Tom Whitaker don’t Hoover the blow or puff the Mary Jane but the guy is always jacked up on coffee. We threw questions at Tom re his habit, yellow teeth and the turd breath that plagues coffee drinker’s world wide.
How important is coffee to you?
It’s up there with surfing and golf for me. I think of coffee
before I go to sleep at night not what the surf is going to be like.
Often I’ll turn to my girl in bed before we crash out and say, “How
good is a coffee going to be in the morning?” The thought of a
morning coffee really excites me.
How many cups will you drink a day?
I drink no less than two but no more than six. If it’s hot one I only
put away a couple but if it’s a cold day I’ll have a mug in hand from
sun up to sun down.
How long have you been a user?
My parents are Poms so I grew up drinking tea. When I hit my mid
teens I started looking for something with a bit more boot so I
graduated to coffee.
Do you still feel a buzz from the gear or is your body familiar with
the caffeine these days?
I don’t think the caffeine hit is as strong but it’s not just the
caffeine that gives me a buzz. It’s the whole coffee drinking
experience that provides the rush. I get a buzz from the aroma of the
brew, the taste of the coffee and the warmth of the mug in my hand.
What are you like when you don’t get a coffee?
It doesn’t happen too often because I’m not a coffee snob. I’ll drink
a cold cheap and nasty instant coffee with no milk or sugar if I have
to. When I can’t get a coffee though I’m anxious, uptight and a
little scratchy. I’ll try and substitute the coffee with a Coke
sometimes but it doesn’t have the same feeling. Nothing measures up
to coffee. Nothing.
What are you like when you have too much?
It’s easy to overdose on coffee and I do it regularly. I get the
sweats something horrible and I shake uncontrollably. It becomes
impossible to get anything done because I can’t focus on any one
thing for long enough. I drink water to get myself out of trouble, it
brings my body temp down and neutralises the effects of the java.
What is the coffee club?
Coffee Club has been running for a couple of years now, it is made up
of a group of guys on tour that get together and start their day with a few cups of coffee each morning. We let the coffee kick in and then let the shit talk fly.
Who is in the coffee club?
The original members are Clouse [Jarrad Howse], Taj, Brooko [Troy
Brooks] and myself. Fanning and a few of the other coffee drinkers on
tour join us occasionally and then there’s the wannabees: Otto, Luke
Munro and Steds. Those three are always rocking up to coffee club
meetings with their soy chai latte’s. We don’t like it but we tolerate it.
“It’s easy to overdose on coffee and I do it regularly. I get the sweats something horrible and I shake uncontrollably. It becomes impossible to get anything done because I can’t focus on any one thing for long enough. I drink water to get myself out of trouble, it brings my body temp down and neutralises the effects of the java.” Coffee expert Tom Whitaker.
How does one become a member?
Anyone is welcome. You just have to enjoy a coffee and have some good
yarns to share. Brooko worked hard to get in the club because he always hated coffee. The smell of it use to make him dry-retch but rather than miss out on all the fun that goes down at club meetings he forced himself to like it, he even vomited after his first few cups. He actually went out and bought an espresso machine even though he hated the stuff. Back in the day he had to hold his nose and drink it but now he loves it. He’s addicted. He drinks three cups of black coffee a day. It’s awesome. I’m proud of him.
How often does the coffee club meet?
When we’re on the road it’s a daily ritual at each event. Meetings are set up via text. If we’re all suffering from jetlag – and that’s usually the case in France, Spain and Brazil – you can expect the text messages to start rolling in around four am. Someone usually fires off a group text that reads something like, “Coffee Club. Five minutes. Lobby.” Then it’s game on. We meet, we drink coffee, and we talk shit.
Who has the fiercest addiction on tour?
It’s gotta be me these days but if Pat O’Connell was still on tour he’d hold the title, he’s the ultimate coffee junkie. To this day he’s like an Olsen twin, carrying around these Starbucks cups taller than he is.
How do you get your fix at home?
I like to mix it up but I usually take a quick hit from my electronic Breville in the morning because it’s set to a timer so it’s ready to go when I wake up. Drip coffee also has the most caffeine in it so it’s probably the best way to get your day started.
What else do you guys call coffee?
Java, brew, mix, mud, oil, black gold, roast, cup of joe, café con leche. The favourite one lately though is Kopi, which is what the Indo’s call it.
Ever tried to kick your habit or slow it down?
Never dreamt of giving it up all together but I have tried to slow it down but the headaches got way too gnarly.
You badass. How many sugars?
No sugar. I weened myself off the sweetener. Sugar is for kiddie’s that don’t appreciate the bitter-rich beauty of a good coffee. Sugar just takes away from that concentrated flavour and I think it detracts from the hit.
Do you care that coffee stains your teeth and makes your breath stink
and how do you combat these side affects?
I’ve had crap teeth all my life, if they get a little browner it’s hardly going to make a difference. I am highly aware of my breath though and coffee definitely turns your breath stale so I carry a pack of Fisherman’s Friends at all times. They’ve got more mint punch than Tic Tac’s or chewy and mask poo breath really well.
When does coffee taste best?
When checking the surf on a cold morning just before the sun pops up.
If you’re looking at the beach with a hot mug of good coffee in your hand it doesn’t get better. That’s kind of the goal for the coffee club: check the surf with a java and talk some shit.
Photos: Steve Baccon
Posts: 6
Reply #6 on : Mon November 03, 2008, 15:49:17