Brodie Vissers makes coffee on his bicycle. It's not a metaphor, it's part of his job. A filmmaker, creative director and modern-day ritualist, Brodie's work lives at the intersection of drink, culture and history. One moment he's cycling through Barcelona brewing an espresso, the next he's capturing a tea ceremony in Kyoto. With roots in the world of speciality coffee and a camera always at hand, he's on a mission to show that every cup - coffee, tea or something stronger - has a story worth telling.
Photography by Jan Luengo
Hi Brodie, thanks for sitting with us. Let me start with some background: how did your love for drinks begin?
Believe it or not, it began with tea! I moved to China back in 2012 for a year, and everyone was drinking the best tea I'd ever put my lips to. Green, Black, Pu'er, I loved it all, and I loved the culture around it. Then I got interested in coffee because it was growing nearby in that province, Yunnan, and I just thought the connection was interesting. So for the following years, I did a deep dive into specialty coffee, the stories behind it, the people moving the industry, how it's made, and of course the taste. And all of this naturally lead to my fascination with all types of artisan drinks, from craft beer to natural wine, cocktails and unique spirits from around the world. Now, I basically cover it all – wherever my curiosity leads me.
Drinks, like food, are often deeply rooted in culture, carrying memory, identity, and tradition. In your work, how do you go about capturing that invisible thread between what we sip and the stories behind it?
Well, it all starts with asking a lot of questions, which maybe I'm notorious for, but hey, that's how you get to the nitty gritty. Also, I find that most people are very excited to share things about their cultures. From there, just follow your natural curiosity. It will be much easier to go deeper and people open up when they see that you're authentically listening. In my case, I believe every drink has a story worth telling, and actually we deserve to take things one step further for the drinks we enjoy regularly, whether it's coffee, matcha, beer, or mezcal.
We were instantly hooked when we first saw you brewing coffee on a bike. Where did that idea even come from? Was it spontaneous, inspired, or something you'd been dreaming up for a while? And has it sparked any memorable conversations with strangers along the way?
It's funny because I actually came up with it super randomly many years ago, like back in 2016. I was in Canada at the time. I dressed up in full cycling attire, coffee gear in the back pockets, and got my dad to film me on my phone from his bike. I put a little edit together for Youtube, before I even had a proper channel, but it didn't really go anywhere. I even put it up on TikTok, but it didn't catch. Then, years later, I started making regular content for Wacaco, a portable coffee gear brand, and tried again for Instagram Reels. It actually performed OK, but nothing exceptional, so I only did it once in a while, until one day I made one minor tweak. I put my phone in POV, did the exact same thing, and everything changed. Every video I posted like that started blowing up, so I knew I struck a chord with my audience. Now, people sometimes approach me in coffee festivals and tell me I was the one all their friends were sending them on IG. Once, a guy saw me shooting in Barcelona while he was running passed and shouted out that he knew me, haha. I got my fair share of haters too, but that's all part of the game and somehow makes it more fun!
What’s the most underrated drink culture you've come across, and what do we miss when we overlook it?
Wow, there's so many, but it's also important to distinguish that what's underrated for someone might be super overrated for someone else depending on which culture they come from. For example, very few people drink and enjoy yerba mate, unless of course they're from Argentina, Uruguay, or parts of Brazil, then it's everywhere – you can't escape it. Same with authentic Turkish coffee which is very hard to find in most places, until you go to Turkey, or any ex-Ottoman countries. So, I would definitely encourage people to seek out those rich experiences when you can, because you'll appreciate not only the drink but the surrounding culture in a different way. But let's focus on Japan for a second. There are parts of the cuisine that have already caught on globally – sushi, ramen, matcha – but what about sake? I honestly think this drink has the potential really trend globally, especially as a wine alternative and cocktail component. It has a really thoughtful, ancient process, it's lower in acidity, still very complex, and goes well with many foods.
If every drink tells a story, what’s one drink that completely surprised you with its plot twist?
Haha, plot twist, I love it. Well, every once in a while there are drinks I come across that I just love serving blindly to guests in my home just to see their reaction. When I was in Rio, we came across this cachaça bar that specialized in infusing cachaça with different things like cacao, passion fruit, mint... and jambu. Now, as they explained it, jambu was a flower bud from the Amazon rainforest that when consumed turns your whole mouth tingly and numb for a few minutes. Infused with cachaça it was a dangerously delightful drink, especially as a caipirinha. I bought a bottle for home and always got a fun reaction from friends upon their first sip. Later, I realized I could do my own infusions with the numbing peppercorns I used to eat back in Yunnan, and they were a little more accessible (and affordable) than the "electric flower".
Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than previous generations, yet coffee culture seems to be at an all-time high. As someone who explores drink culture in all its forms, how do you see this shift shaping the future of how and why we drink?
I've heard that a lot lately about alcohol, and from a health standpoint (physical and mental), it's overall a positive shift. I don't believe that's the main reason for GEN Z, but we won't get into that here. The important part of this is conscious consumerism, and when it comes to drinks, coffee has definitely led the way here for many years, specifically on an environmental and social level. Many people, younger generations specifically, are thinking more deeply about what they consume, what they get out of it, and also how it might impact others. I refer to these people as Sippers. It's a mentality and philosophy around taking your time, appreciating the drink, reflecting on flavour and experience. For coffee, farmers can get a higher wage when we choose to focus on quality and taste rather than just caffeine, and for tequila, we don't have to take a round of hangover-inducing shots somewhat pacified by salt and lime to experience a culturally significant spirit. We can sip to enjoy the story and not just to feel a fleeting effect (but that's always a nice bonus).
Your company, Journee Studios isn’t just a production house, it feels more like a philosophy in motion. If your studio had a secret manifesto, what would be written on the first page?
Let's inspire a world that values depth over trends. Where brands and audiences connect through stories of tradition, people, and cultures. As sippers, we dive deeper into taste and texture. Presentation and experience. We do it by capturing sights, sounds, words, and flavours. If needed, with a camera in hand. Stay curious, and keep sipping 😊
"I believe every drink has a story worth telling, and actually we deserve to take things one step further for the drinks we enjoy regularly, whether it's coffee, matcha, beer, or mezcal."