By Matthew R. Strange
How do you make a good cup of coffee? Well, if you’re Eric Spivack, the first step is to quit your corporate job — this particular coffee is going to take time and commitment. You can’t sit behind a desk for eight hours a day and expect to have enough time to create something delectable. The next step is to find the right equipment. Spivack chooses carefully: natural redwood siding, a 4-foot x 8-foot flatbed trailer, and a vintage Mustang gas tank.
Don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing.
Spivack is the owner, barista, and maker behind Alchemy Coffee, Richmond’s espresso edition to the growing food cart trend. You may have noticed Alchemy parked outside VCU or in front of The Martin Agency in Shockoe Slip. If you haven’t, you should. The cart itself was built, as Spivack describes, “with a decidedly casual approach.” But you’d never know it when you step up to the window. From some rough sketches and loose plans, Spivack and his designer/builder Tom Brickman created a cart with a warm and inviting design that’s half Adirondacks lodge and half classic Airstream. Although the nod to the Pacific Northwest was unintentional, redwood siding creates the perfect rugged exterior. And the shape is reminiscent of a drip turned on its side.
“When we started, I knew I wanted my cart to be unique,” Spivack explains. “I knew I wanted to include natural wood to echo the organic nature of coffee. And I knew I wanted metal showing as well, to reflect the industrial brewing equipment I was going to be using inside.”
No matter how the cart was made though, it was always going to be small. Due to size requirements from the City of Richmond, there was no way around that. But locking himself in a tiny cart was the key to Spivack’s freedom. He had to get away from the office. He says his time working for corporate America was “soul crushing.” Now, when I ask whether Alchemy has taken over his life, he says, “Yes. But in the best kind of way. Right now I don’t know what’s work and what isn’t.” That’s not because he’s so busy he can’t tell the difference. It’s because he’s so happy he doesn’t care. And I’ll tell you, it shows. His energy is infectious. Especially when he’s discussing coffee.
“Coffee is the second most consumed liquid on the planet behind water,” he tells me, “and the second most traded commodity behind oil. But most people don’t give it much thought.” That’s what he hopes to change with Alchemy.
You might guess that Spivack would have it out for Starbucks, but he doesn’t (not exactly). He’s even OK if you drink their coffee (occasionally, and only when it’s completely necessary). Mostly, he just wants you to know what you’re ordering and, more importantly, how to order to be sure you get the best drink possible. He is more than willing to discuss the chemistry behind his craft. And when he does, there is surprisingly little of the aloof arrogance that the knowledgeable so often exhibit. He’s genuinely devoted to coffee and wants to help everyone reach the same level of appreciation. In a sense, his desire is for customers to be enlightened. So far, that plan seems to be working. Every time I’ve ordered from Alchemy, the people waiting in line in front of Roger (the cart was named via a Facebook poll) are enthusiastic and excited.
Right now, you might not know what “single-origin Colombian” means or why Spivack always use 19 grams of coffee for each “double” shot of espresso … but talk to him for a moment while he makes your drink, and there’s a good chance you’ll learn something and there’s also a good chance you’ll go away wanting to buy a coffee maker than can closely replicate his deliciously tasting coffee! As you walk away sipping the deliciousness, you’ll be glad you did. Turns out, the more you know about making coffee, the more there is to love.