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As coffee cultures in the United States are becoming more sophisticated and nuanced, the subcultures of the country are starting to find their place within the love of the bean.  Although the image of the coffee house of the 1950s, with beatniks and poetry and long conversations about art is still very strong in the popular imagination, there are plenty of spaces for everyone else as well.  This definitely includes hot rod culture.

 

There are a number of roasters who take the hot rod image as part of its identity.  This is an example of one of those moments when icons meet up with other icons, and start to form interesting alliances.  Most of the cultures that are finding their centers around espresso do have certain connections with beatnik culture, enough to show that the self-aware in every crowd like to recognize their roots.  Today’s coffee houses may very well include the kinds of devoted hot rod fanatics who frequent www.hotrodhanks.com, and have the kind of coffee-house sensibility to talk about it for hours.

 

It is perhaps one of the inheritances of the beat generation to create the kind of atmosphere that’s based on sharpness of wit, ability to hang out and enjoy a moment, and still maintain a distinct ironic distance from the rest of the world.  This is not only the heart of a lot of coffee house culture, but it’s also very much in alignment with the hot rod world.  It’s based on modifications that don’t erase the past, but recognize it and honor it.  Both cultures are also becoming rather adept at incorporating the best parts of the things they like and leaving the rest for someone else to worry about.  Hot rods and hot coffee do mix together very well.

There are some hobbies or passions that do particularly lend themselves to the lifestyle of coffee drinks in the middle of the day.  In these times, the idea of the hot rod café is one that’s hard to sustain, simply because lifestyles have changed.  Coffee has always been a much safer companion to driving than a pint of beer, and it’s also a faster pit stop.  Drivers can refuel and find something to stimulate their nerves while getting ready to head to the next destination.  And those who decide to stick around for awhile just might find themselves in a heated conversation about rev wheels, or the best roadside attractions between this city and the next.