Aaron Franklin’s Traveling Coffee Habit, John Lewis on Austin Barbecue, and More A.M. Intel

— Houston chef Chris Shepherd shared a story of how Aaron Franklin travels with an espresso machine during cooking trips. He told Bon Appetit:

He’s ridiculous. On one trip, at 12:30 am, he was sitting with his smokers and asked me for an extension cord. I asked what he needed it for, and I realized he had an espresso machine set up. He brings a small espresso machine with him wherever he goes.

— Texas Monthly's Daniel Vaughn goes in deep with former Austin, now Charleston pitmaster John Lewis and the opening of Lewis Barbecue, where brisket is the king despite pulled pork’s popularity, and sauce isn't blasphemous. On the Austin barbecue scene, Lewis told Vaughn: "I don’t know who in their right mind would open a barbecue joint in Austin," because of the amount of acclaimed spots already there.

— First We Feast spotlights Eater photographer Robert J. Lerma and his work as a barbecue photographer, plus showed off his photos and pitmaster portraits.

— Strange Land Brewery debuted new cans with a new beer, Austinite Pilz. Austin 360 goes into the brewery’s recent changes, including how it ramped up production.

— Spoon University put Franklin Barbecue's Tipsy Texan as the state’s best sandwich.