Coffeehouse Claims to Pioneer "Fifth Wave" Coffee, Whatever That Means
AUSTIN, TX—Move over third and fourth waves of coffee, there’s a new wave in town. And it’s taking the concept of sustainability and community to the next level. A local coffeehouse claims to pioneer a “fifth wave” of coffee, with a characteristic that’s making waves of its own.
“The fifth wave is marked by a concept I call ‘post-coffee’,” said Daniel Garcia, the 33-year-old owner of Lady Bird Roastery. “Literally we’re harvesting leftover coffee and repurposing it into the next day’s brew.” Garcia claims this is a logical evolution of the sustainability objectives of coffee’s fourth wave and their practices can reduce the carbon emissions of a batch of coffee by nearly 100%.
To achieve those objectives, patrons of Lady Bird are urged to dump the remnants of their drinks into a collection tank. Donations are also accepted from homeowners and businesses that have coffee left in their pots at the end of the day. This coffee and cream slurry is filtered into a holding tank where it’s reused as the next day’s brew. “Every day is a new experience,” says Alexa Grossback, a 25-year-old software developer who visits every morning on her way to work. “Sometimes it can be off-putting. But the days it’s not—it’s lovely.”
But the response on social media could be a breakwater for Garcia’s burgeoning fifth wave. "I've heard of farm-to-table, but this is more like trash-to-cup,” said Greg Smith (@gregsmith12) on Twitter. “I guarantee there is worse than backwash in there,” said Amie Faylen (@amiefayfay).
Responding to the concerns of the public, Garcia offers assurances. “We uphold the highest standard of quality for recycled beverages. While we can’t guarantee exactly what is in each cup of coffee every day, our customers' health and safety is one of our primary concerns. Ingesting unknown substances— that are highly sustainable—is a small sacrifice to safeguard the future of coffee for a younger generation.”