• Andrew Sepic in front of the Nomad Coffee trailer

While traveling out west, Andrew Sepic and Nicole Grinstead enjoyed stumbling on pint-size coffee caravans in unexpected places. "They would do great coffee in the middle of nowhere," Sepic recalls. "There was just room [inside] for a guy and an espresso machine."

After moving to Vermont, the pair found themselves commuting to Burlington on a route that lacked quality brews. They decided to take the DIY approach. "We thought it would be great to create a mobile solution," says Sepic. "To bring good coffee to the underserved ... people outside of the city."

The couple's trailer, Nomad Coffee, opens early next week at Five Corners in Essex Junction, near Berda's Roadside Eatery. It will remain there Monday through Friday, serving from 7 a.m. until around 3 p.m. On the weekends, Nomad will live up to its name, popping up at public events such as mountain-bike rallies and private gatherings such as weddings.

Beans will come from Brio Coffeeworks of Burlington, as will cold brew, which will likely be "on nitro." Not only do Sepic and Grinstead like the company's roasts but Brio's owners and staff have been instrumental in helping the pair get their business off the ground. "They've given us so much support throughout the process," Sepic says. "In education and training and helping us secure equipment ... the whole package they've offered us is just great."

Along with cups of coffee and the aforementioned cold brew, Nomad will offer all the classic espresso drinks, plus cold stuff like gingery iced chai. There will be pastries, as well, though the couple is still nailing down supply-chain details. Depending on customer response, the beverage offerings could get more, or less, exotic with time. "We'll cycle through different coffees as we get a feel from our clientele," says Sepic.