On the rise

Austin coffee shop climbs into Highland neighborhood with unique outpost

Spokesman is expanding into the Highland neighborhood.

Austin has seen a boom in new coffee shops in 2019, and it doesn't appear to be slowing down. Now, a popular local roaster is teaming up with a bouldering gym to take its business to new heights.

Far South Austin purveyor Spokesman Coffee will open a new location inside the upcoming Crux Climbing Center in the Highland neighborhood, according to a release. The coffee shop and gym are expected to get off the ground in early 2020.

Like the original, the new Spokesman will carry a variety of coffee drinks, teas, and kombucha. The shop will also serve beer, joining next door neighbor Brewtorium in making the address a sudsy destination.

Spokesman will have a variety of grab-and-go food items to tame post-workout hunger pangs, including snack mixes, sandwiches, and various salads.

Crux co-owner Grace Nicholas notes that the gym likes to tap nearby businesses for onsite amenities. The Crux headquarters is located on the same compound as Cosmic Coffee & Beer Garden off Pickle Road.

“Our members love having access to coffee and other snacks while they’re visiting,” Nicholas says in a release. "Spokesman’s brand connects closely with ours and we’re excited to welcome our friends to the Highland neighborhood and offer their delicious roasts right within our walls.”

Spokesman will inhabit only 1,000 square feet of the giant 20,627-square-foot Crux facility at 6015 Dillard Circle #B. This will be the second location for both businesses.

coffee craft-beer openings fitness

Fierce Competition

Austin distillery hosting bourbon cocktail showdown with $12,000 in awards

Photo by Preston O'Shea

Fierce Whiskers is looking for the perfect cocktail to show off its Texas Straight Bourbon.

With something as nuanced as bourbon, it might be impossible to nail down the definitive best way to showcase it. Austin's Fierce Whiskers Distillery is not deterred. It'll task a dozen local bartenders with creating the best cocktail for its Texas Straight Bourbon in the Third Annual Austin Bourbon Battle on October 26.

This is a serious competition with big prizes paid out by the distillery (which has hosting help from partners Liber & Co and Virtue Craft Spirits). A people's choice award will end in a $2,000 prize, and the expert judges will award $10,000 to their favorite creation. Stakes are higher this year; the people's choice prize is now doubled, and the grand prize is the biggest of any year so far. Fierce Whiskers is only four years old, making this third year of event organizing overachievement all the more impressive.

Of course, if the people are going to choose a cocktail, they have to taste it. And if 12 sample-sized sips are just a warm-up, there will also be full portions of "select cocktails" to purchase, according to a press release. Food trucks Tru Luv Empanadas and Midway Dogs will be on hand with snacks, and live music will complete the evening. Rivian Electric Vehicles, which recently opened an Austin showroom, will also be there showing off its latest model and offering test drives and VIP shutter service.

Guests can come to support their favorite bartenders or find somewhere new to hang out next time they've got a hankering for a great bourbon cocktail. The following mixologists will be representing their bars:

Fletcher Wright – UpRoot
Ben Robinette, Brian Bounds – Kinfolk Lounge & Library
Trenten Relles – Meanwhile Brewing
Matthew Owoseni – Stella San Jac
Jarad Crowell – Il Brutto
Zachary Moore – Hillside Farmacy
Trever Fehrenbach – Dumont’s Down Low
Kevan Ash – Roosevelt Room
Rick Routh – Higher Ground
Franceska Akel – Equipment Room
Jessy Rae – Taco Flats
Matthew Le – Nickel City

The judges also have some recognizable names: whiskey writer Gabby Pharms, OMG Squee owner Sarah Lim, and Foliepops owner and Top Chef finalist Kevin D'Andrea.

“The competition continues to get more and more fierce,” said Fierce Whiskers founder Tri Vo in the release. “We’ve seen some incredible creations come out of Bourbon Battle each year and are always blown away by the creativity of each mixologist. It’s a privilege to showcase their creativity to the Austin community and we just hope folks come out to see what they can do!”

The Austin Bourbon Battle will take place at 5333 Fleming Ct. on October 26 from 3-7 pm. Tickets ($40) are available on Tock.

cocktails bartenders competition whiskey bourbon food trucks