Archer Farms: Peru San Ignacio Review

Coffee lovers, if there was one piece of advice I could give, it would be, "Don't buy hype."  Fancy hipster designs, 15-20 dollars for 12oz of coffee, or special certifications do not make good coffee.  Often peripheral points such advertising, price point, and organic designations can influence our judgments, i.e. "I payed 20 dollars for X coffee, it must good."  

Certainly, Archer Farms "Peru San Ignacio" coffee presents itself being a select roast.  It is packaged in a tin can, points out the coffee is directly traded from the farmer to Archer Farms (skipping over the middle man), and has a little card explaining where the coffee is sourced and what you should taste.  Cool!  Yet, the price point is key: 8 dollars.  While, the presentation is rather good, the taste backs up the marketing around it.  Most importantly, the coffee is dripping with flavor.

As an espresso, the instant the liquid gingerly washed over my tongue, it began tingling.  Pear notes and the medium body mixed together creating a pleasant coffee bath for my tongue (there's probably a better way to state this, but I like the image).  At the end, I detected some bittersweet chocolate flavors. The banana taste eluded me.  What surprised me was the tingly sensation and I considered it the standout part of the espresso!

The French Press mellowed the tingly acidity, and brought out the bitter chocolaty flavors (in a good way), producing a unique, well rounded cup of coffee.  Though, I am partial to the espresso manifestation of it.    

The blog Coffee Adventures reviewed this coffee, and came to a similar conclusion.  Archer Farms Peru San Ignacio impressed me with its nuanced and delicate flavors, all at an affordable price.  Available at Targets, I highly recommend it as a "go-to" coffee when you need to pick something up. You will not be disappointed, if you keep in mind the price you are paying for it. 

 

DC Coffee Map: A Visual Guide to DC Coffee Houses

View Metro Espresso's guide to DC area coffee in a larger map

Visiting DC soon? I have created a "Coffee Map," for quality coffee houses in the District.  This list is certainly not exhaustive, but a spotlight on a handful of places you should visit if you are looking for good coffee.  I have not included Alexandria, Arlington, or Maryland suburbs.

If you are a tourist walking the mall, the best bets are Chinatown Coffee Company and M.E. Swings Coffee.

Going to the Kennedy Center?  Bourbon Coffee near George Washington University is the place for you!

A tourist who is looking to go "Beyond the National Mall," should visit Eastern Market on the Orange/Blue line.  Peregrine espresso will be a nice respite from the Farmer's market and shops.

Going north of the Mall?  Check out Tryst, Dolcezza Gelato, and Mid City Caffe.

Coffee Guide: How to Make Coffee/Espresso Syrup

The following recipe is derived from Coffee Love by Daniel Young

Want to make coffee syrup from your favorite coffee beans?  It's easy!  Follow these short steps, and you will have some fresh coffee syrup to drizzle onto cookies, ice cream, or other comestibles worth coffee syrup.  Point of note: This is my first time making syrup, so if you have suggestions or amendments to add, please contact me.

The following recipe makes a 3/4 cup of espresso syrup.  Espresso syrup is slightly sweeter than using brewed coffee.  If you want to make coffee syrup, use one cup of coffee rather than espresso.

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of espresso (Yes, you read that right.  It took 4 double shots of espresso, roughly)

1 sauce pan

1 whisk

1 small glass or tupperware container for storage

Directions:

1.  Brew one cup of espresso.  This will take multiple shots.  Hopefully, the results will look similar to this:

Trust me, I wanted to drink it.

2. Turn the stove to med-high.  Pour the espresso and cup of sugar into the sauce pan on the stove.  Whisk till sugar is dissolved.  

The sugar is now mixed in.

3.  This is the tricky part.  I read in my recipe book that the mixture should be heated right before boil, and reduce for 7-10 minutes.  I found that the mixture did not reduce at this temperature quickly enough.  I attempted a "mini-boil," by turning up the heat, where it reduced for another 10 minutes. 

Mmmm, espresso syrup

4.  As the mixture reduces becoming viscous, it is a matter of preference when you want to remove the pan.  The longer it reduces, the thicker it becomes. 

5.  Wait for it to cool (~4-5 minutes).  Pour the syrup into a glass or tupperware container.  Place in fridge.

Conclusion: Woolah!  Now, you have 3/4 cup of homemade espresso syrup.  The taste was quite strong and sugary.  If I did it over again, I would cut the sugar to 3/4 cup and lessen the amount of reducing time.  Hopefully this would retain more espresso flavor. 

Death by Caffeine: The Trenta

 

"Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy."  -Paracelsus

If I slurped 141.82 shots of espresso I would die.  This is according to Energyfiend's online applet which figures this out by asking for your weight and your favorite caffeinated beverage.  Then, it calculates the fatal amount of caffeine for you.  There is an impressive array of coffee beverages to choose from ranging from "brewed" "instant" "espresso" or "decaf."  Additionally, there are other options such as Red Bull, Energy Star, et al.  According to the applet, the Starbucks Tall coffee (12 oz) would kill me after 42 cups.  Trenta anyone?

The next time you are sipping your coffee, you will now have a nagging feeling of caffeine's fatal potentiality.  Coupled with the reality that coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, (oil is the first) and the introduction of the 30 oz Trenta by Starbucks (which is bigger than the human stomach), we can rest assured that humanity is now screwed.

Best,

Jack

P.S. Now you know I weigh 160 lbs.  Please keep it a secret!

Bad Coffee Gift: The Indispensable Coffee Dispenser

I realize by plugging this gadget, I am adding to the likelihood someone will buy it.  Nevertheless, this product is a "teachable moment."  This contraption doses out one tablespoon of coffee.  Each time you click the button, coffee is dosed out into a brewer below.

What is the problem?  I am sure it is functional and works as directed, but the issue is the fundamental idea.   Anyone following this blog knows, if you want the freshest coffee possible, grinding your coffee right before brewing is best.  Despite what the infomercial below states, this dispenser is not keeping the coffee fresh!  Nor is the vertical nature of the container a benefit!  Grinding a whole bag of coffee and pouring it into the "Indispensable Coffee Dispenser" ruins the coffee by making it go stale more quickly.

The idea of dosing is a good one.  In fact, expensive coffee grinders come with them built in.  This "Coffee Dispenser" is marketed towards people who don't know any better and already buy pre-ground coffee.  Ugh.
For more bad coffee ideas, check out Coffee Nate's post, "5 Bad Coffee Gifts."
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After watching the video one more time, I found another coffee faux pas.  Never store your coffee in the refrigerator.  Either freeze it, if you are not going to be using it for a month in a way that moisture cannot get to it, or put it in an air-tight container in a closet.