Coffee Setup in the Office: Spreading Coffee Love

Source: New York Times Ristretto blog

A week ago I brought my Counter Culture pour over to the office.  Along with the porcelain coffee brewer, I packed a handful of filters, two bags of Sumatran and Columbian coffee, and a mug stating, "Don't mess with my Dad."  Thankfully the office had a "whirly blade" grinder and a spouted device that boils water.  Now I can make fresh coffee and not spend two dollars at Starbucks!  The only other game in town is Bourbon coffee, but that is a 25 minute round trip, which is a tad too far for a quick a coffee pick me up.

After bringing in my coffee making materials, I quickly found that other people wanted coffee too!  Gathering around our makeshift coffee kitchen, I waxed eloquent about the benefits of black coffee, the flavor of freshly brewed joe, and the monetary savings from making your own.  After brewing three cups, one for myself naturally, my two companions seemed quite content and impressed by the results.

  +1 for specialty coffee and -1 for Starbucks.

Next, I will need to train people on making coffee with a pour over, so I am not the only person who will  be able to do so.  While my system isn't the easiest, it certainly is fun and a nice distraction from studying and writing.  And besides, what would academia be without coffee? 

DC in the Morning!

Hi everyone, I am out and about in the DC area, but take a look at these wonderful pictures of DC this morning!  Enjoy the weather if you are in the Metro area.  I will be back this weekend with some more coffee related posts on pour overs and Ethiopian coffee.

DC Coffee Review: Filter

Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andynash/5413168471

This is a Guest Post by Dave, who is currently living in DC and is an avid coffee lover.  If you would like to be a Guest Writer for Metro Espresso, please contact me at MetroEspressoDC@gmail.com

On my two visits to Filter Coffee, located one street off Connecticut Avenue on 20th between R St. and S St.  in the Dupont Circle neighborhood I walked away with one over-riding thought.  They sure can make a nice drink.  Not so rare you say?  Well, it kind of is rare these days as the coffee shop community blooms here in DC and the talent pool gets thinner and thinner.  The baristas who served me were friendly and very competent.  I could hear them answering customer questions with patience and with an interest in educating the novice, without being snobbish.  From the decor which is earthy and inviting,  accented by their signature warm orange espresso machine, to their focus on the coffee I quickly felt I was in a good place.  A lightly adorned exposed brick wall serves as the backdrop for a wide cross-section of the diverse neighborhood.

Bike messengers, coffee hipsters, tailored commuters, the self- and un-employed laptop addicts, and local office workers all can equally lay claim to this small semi-submerged oasis.  Just a few steps below street level one gets the sense of being a world away  aided by the sweet aroma of a large variety of pour overs, and the hubbub of conversations and swell music in the air.  Most days finds Rasheed, the owner, personally making the drinks or waiting at the pick-up end of the counter to smartly greet his large cadre of regulars.  I overheard a few of his speeches on fine dining and could see a real passion in him - a passion not fully realized in his shop as the selection of baked goods or food of any kind is surprisingly lacking. Upon leaving after my second visit was when I even noticed they offered anything.   This is either a bad oversight or a testament to their single-minded focus on the coffee.   I will need more visits (and more good coffees) to really know. It didn't bother me one bit.

Of their coffees I went with the Guatemalan suggested to me.  French Pressed.  It was simple, clean and mild.  A true crowd pleaser.  My next visit found me going back to the counter for second Americano for the road.  More please! One of the best Ive had in the city.  Their website lists Cafe Pronto of Annapolis as their roaster, a very competent and popular roaster that serves many shops here in DC.

As good as things were, I would like to see Filter move out of that box a little and multi-source their beans which I believe would back up their bona fides as a coffee-centric operation.  The bottom line on Filter is that its a wonderful coffee shop that knows its community and works hard to provide it with good coffees in a nice environment.  Coolness factor is high - you must check out the coffee icon bike racks out front. 

Metro Espresso Coffee Newsletter: Writers Wanted (Yes, that means you!)

(This is a printing press, though it does resemble a medieval torture apparatus.)

In seeking new ways to expand Metro Espresso, I will be creating a physical and digital coffee newsletter that will, hopefully, be distributed to select cafes in the DC-area.  It will be published once a month.  If you would like to write an article about DC coffee culture (highly encouraged) or general coffee topics (still encouraged), please contact me via email (MetroEspressoDC@gmail.com) or Twitter. 

It should be roughly 250 words in length or less.  Examples of an article could be a tidbit on the ongoing regional Barista championships or a review of a new coffee brewing device.  Can you submit coffee-related poetry and prose?  Yes!  If I receive a flood submissions, the one's that do not make it into the print edition will be featured on the blog as featured posts.  I am quite excited about this, and hope you can be a part of this project.  If you have friends who are possibly interested, tell them!

