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    Sip like Rip

    Yellowstone tough guy Cole Hauser cowboys up with new coffee brand made in Texas

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Oct 16, 2023 | 9:40 am
    Cole Hauser, Free Rein coffee

    All he needs is a good horse, good coffee...and Beth, of course.

    Photo courtesy of Free Rein

    Houstonians can't get enough of Yellowstone — and especially Cole Hauser, who plays tough guy Rip. Now, locals can get their day started the cowboy way with Hauser's new coffee line that pays tribute to the rugged characters on the hit show. Called Free Rein Coffee Company, the brand is a partnership among Hauser and three friends, and is made in Texas.

    According to a release, in 2022, Hauser and his friends Karl Pfluger, Aron Marquez, and Paul Anderson purchased a small-batch roasting facility in San Angelo to craft their coffee.

    "Together they searched for a roaster who embodied the pioneer's spirit, and eventually found the Deckers, a family that had been roasting coffee in San Angelo, Texas for over 25 years," the release says. "The four friends decided to bring the family's West Texas heritage and know-how, and run with it, to wherever dreams are being chased."

    Free Rein launches with six different blends:

    • Heavy Spur - a high caffeine blend
    • Branded - a "fiery blend" of cayenne and cinnamon
    • American Dirt - Hauser's signature dark roast blend
    • Homestead - "a balanced, comfortable coffee to relax by the fire with"
    • Prospect - a light roast that's smooth but still full-flavored
    • Mesteño - meaning "wild horse," a bold and balanced blend

    Each is available in whole beans, ground beans, and single-serve pod formats. Twelve-ounce bags sell for $15.99 on the Free Rein website. (Inquiries about local retailers have not yet been answered as of press time.)

    In addition to coffee, Free Rein also sells a line of drinkware and apparel including hats, shirts, and more.

    A portion of sales will go to the nonprofit Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which empowers families of fallen and severely wounded Special Operations warriors. Hauser is a longtime patron and board member.

    Hauser has portrayed heartthrob Rip Wheeler (aka Beth Dutton's hubby) on Yellowstone since 2018. While Hauser doesn't live in Texas, he's made a couple of sold-out appearances in Houston. Fans packed his events at Ben Berg's The Ranch Saloon + Steakhouse earlier this year at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo for a photo with the star. He has also made sold-out appearances at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, and one of his sons attends TCU.

    "With Free Rein, we're not only crafting a premium coffee experience, but also paying a heartfelt homage to the American Dream," Hauser says in the release. "As a nation built on dreams and aspirations, we want to inspire the go-getters, the dreamers, and the believers to fuel their pursuits.

    "Just as the American Dream knows no boundaries, we aim to exceed expectations and create a legacy of our own — one that is deeply connected to our roots and the core values that shaped us. I am so excited for everyone to finally have their hands on this coffee."

    Cole HauserFree ReinFree Rein Coffee CompanyYellowstonecoffeecelebrities
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    What's Eric Eating Episodes 516 and 517

    Food experts draft the best dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston

    CultureMap Staff
    Dec 12, 2025 | 5:15 pm
    Moon Rabbit food spread
    Moon Rabbit/Facebook
    Two panelists selected dishes from Moon Rabbit in the Heights.

    On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler recruited five of his friends and colleagues to select their favorite dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston via a fantasy football-style draft.



    The panelists — Stevie Vu of the Chowdown in Chinatown Facebook group and Asia Society, Texas; Chelsea Thomas of Local Foods Group; Heights Grocer and Montrose Grocer owner Mary Clarkson; Have A Nice Day AAPI pop-up market co-founder Isabel Protomartir; Houston BBQ Festival co-founder Michael Fulmer — joined Sandler to draft Vietnamese dishes and restaurants in six categories. They are:

    • Appetizer/Salad
    • Entree
    • Sandwich
    • Soup
    • Viet-Cajun
    • Wildcard

    In the first round, Vu kicked things off by selecting the sandwiches from Chinatown institution Nguyen Ngo. Thomas followed with the duck salad at Thien An. Clarkson took the mango-papaya salad from Old Saigon Cafe, and Sandler scored the Beef 7 Ways at Chinatown favorite Saigon Pagolac. Protomartir took the Duck House’s crispy egg rolls, and Fulmer closed round one with the beef rolls at Nam Giao, which holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide.

    Sandler shared the full results on Instagram.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Eric Sandler (@ericsandler)


    As he noted, the draft results include some of Houston’s most prominent Vietnamese restaurant as well as a few under-the-radar choices that will give listeners some new options to try. Listen to the full episode on any podcast platform to hear the panelists explain the choices and recommend a few places that they could have drafted instead.



    In this week’s second episode, chef Christine Ha and her husband John Suh join Sandler to review the results and pick a winner. Since no one selected their restaurant The Blind Goat, each drafter is on an equal footing.

    Listen to the full episode to hear who won. Ha and Suh also share thoughts on their favorite selections by each panelist. They also catch us up on the latest happenings at both The Blind Goat and Stuffed Belly, their sandwich shop, including the recent addition of a gumbo pot pie to The Blind Goat’s menu.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by The Blind Goat (@theblindgoathtx)


    -----

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

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