Hi, hello, and howdy, and welcome back to Tiny Sidecar. I'm Kate, your host, an original Wisconsinite. I just got back from a trip to Wisconsin that turned out to be equal parts, caffeine, nostalgia, and a cozy little creative retreat. Now I know it's been a minute since we chatted, and I can't wait to get you up to speed on all of the things that Wisconsin held for us. This episode is kind of like an audio scrapbook, full of warm cafes, rainy afternoons, conversations about surprise parties and improv classes, and this one delicious Coca-Cola latte that fully lived up to the hype. So we have a lot to discuss, and here's the thing: when I was back home, I drank far too much coffee, but at the same time wasn't even enough. I'm so excited to bring you along on this coffee date that we're about to have, and there's too much to talk about, so let's just get into it, shall we? Now, if we're going to go on a coffee date together today, which we are gonna go on a coffee date together, then we have to set the scene. So about two weeks ago, three maybe at this point, I flew home to Wisconsin, and home for me really starts in Milwaukee. So the first three days of the trip, I was in that beautiful city. Now, if you've never been there, we gotta set the scene correct. It's often dubbed as Chicago's Little Sister, but don't let that fool you. The city has lots of rhythm and it's kind of on its own path too. And think cream city, brick buildings, and delicious food all nestles up against Lake Michigan. Neighborhoods like the Third Ward and River West, Bayview, all these fantastic places that are building their own little culture in that neighborhood. If the food's good, the coffee's very good. We're talking creativity, grit, and just a whole lot of good people in community. So if you really want to lean into what it's like to be a Milwaukee, just imagine that you're taking a walk down Lake Michigan and sipping on your favorite cup of joe. Before I even got on that flight home, I had one mission in mind. I just wanted to drink as many specialty drinks as I could get my hands on. I've been super inspired by seeing what people are dreaming up in each cafe, and so I went a little wild. But I also ordered some classics and tried some incredible pourovers too. So I think I got you handled on all fronts. Like I mentioned, Milaukee's gorgeous city, right? Tucked up against Lake Michigan, but full of parks, lots of trees, and it has a homey vibe, even though it's a relatively big city. The neighborhood that I want to take you to first is called the Third Ward. Now the Third Ward is one of my favorite places. It was definitely a top contender for my most excited cafe before I started on my journey, and it was one of the first places I went. We're talking about Discourse. Discourse is a newer coffee shop, at least to me, but they instantly grab my attention on Instagram. They're known for making these incredible specialty drinks, and you can kind of think about it as like what would happen if Willy Wonka opened a coffee lab. I had their channel orange, which was bright, citrusy, but also really smooth and easily could have become my daily drink. And the other drink that I want to point out is the motorhead. Now I'm a vegetarian, but when I saw that there was a pork fat and apple caramel latte, I was like, we have to try it. It sounded wild and it was, but it also just worked. It was decadent and rich, but also balanced, and it was something that I might not have finished the whole thing, but I absolutely love what they created. Discourse has more than one cafe, and the cafe that I went to was in the Radio Milwaukee location. It has incredible vibes, just purposeful ceramics, amazing lighting, and the drinks were as fun as they were thoughtful. I sat by a window and I spent the time laughing with one of my best friends about how we had spent hours the previous night turning ourselves into our own season of White Lotus, which is probably a conversation for a different time. But my friend Jackie just is this ray of sunshine. And the way her brain works and her creativity, she was the perfect coffee date for being at discourse. I just will always remember the moments that we share, having these deep conversations, but also keeping it lighthearted and fun. And now that I'm thinking about it more, that's exactly what discourse feels like. Everything is very intentional and thoughtful, but everything is very playful and creative. And it's just I couldn't recommend visiting them more. The baristas were beyond kind. They spent time chatting when they had a moment, and also they let me film the perfect content of all the amazing garnishes that they use. First recommendation right off the bat is if you haven't heard of Discourse, at least pop your eyes on their menu. I'm sure you'll feel much more inspired for your next brew. Now, after Discourse, I popped over to Likewise Coffee. Likewise is this amazing cafe, very different vibes from Discourse. We're thinking really tall, beautiful windows that let in a lot of natural light. Lucky enough to visit when one of their coffee trees had produced its first fruit and got to see that little green uh cherry forming. So that alone was special, but also the cashier ended up being the owner. Scott was incredibly kind and chatted coffee when he had a free moment and also served us a little extra something just to try. What really stood out at likewise was their quiet confidence. They're not shouting for attention, they're not doing just the classics, but they're doing the classics incredibly well and with a twist that's also very curious and creative. I want you to think like perfect dialed in espresso, thoughtful seasonal flavors and an atmosphere that makes you want to linger. It was the perfect spot to catch up with my best friend Laura and chat about what's been going on in her life and also feeling like you were surrounded in this really intentional space. It's curated but still fun and filled with community. Now I'm someone that likes brightness in my coffee, but doesn't want it to be overly citrus, and I just had to go with the crowd, and I gave it a squeeze, and it was perfectly balanced. It was so delicious with that Ethiopia espresso, and that has to be one of my top recommendations, along with the Burundi pour just beautifully served. After likewise, it was just a hop down the next street to Valentine Coffee Roasters. Now, Valentine