Are you a cafe who would like to receive the inaugural Metro Espresso Coffee Newsletter for your patrons?  Please contact me and I can set you up with a digital copy.

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.

M.E. Swings and City Life

I love to stare out windows.  Watching businessmen walk by screaming into their blackberries, fashionistas complimenting each other on their purchases, or catching fleeting views of police cars whizzing by, I savor any respite from my academic studies.  

Today, I enjoyed such a time at M.E. Swings Coffee (Swings for short) located at 1702 G Street Northwest, only a block or so away from the White House and Farragut West Metro Station.  Often the line snakes back and forth within the store, serving government workers, students, and all others who need their coffee in downtown DC.  Don't worry the line goes quickly enough.  M.E. Swings roasts their own coffee in Alexandria and sells it to local businesses, such as Toby's Ice Cream in East Falls Church.   Many people rush into Swings, grab their coffee, rush out to their high stress jobs.  Me?  Not so much.  I work in academia.  I scoff at businessmen and bankers from the IMF and the World Bank (located a stones throw away).  I sit and relax.

Swings serves excellent coffee.  The lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and espresso are flavorful and demonstrate an eye towards careful preparation.  They rotate out different single-origin coffees for drip.  Today, I ordered a mellow and smooth Rwandan coffee that I nursed slowly.  Situating myself at the bar seating in front of the window, I witnessed a police motorcade speed by lights flashing and horns buzzing.  I wondered whether this was the Chinese president going to his State dinner at the White House.  Probably not.


Swings is part of downtown DC, and I suggest everyone get a small coffee and relax by the window.  Everyone should have some time to themselves. 

Thank You to Tvol for the Pictures!

Coffee House Review: Sip of Seattle

Environment: Small, but tidy.
Coffee: Good, not great.
Price: Cheap to Average
Location: Near Metro Center at 1120 G St NW

Sip of Seattle is located near one of the many entrances at Metro Center.  Placed far enough away from Chinatown Coffee Company (CCC), Sip of Seattle is worthy of a stop-in to get your daily coffee or espresso if the 10 minute walk to CCC is too long.  Initially appearing as a hole-in-the-wall coffee joint, once you open the doors, a pleasant, tidy environment welcomes you in beckoning to try one of their many coffee concoctions.  Additionally, they have a coffee dispensers containing Sumatra Mandheling, Kenya AA, and coffee blends from Seattle for 10.50 lb.  While a small space, they offer 6 chairs with some table space near the walls to work at.   

Everything has a spot!

Coffee:  I ordered a double espresso and a small coffee to go.  The double espresso was ~3-4oz, fairly large.  The barista used a pleasantly warm espresso cup, which many baristas do not do or heat the cup to a scalding temperature.  The espresso had a full body and bold taste.  Some sweet notes washed over my mouth, yet ended with a slight bitterness.  The espresso was better than most I've had in the city, but it did not blow me away.  If you are looking for a full body espresso, I would heartily recommend coming here.  If you desire a lighter body, but lots of flavors I recommend Chinatown Coffee Company, Peregrine in Eastern Market, or Dolcezza Gelato in Dupont Circle.

The drip coffee initially seemed flat, but grew on me as I passed the White House sipping it.  I wondered to myself if the anti-nuclear protester encamped there would like this coffee.  The coffee lacked flavor or complexity, but was not bitter or watery.  Decent is the watchword for Sip of Seattle.

Price:  Sip of Seattle will be generally easy on the wallet.  A small coffee is 1.20 and medium is 1.70.  A small latte is 2.40 and medium is 2.95.  A single espresso is 1.70 with a double being 1.95.  Pictured below is there menu accompanied by the price.

This was the best possible picture I could get

 

Conclusion:  For an innocuous coffee shop, Sip of Seattle surprised me with a relatively good espresso and a non-bitter coffee to satisfy my caffeine addiction.  Speaking to the amount of business they receive, 5-10 people entered into the cafe in a span of 5 minutes buying coffee to go.  I recommend Sip of Seattle for those who need their coffee, but can't make it to the specialty coffee shops in the area.  

-----------------------

Update: Recently I learned that Sip of Seattle uses different beans for their drip coffee each day, some days its Kenya AA, others Colombian Supremo, for example.  Perhaps, I had a cup that didn't suite my particular taste.  I will have to go back, and try out some new drip coffee.

New Year's Coffee Resolutions

Happy Belated New Year!

Having a moments peace from my travels this holiday season, I wanted to make a few resolutions to improve Metro Espresso for the coming year. Beginning in late June, I started ME as a hobby at the request of my Fiance, then girlfriend, to do something beyond graduate work in History.  Despite bouts of inactivity at certain times of the semester, I have continued to work on quality content, developing the blog's design, and engage with the coffee blog community.  In thinking about the coming year, I have three lists, one short term, one long term, and one about my own coffee habits.

