In what has turned out to be an exciting 2020 NBA Finals, the L.A. Lakers made history by winning their 17th NBA Championship. The person who was closest to making sure that wouldn’t happen was Jimmy “Buckets” Butler, shooting guard of the Miami Heat.
As it turns out, he is also an aspiring barista and owner of a caffeinated venture called Big Face Coffee.
.@JimmyButler's been selling his own coffee in the bubble.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2020
He pulled up to Game 1 in a 'BIG FACE COFFEE OWNER' shirt 😂☕️ pic.twitter.com/6yKZSFnZb6
Not satisfied with the coffee being offered inside the bubble, and realizing that he was surrounded by very well-to-do individuals in need of some caffeine, Butler opened his “café” from the comfort of his hotel room.
Each cup sells for $20, regardless of coffee size or variety. Small pour-over? $20. Large cappuccino? $20. The price point, in the context of your average neighborhood café, probably sounds quite absurd and obscene, but when hustle mixes with basic economic principles, the end results can be quite interesting.
Let’s take a look at the menu of Big Face Coffee, and see what has helped fuel the bubble.
Black Coffees:
Pour-Over – The pour-over is commonly associated with specialty cafés and home brewers, so the presence of such an option at Big Face provides some indication of the quality they aim to achieve. Based on a recent Instagram post, Jimmy seems to be using a Hario V60 02.
Espresso – A good shot of espresso can go a long way in providing a nice kick, and given the declared brewers being used at Big Face, it is most likely made with a French Press.
Americano – Basically an espresso shot with some added hot water to help get it closer to tasting like a drip coffee but with a slightly stronger kick.
Red Eye – A cup of drip coffee mixed with a shot of espresso, the Red Eye is the penultimate drink for the caffeine-deprived.
White Coffees:
Latte and Cappuccino – Sibling coffee beverages with a mere difference in their construction. Both start with an espresso base, with the cappuccino having equal parts steamed milk then foam topped, while a latte would have a thicker layer of steamed milk and a thin/light layer of foam.
Thinking of just how much work it would entail to prepare this, I do hope that Jimmy Butler had more than one French Press in his hotel room so that one can be used to make the espresso shot, while the other one can be for the milk prep.
Mocha – Essentially a latte but with chocolate mixed in, added in either before or after the shot, but not after the milk. Chocolate syrup would be the preferred choice for mixing, so the possibility of Jimmy Butler requesting chocolate from the hotel is quite an interesting prospect.
Macchiato – An espresso shot with a splash of steamed milk. Think of it as a mini latte with a much stronger flavor profile thanks to the espresso being much more dominant.
Café au Lait – Drip coffee with milk added, a nice, light coffee to have.
Today I got my Big Face Coffee for free 😎!!! Thanks @JimmyButler pic.twitter.com/DsuYXkrvvw
— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) September 18, 2020
Although Jimmy Butler’s performance in the NBA Finals will surely be the stuff of legends, it was probably his caffeine-fuelled business that generated him the most amount of publicity. For $20 a cup, or basically, the price of a bag or two of coffee, you can have yourself a cup of Big Face Coffee, Butler’s coffee business powered by his French press, pour-over, coffee grinder, and passion for the beverage.
Words by Ryan Uy @thenameisrye