is completely new to me. Out of all of the cafes, Valentine is a place that I've heard of, but I've never visited, and I was so glad that we went there. So Valentine had this strawberry latte, and honestly, it tasted like that strawberry milk that you got when you were a kid, but even more delicious with perfect espresso in it. It was a rainy day when we stopped in, which gave the space this cozy, city-soaked vibe that made the brick walls and warm lighting feel even more inviting. The staff was incredibly lovely. They were easygoing and welcoming, and the space had that casual effortlessness that brought community together that just made you want to sit by a window and read a book. It turned out to be a walk down memory lane talking with friends about the good old days, past jobs, old apartments, and the people that shaped who we are today. And even though Valentine was the last stop for the day, I couldn't stop drinking that strawberry latte. It was so amazingly delicious. And I think just the staff that served us being so happy and bright and excited for us to try their drinks made that coffee extra special. Now I'm sure you're already catching the theme of these coffee shops, but they all were doing specialty coffees really well. They were all serving it in their own way and creating their own space in that community. And I think each one of those shops definitely was serving a different kind of person. But the thing that was common throughout all of them is no matter who I talk to, if it was a short conversation or longer, it was people wanting to build community. And this is that same theme from SCA that just I feel like coffee and coffee culture is changing and people are developing and it just feels like everyone's wanting to connect and recenter and be grounded. And I would say that without a doubt in Milwaukee, one of the biggest takeaways is that these coffee people are just as excited to share it with you as Houston or Chicago or New York. Like people are excited to talk about coffee and people are excited to share together again. So it's a different time for sure, and that really stood out when I was back home. So after day one, day two rolls around. And I'm incredibly lucky that the people that are in my life truly support my passions. And once they found out that I wanted to visit a bunch of different coffee shops and roasteries in Milwaukee, they all wanted to join me. So every stop was a new coffee date with one of my favorite people. And day two brought around the River West Collectivo Roasting Company. So Collectivo has been a staple in Milwaukee for a number of years. It's definitely shaping the culture of coffee in Wisconsin. And to be quite honest, it was one of my first introductions to specialty coffee back in college. Now, the shop that I used to go to in college was along the lakefront, and it was kind of a full circle moment that Laura came with me to the Collectivo roastery because she was also the person that I used to walk down Lake Michigan to the lakefront Collectivo, and we would get these giant cookies and talk about how we were so excited to graduate college. The roastery is big and full of energy with high ceilings, lots of seating, and a menu that balances crowd pleasers with a few rotating seasonal surprises. And I would say Collectivo does a really good job of staying on top of trends that are going on. I know when I was home around Christmas, they had like this peppermint fluff latte that the milk was so frothed and foamed that it was almost as if there was a marshmallow in there. It was so delicious and velvety. Now, granted, it's summer and that isn't what I had this time, but they're just good about staying on top of druns. It's approachable, fast moving, and feels a bit like a gateway cafe for folks that are just wanting to get in specialty coffee. It also gives you a really nice picture of what it takes to roast coffee. You can see their palettes of green coffee, you can see their staff bagging coffee, you can see their two giant roasters and the mechanics of getting that coffee out the door. So I think if you're someone that hasn't been to a roasting company before but enjoys a good cup of coffee, this is a great stop just to see the inner workings in a really approachable way. And our last stop on the Milwaukee tour was Stone Creek, and it's particularly the Downer Cafe. And let me tell you, Stone Creek has forever changed my mind on how I will think of a waffle. I love a waffle, but I love a Stone Creek waffle. They make all their waffles in their bakery and they make these delicious flavor combos. I know this is a coffee podcast, but I would be doing you dirty if I didn't tell you about the banana foster waffle that I had when I was there. It was perfection. I could never ask for anything better. I will get a flight just to get it right now. It is so good. Stone Creek, similar to Clectivo, is definitely a staple in Wisconsin. At some point when I lived in Milwaukee, I transitioned from Clectivo Coffee to Stone Creek. It probably was because they opened this downer location and because their waffles are so good. But they do coffee really, really well and they take a lot of pride in what they're doing. They're a B Corporation, which we always love to hear. Spending a little time with my friend Bridget trying to escape again, another rainy day, and just sipping on a little coffee and having a waffle was the perfect way to end the Milwaukee cafe tours. I have a lot more to say about Stone Creek. I was lucky enough to go on their factory tour and see their roasting company as well. And I even have my first interviewee because of it. So I'm so excited for you to meet her and for us to talk more, but I want to save some of that for a future episode. Now we have one last shop to talk about, and I will say that this is probably the shop that surprised me the most. There's a couple reasons behind it. I ended up traveling to Wausau, Wisconsin. And in Wausau, Wisconsin is Tuckney Coffee. This stop meant more to me than I can really explain. The main reason why I went home to Wisconsin was to celebrate the life of my grandma, who had passed away last Thanksgiving. Wausaw was the destination to be together with family, to remember her, and the light that she brought to this world. If you know me personally, you know that my grandma meant that absolute world to me. She's one of my favorite