Calling all coffee enthusiasts – Caffeine Crawl is coming to Memphis! In partnership with Grind City Coffee Xpo, this event is reminiscent of a pub crawl and is catered to the daily coffee drinker, casual and curious consumer, latte artist, lover of the coffee shop atmosphere and any artist of the bean.
It’s no secret that the art and craft of coffee has expanded far beyond the mere means to make it through the day with a cup in the morning. Coffee culture has grown and sparked artisanship, entrepreneurship and most of all, community. Grind City Coffee Co-Founders, Daniel Lynn and Rachel Williams, have recognized this community in the Bluff City and have been working to craft events and education around the love of coffee.
“We reached out to Jason Burton of Caffeine Crawl earlier this year about the potential of having a Crawl in Memphis because Rachel had seen these events all over the U.S. and loved what the organization was doing,” said Lynn. “Jason was really excited about the opportunity for a partnership with us to bring the event to Memphis. That led us to where we are now with Memphis’ first Caffeine Crawl on November 16.”
With three unique routes to choose from, the inaugural event will feature signature favorite coffee shops and artists from all over Memphis, including Avenue Coffee, Comeback Coffee, Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium, French Truck Coffee, INSPIRE Community Cafe, Launch Process Coffee, Society Skatepark & Coffee, Tamp & Tap, Ugly Mug Coffee and Vice & Virtue Coffee. Each of these participating shops showcases its own unique story, flavors, and approach to the art and craft of coffee.
“Attendees will start at the first stop on their chosen route, and move from one shop and/or roaster to the next while tasting samples of everything from coffee to a bit of food,” said Lynn. “Each stop will also share a bit of their process in hopes to educate guests about what sets them apart in their process.”
Whether coffee is a major part of your daily routine, or if you’re less familiar with the process and varieties, the Caffeine Crawl has something to offer everyone. While the majority of the event is focused on local coffee shops and craftsmen, there are a few non-coffee stops along the routes as well.
“It’s a great opportunity for someone who has traditionally shied away from coffee to give it a shot,” said Lynn. “The Memphis coffee culture has grown immensely over the past five or so years. From shops like City & State and Comeback Coffee to amazing roasters such as Dr. Bean’s, Launch Process and Vice & Virtue, Memphis has so much to offer in the way of amazing coffee and a wide range of specialties.”
Sadie Marsden, Head Barista at Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium, is one of many participating vendors to be featured in the Memphis Crawl. “I think it is important for a shop like ours to be featured in something like the Crawl not only because this team has been working to serve fresh Memphis, TN-roasted coffee for many years now, but it is also important for any Memphis shop to be a part of this event simply because of how small, yet powerful, our little community is,” she said. “We are truly honored just to have our name and brand out there to further encourage and collaborate with Memphis (and otherwise) local roasters, shop owners and baristas. Coffee is so special and there is something truly remarkable about seeing it travel from green bean coffee buying, all the way to the roasted, ground, perfectly extracted, finished shot of America’s second-best Espresso (awarded at Coffee Fest) that we serve daily, especially since it all happens in Memphis.”
Ultimately, the event coordinators and participating baristas all agree that the Memphis Caffeine Crawl exists to serve and educate the Greater Memphis area on one of the most community-centered industries out there. “Our mission as Grind City Coffee is to highlight all the amazing people and coffee in & around Memphis in an approachable manner,” said Lynn. “We think Caffeine Crawl will do just that. The Crawl is an opportunity for people that may not have been in many of the amazing shops on the routes to see what they are all about while sampling some of their incredible Joe.”
To learn more and purchase tickets, visit caffeinecrawl.com. The coffee celebration doesn’t stop after the Crawl either! More information about how to participate in the 2020 Grind City Coffee Xpo can be found here. “While last year’s event was exclusive to Memphis vendors, we are expanding the 2020 Xpo to include tons of amazing vendors from outside of our city in our effort to create an environment that breeds Community Over Competition.”
