already host the Wiccan sewing circle, Astral meditation group and Friends of the Possum.
One such café actually straddles what can only be a tear in the time space continuum, thus far concealed by the federal government. Upon entering, you’re transported to 1972 by the scent of patchouli oil and combustible herbs. Youngsters in tie-dye with Caucasian dreadlocks, through droopy eyelids, serve up the mind-bending brew. With their McGovern ’72 and Grateful Dead posters, they’re either really stuck in a seventies time warp or channelling their Woodstockian grandparents.
Places serve a dizzying array of product — from the usual Cappo’s and Macchiatos, to Nutella lattes, Cortados and Affogatos. Chimeric drinks like Chai or Matcha lattes and Red Bull Zingers — for that extra buzz — round out the selection. Multiple milks, animal and vegetable, hot froth and cold foam are all available. One must stand in awe at a supply chain that, having collapsed in the face of COVID’s surge demand for toilet paper, now delivers the most arcane ingredients to the most remote roastery.
The story’s the same from West Virginia to Wyoming, North Dakota to Arkansas. Choice is ample, assuming bean hounds can get past the awfully lame puns café owners find irresistible. This yields names like “Roast of the Town” (Nashville), “Jurassic Perk” (Spring Hill, Tenn.), “Roast Busters” (Lincoln, Neb.), etc.
Columbia, S.C., “the Athens of Missouri” (population 126,000), besides having a “nationally regarded” farmers market boasts 15 independent cafés. Wenatchee, Wash. (population 36,000) — “the Apple Capital of the World” — alongside honeycrisps just bursting from the volcanic soil, serves high-octane lava from 19 owner-operated shops. In Rapid City, S.D., where the watchful eyes of Mount Rushmore’s (for now) four presidents once surveyed only tumbleweeds and cattle, they now see 16 indies for a population of 75,000. One establishment — Ridgeline Roasters — pours such an explosive cuppa mud, it’s sure to blow the toupée off your crankiest relative. Despite its stratospheric stimulation, drinkers should be warned of possible corrosive effects on sensitive stomachs and fragile dental work.
In terms of price point, a small cappuccino will run you just under US$4 (about $5.50 Cdn), while in Canada you’ll pay between $4.50 and $5. So, our devalued dollar may be an issue, but cheaper gas and other essentials compensate. Plus, it really is true — states like Montana have no sales tax.
It doesn’t take a scientist to see what brought rocket fuel to the farthest reaches of flyover country. America’s corporate coffee behemoth, Starbucks, casts a wide, green shadow. From 84 stores in 1990, there are now over 16,000 in the contiguous United States. With a Starbucks at practically every interstate truck stop, they are now the quality baseline. The levelling effect of the internet has also wised people up to what coffee is available where.
And despite much elbow elevating talk, Canadian travel to the U.S. is increasing, with car travel up more than five per cent in June over the same month last year. So, as we blow south this summer, like so much Ontario woodsmoke, primo jitter juice is there waiting, just about anywhere, anytime. Drink up!
National Post
John Weissenberger is a Calgary geologist, former executive and coffee addict.