Southern rock band Whiskey Myers collaborates with Gruene Coffee Haus for signature blend.
BY KATRINA YENTCH
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Photos courtesy of Khris Poage
We’ve recognized music’s imperative connection to coffee as the completion to coffee shop ambiance, and the feeling is mutual between musicians drinking coffee. From one unique industry to the other, it makes sense for us to recognize the equal weight of challenges that the music world has experienced during COVID-19; between canceled tours, recording sessions, and indefinitely closed event venues, we empathize with our creative counterpart.
Coffee is just as important of a ritual to Texas-based country rockers Whiskey Myers as it is to any other musician; prior to their shows, drummer Jeff Hogg and their manager used to make it a point to visit a coffee shop in every city they played in. “I would search for the best coffee in every town our tour took us to,” says Jeff, the resident coffee fanatic of the band. “I’ve tried coffee from shops all across the country and Europe also.” Without shows to play, both music and coffee have been missing factors in Whiskey Myers’ life since COVID-19.
To bring coffee back into their routine, Whiskey Myers has partnered with their good friends at Gruene Coffee Haus in Texas to offer a signature coffee bag. The Whiskey Myers Coffee serves as a proud emblem of the two entities’ Texas roots, as it features an eccentric classic Southern twist; in this bag, Costa Rican Arabica coffee beans are covered in dessert-like aromatic oils, then combined with pecans locally sourced from the Oliver Pecan Company. During Whiskey Myers’ tour days, it was a band favorite. “The Texas Pecan coffee from Gruene Coffee Haus in New Braunfels, Texas, is one of the best I’ve ever had,” says Jeff. “I first tried their Texas Pecan almost a decade ago while playing a show around the corner at Gruene Hall. I ended up coming back the very same day for another cup. Now it’s a must-do anytime I’m in the New Braunfels area.”
The bag comes in custom “Wiggy” packaging (an endearing nickname that they’ve given themselves) and is paired with a Whiskey Myers-branded mug.
Lately, we’ve seen baristas get creative in securing alternative sources of income during COVID-19, and it’s equally inspiring to see the entrepreneurial spirit of musicians through coffee. Whiskey Myers purchased the coffee supply themselves at wholesale through Gruene, and will be keeping a portion of the retail sales. By doing this, the band was able to support one of their favorite local businesses, and offer a nontraditional passion project to their fans who have been missing out on the music.
“When the idea came up to offer a coffee to our fans, I wanted to make sure to partner with a small business that was local to Texas,” explains Jeff. I immediately thought of Gruene Coffee Haus. By introducing our fans to the coffee that I drink every day, I hope to share a little taste of Texas with everyone that tries it.”
Until the band can tour again, Whiskey Myers hopes to use the connecting forces of coffee to keep their fans together during a rough time for everyone. “Coffee is something that I look forward to every single day. It calms me down, while waking me up, if that makes sense,” says Jeff. “It makes me feel more comfortable no matter where I am at. It feels like ‘home.’ I’m hoping that others will find some sort of comfort with this coffee. At the very least, they’ll be having themselves a great cup of coffee.”
To purchase the coffee, you can head over to the link here.
