We were lucky to catch up with Zach Hofstad recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zach, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I really want to encapsulate Austin via the sight-glass of coffee. “How is the Austin culture shared through coffee?” “How can one understand what Austin is all about from the different coffee shops we have here?” I recently wrote a blog piece about what the ‘coffee scene’ is in Austin, and how coffee can be used to bridge communities and be a catalyst for retaining the greatness of Austin.

Zach, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My Austin coffee Instagram/blog was brewed from my intrinsic love for everything coffee. I quickly discovered when I moved to Austin seven years ago the many great local coffee shops and roasteries we have here, so my initial goal was to visit and share every one in town. Fast forward to today, not only do I still want to check every ATX coffee shop, but also provide a view and landscape of Austin/Central TX via the sight glass of coffee.

One of my favorite hobbies is truly exploring new coffee shops and conversing with baristas and friends over all things coffee. In an area that prides itself on supporting ‘local’ and small businesses, Austin’s coffee scene is only getting stronger and more diverse, which are the stories I love to highlight.

Every coffee house, trailer and roastery is also unique, as is one’s general reason for wanting to visit a coffee location in the first place. So, I like to use my Instagram to showcase the best attributes of each coffee shop, as well as serve as a coffee compass for local roasteries – all to serve as a one-stop-shop for all things Austin brew. I like to approach every coffeeshop and gauge its aptitude in categories as one would visit, such as ‘working from home’, ‘reading or studying’, ‘meeting friends or a date,’ and just overall ‘vibes.’ From the East Side to the Domain and Dripping Springs, every pocket in the city has a unique coffee presence and provenance, and coffee is a great tool for connection.

I also particularly enjoy the various parallels coffee has with other things that make Austin great. Whether it’s a way of keeping Austin ‘local,’ combining forces with wine or beer or serving as the conductor of good conversations, coffee seems to be a common catalyst in this town.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being a fulfilling outlet for my passion (coffee) and seeing others engage and use my content in their coffee journeys

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Support in more than one way. Whether it’s a social media follow, a word-of-mouth recommendation, a physical booth or activation visit, or a donation – momentum compounds and is greatly appreciated by us creatives!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dripitlikeitshotcoffeeblog.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drip_it_like_its_hot/?hl=en
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
myself