Short Term:
1.  Make one quality post a week.  Quality posts meaning coffee house reviews, interviews, or  guides/tutorials.
2.  Swap out the "Featured Video" once a week.
3.  Read one coffee blog a day.  By doing so, my posts will be in conversation with other like minded people.  While I read other coffee blogs, doing it regularly will help in quality of posts.
4.  Create a ME logo to use to represent my blog on Twitter profile and in other capacities.

Long Term:
1.  Develop Metro Espresso to be more aesthetically pleasing and functional.  While I have the general lay out, adding smaller touches such as choosing the best font, the color of section titles...etc. Additionally, adding more interactive sections such as messaging on the main page.  I have done this before, but I didn't particularly like how it was laid out and executed. 
2.  Categorize posts and make the blog more easily navigable to find older content.
3.  Guest posts by people in the coffee blogosphere.
4.  Engage in DC coffee culture.

My Own Coffee Resolutions:
1.  Only drink two cups of coffee a day.  *Gasp* I know...One must account for blood pressure!
2.  Stop hounding my Fiance when she puts cream and sugar into her coffee (I'll break that one quickly)
3.  To clean my espresso machine more often.
4.  To start a coffee notebook that will record each coffee I have.

If you have other ideas you would like to see me any of the three lists, please comment below.

I will be MIA till Monday as I am attending a wedding this weekend.  Expect some new content about roasting or, hopefully, a coffee house review.

The Little Things In Life...: Cup o' Joe, and a plug

Quick post today: Over at the "Little Things in Life" blog, my fiance has recounted my initial forays into coffee roasting. I agree with her assessment that my first roasts where lackluster verging on disastrous! Yet, using the oven to roast coffee has turned out to be a wonderful step forward in producing quality joe. Please, stop over at The Little Things in Life, and read her insightful posts into coffee and teaching!

The Little Things In Life...: Cup o' Joe, and a plug: "My fiance has recently begun to roast his own coffee. He buys 'green' coffee beans (beans that have not been roasted yet), and either roasts..."

Coffee Review: Rappahannock's Guatemalan Antigua Panchoy

Welcome to the first Metro Espresso review of local coffee. The first review comes from Rappahannock coffee on Columbia Pike in Arlington. You can check out their website here.

Disclosure: I do not receive free coffee from the roasters, but buy it from them without their knowledge of it being reviewed. In this manner, I hope to recreate what a normal

consumer would buy from each establishment.

The coffee is graded from of 1 to 5 based on the following criteria:

1- Horrible/Bad: Does not deserve to grace any types of brewing methods. Most likely extremely stale, burnt..etc.

2- Meh: Generally displays uneven characteristics or muted flavors. The overall taste does not blend well, and could be improved up. Stale

3- Average: A well crafted coffee with either a one-dimensional flavor or hints of one. Moderately fresh.

4- Good: Demonstrates a good combination of flavors and is freshly roasted.

5- Excellent: Similar to 4, but demonstrates a complex arrangement of flavors and exceeds in quality from similar coffees.

Value is added into the preceding criteria for the final review score.

Brew method: Most reviewers use French Press as their main method of brewing to review coffee, but as I believe any coffee shop should be judged by their double espresso. Espresso acts as a base to many coffee drinks, so reviewing it as mainly an espresso drink is my main concern.

I will refine the criteria in future reviews, but it is a good start to review the local coffee selection.

The barista informed me Rappahannock roasts once a week on Mondays. I recently ran out of the excellent Sumatra Mandheling from Northwest Coffee Company, I needed more coffee. I chose the Guatemalan Antigua Panchoy for a Central American bean.

Aroma: Opening up the bag, I discerned a spicy, floral aroma like a potpourri. After the initial smell, I discerned a hint of chocolate. After grinding, the beans released a potent, syrupy smell.

Taste: Initially, the espresso hits you with a bright, floral taste, followed by a syrupy flavor very similar to Intelligentsia's Black Cat Espresso. While it may not share BC's complex taste, it is eerily close. Unlike an earthy Sumatra, the Guatemalan had a thin body, emphasizing the vivid flavors.

Visual: The espresso displayed a deep, orangish-red color similar to auburn. The spent grounds were quite red!

Final Thoughts: Rappahannock's Guatemalan Pantigua Panchoy is a tasty espresso with a clear, pronounced taste, but lacks a body to compliment the flavors it has. Similar to Black Cat espresso, this Guatemalan coffee would be better suited as a base to a latte or cappuccino to give added flavor. Also, French Press would lesson the extreme sweetness. To take artistic licence, the flavor is arrogant and loud, yet beyond its flamboyant facade, it lacks a strong foundation. At 13.99 per pound, it is a bit pricey for me lowering the coffee's overall value.