people, always will be. And just the connection I had with her was so incredibly special. And so this weekend and this trip home, there was a lot of emotion built up around it. And I think spending some time at a coffee shop in Wasa was something that one was a good distraction for me, but also I just it's something that I love to do. And I wanted that weekend to be surrounded with just lots of positivity and love because that's who she was. Similar to the coffee industry and so many people that are in it, my grandma was absolutely this beacon of love and light, but at the same time, she was like super gritty and she could hold her ground so well. It's something that always inspired me about her that she knew exactly who she was. Yeah, I just I'm lucky to have known her. And so I end up in Wassau, Wisconsin. I hadn't done a lot of research. Lo and behold, the restaurant that we decided to go to to meet up with family on the first day happens to be right next to a coffee shop. And it happens to be next to a coffee shop that I was thinking about going to, which was Tuckney. I'll never forget sipping the Muddy Buddy inspired latte while swapping stories about growing up. I was there with my dad and my brothers, and it was this rare and precious time together. I just think like the nostalgia that Tuckni immediately brings by the vibe that they've put together is something so special, and I'm incredibly grateful that that is the coffee shop that I will now remember when I think about that weekend. It's like a little bit retro, a little bit this, a little bit that. It feels very home. The staff again is incredibly kind and just fun, bubbly, bright people that also just like know who they are. Like that cafe knows who it is, and they're not trying to be anything but who they are, which that's so special. So I'm incredibly grateful for the space that they've created. It just was such a cherry on top of that whole weekend. We talked about the vibe, we talked about how special the place is, but we have to talk about their drinks because let's take away all of the emotions that came with that weekend. Technique Coffee truly had some incredible drinks that were just so good. They were so playful and fun. So I've had this dream for like two months and I just haven't done it, but I like got kind of stuck on like a cherry Coca-Cola latte, and I've been talking about it because it just seems like it would work. And then here we are at Technic, and on their specialty June coffees, is a Coca-Cola latte with a coconut cold foam, and it's amazing. It was one of the best drinks, if not the best drink that I had. It was a damn good cup of coffee. That about wraps it up for our Wisconsin road trip. A lot of different coffee shops in there, and honestly, there were a few that I didn't even mention, but so many good memories were had, so many good, delicious coffee drinks were had. And there's a few things that really stuck out to me with this last trip, visiting home in the lens of a coffee drinker. And one of those was that coffee is really about community right now. So many people are wanting to lean into community, are wanting to grow a community, are wanting to hold space for community. And I think in the current climate of the world, we need much, much more of that. And coffee's always been a place where people come together, share ideas, learn and grow. And that's what's happening in Wisconsin. And like I said earlier, that's what was happening in Houston. And I'm just feeling more and more confident that coffee is going to be the driving factor that helps us stop pointing out our differences and start looking at paths forward that are productive and good for everyone. I mean, don't get me on my soapbox unless you really want me to, but just coffee is meant to have conversations, and I think we need to have so many more because the more that you chat with someone in your life that might think about things differently than you, you're gonna find that common ground. I just think it's so important and it's so cool to see that coffee shops are coming together and are being this local spot for people to really connect when we need it the most. I would also say that this scene is no longer about gatekeeping or flexing knowledge. It's about joy, it's about welcoming people in, creating moments, and using coffee as a bridge. Gone are the days of the coffee snabs, and here to stay are the people who pour their hearts out into their work, invite creativity in, and invite others to the table. Like it is clear as day that we do not want to be a community that just holds a gate up in front of everyone else. Like, we want people to experience what we love and what we're passionate about. And again, I'm a complete stranger to all of these people that I met, and not a one of them was trying to be any sort of way except welcoming and kind and share what they love. And I loved that. So, what's coming up next? Well, we have two episodes that are currently brewing that are both interviews. So, like I mentioned earlier, I had a fabulous interview with Stone Creek Coffee and with Wonder State, and I'm really excited to share those with you. Those will be in the upcoming episodes. I continue to be so excited and inspired by the people that I'm meeting through Tiny Sidecar. I had this incredible conversation with Blaine, who works for Girls Gotta Run, which was this incredible foundation that was spotlighted with the world of coffee runners at SCA. I made that connection with Blaine there, and we're just talking about some cool things that hopefully will come to fruition. So there's a lot of really good stuff happening in the coffee world, and a lot of good people are all coming together. So lots to come from Tiny Sidecar. I'm hoping that we're back on our schedule now. I don't have any upcoming travel. Although I am, and hear me out, and you tell me. But I'm kind of thinking about doing more of these like long weekend city bops in areas around the US that aren't always like the forefront of the coffee mind. I really loved being here with you today, and I think I needed this one, and I hope you did too. I hope it was great that your day's a little better because of it. I'm so glad you're things are coming and good things are coming as always. So come say hi to me on Instagram at Tiny Sidecar or shoot me a note at howdy at tinyysidecar.com. I'll see you so soon. Bye, my friends.