Making Drinks in a Broken World
Yup. It’s another essay. The more our media consumption is chunked up into disconnected sound bites and super short format videos that frazzle all of our minds, the more important I think it is to also find moments to breath more slowly and think more deeply. For me, writing out the thoughts I ponder and piece together on walks is important. I share them not to be didactic but to connect, truly to share, in case you wish to share your own thoughts, or have something to think about yourself on your own walks.
As a triple bottom line company our values are deeply held and we try to live them every day in decisions small and large. Imperfectly, for sure, but live them, not just post them on a wall or put them in a binder. And on an almost daily basis I stop and think, ‘in a broken - and beautiful - world where there are so many things that I want to help with, why on earth make drinks.’ It becomes a particularly urgent-feeling question in the face of such a series of tragic and earth-shattering events as we have all been experiencing this spring. The news has been heavy for a long time and it just keeps getting heavier. The world and the news have always had a heaviness to them, I know. The glorious and the tragic always coexist. We just have ever more means to hear about all of it. And in some ways that gives me hope, because even though it doesn't always feel like it, I think more people care more about people outside of their tight circle than ever before. Anyway, as a general rule, I have very few answers about anything, really - other than things like, what is the perfect ratio for a sour? or what is the difference between binding and lifting bitters? But, I try to keep our work contextualized amidst everything. Not to aggrandize it. But to keep our hearts and minds on doing the good we can do in this particular circle of influence we have.
Drinks are a special thing in their own way. Sharing beverages is one of oldest, most communal pieces of being a human. A beautifully crafted beverage is a piece of art, an act of caring, a celebration, and an opportunity to connect with others and with yourself. It absolutely doesn’t have to be an alcoholic beverage. Coffee, tea, old fashioned lemonade…any drinks when made with care and extended to another are part of the beautiful celebration of connection. Connection and beauty. That simple, that grand. We happen to have a special affinity for the magical alchemy of botanicals, and stills, shaking, and stirring. While a wonderful and fun thing, we acknowledge this is an act that can be abused. Therefore we strive to focus deeply on quality and care while not losing our sense of playfulness and joy. Passionately and imperfectly striving to more perfectly create a conscious model through our funny little business.
This also brings me to hospitality, another one of our core values. We strive to make space for everyone at the table, to see the humanity in each other, in every guest, in every partner, in every vendor, or account. Again, it will always be imperfect. But it is worthy of effort. Businesses like restaurants, cafés, and bars have the special opportunity to be what is known as “third spaces.” A third space is a space that is a non-governmental and non-religious gathering space. Historically town squares could serve this role, civic centers, various interest clubs, and definitely spaces where food and beverages are served. In third spaces, people who may not be family, friends (at least to begin with), or even neighbors can interact with each other in ways that serve to foster community, connection, sense of place and ownership, and ideas. For example, the stock market (for better or worse, ha) was originally developed through conversations between people hanging out in coffee houses in France. Regulars can gain a sense of investment and ownership and connection with each other. People who have visited before might do some of the hospitality work of teaching a newcomer about how things work, what to order, etc. It’s a truly beautiful thing.
Now, I feel very strongly that businesses should not be expected to take the place of community. I think that's unhealthy and, to be honest, a potentially terrifying ultimate extension of capitalism replacing culture. And, businesses also shouldn't be responsible for the changes that the government needs to make to provide safety and security and better safety nets for all. That said, I think we can try as a business to be a positive contributor to culture and community, and that doing so matters.
And we also hope that beautifully, thoughtfully crafted beverages may be part of the welcome, the joy, the warm glow of many other community, family, and friend gatherings. It’s not everything, but it’s also not nothing, And when it comes down to it, isn’t that the case with all work. :)