Score: 3/5

Coffee House Review: Cafe Divan

Located on the corner of 34th and Wisconsin in upper Georgetown, Cafe Divan offers relatively cheap Turkish food, modern decor, and, yes, Turkish coffee. Rated as one of Washingtonian's "Cheap Eats," Divan has a wide array of Turkish and Mediterranean food. Yesterday, I visited with the girlfriend and her family for a leisurely lunch after a wonderful tour of the C&O Canal. The walk from the canal to Cafe Divan is about a mile away from M Street, away from the main drag, allowing one to see other parts of Georgetown. Be warned: it is uphill!

Atmosphere: The restaurant's design is modern with wooden accents culminating in a point reflecting the corner location. The menu was quite extensive, and did not have the typical concessions to American food. Here is the link to their website, which has the menu, history, and photos of the cafe and entrees.

Service: Our waiter was pleasant and informative, and managed the continuous peppering of questions coming from my girlfriend and her family. He described the dishes in question, even providing some cultural background to certain dishes. Our lunch spanned about two hours with some slow service, but from what I believe, much like Europe, Turkish culture prizes long meals for chatting and strengthening relationships. When one comes here, be sure to allow some time.

Food: Quickly, the food tasted wonderfully. One can read the Post's review here for more detail.

Coffee: After we finished our meal, I ordered the Turkish coffee I craved. In fact, I wanted it so much I forgot to take a picture of it until I drank half of it! It was quite strong, as I waved away the suggestion to add sugar to it. There may have been a hint of cardamon, but not nearly as much as Cafe Amity's Turkish coffee. The cup held about 3-4 oz, much better than the espresso-like glass at Amity. Had a dark, full bodied taste, though not as strong as a French roast. Unfortunately, I took one sip too many and received a mouthful of coffee grounds for my greediness. Tsk-Tsk!

Conclusions: While more of a restaurant than a cafe, Cafe Divan's Turkish coffee was quite a treat, and cheaper than Cafe Amity at 2.00 dollars rather than 2.50. Oddly the restaurant, (located in Georgetown!), was cheaper than a more coffee-oriented shop. Despite the walk, I recommend everyone to try it out, and enjoy the cultural experience.

For everyone's enjoyment, here is a picture of the fireworks from Arlington:

Coffee House Review: Chinatown Coffee Co.

Often I find myself in Chinatown for a number of reasons;

bar hopping, visiting friends, the Verizon Center, or the Goethe Institut (to learn German). In the heart of Chinatown, lives a Starbucks bustling with people on laptops staring out on the Friendship Gate. I feel like a traitor to my fellow coffee lovers when I buy something there because of the convenience factor. Today, I demanded of myself to search for a new coffee shop, and found Chinatown Coffee Company located on the outskirts of Chinatown at 475 H St NW. For all the non-metro area readers, DC's Chinatown is approximately 2x2 blocks. Not that big. Before I hopped on the bus into DC, I quickly looked over their website, and was pretty excited. Before my impressions, one can read the history of how Chinatown Coffee Co. came to be. Sorry for all the links, but I want to give everyone an education about Chinatown and their coffee!

Atmosphere: When first walking in, one realizes how long or deep the cafe is. What it lacks in width, there is plenty of room along the walls for seating. I peered in and the comfy industrial feel welcomed me in (Is that possible?) with wooden benches and tables spaced throughout the store. Old-school funk played in the background with noise rarely rising above a loud quiet. I visited off hours so it could differ from the morning and lunch rush. Most people were chatting, and a few laptops were out, but the majority seemed engaged in conversation. Seating was ample for a DC cafe, but during the rush it might be hard to find. The temperature was surprisingly pleasant. It wasn't frigid, but comfortable as to not cool off the warm coffee drinks (or at least I think so). A sweater is not needed to spend an hour or two there.

Service: They take their coffee very seriously! If one wants a humorous story, please go back and read the article I linked to about the dreaded triple espresso over ice. Ordering my coffee drinks, I asked a few questions about what coffee they used in their espresso, (Intelligentsia's Black Cat), and what their favorite drinks were. One barista followed up after I finished my coffee to ask how it was. Overall, the baristas offered quality service and personableness for my first visit.

Coffee: Looking through their menu, they have one for to-go and one for staying. You can get your typical espresso-based drinks, but they offer French press, pour over, and free leaf tea in a tea pot. So if you don't want espresso or drip coffee, there are other coffee and non-coffee-options. I ordered a single espresso and macchiato. In a few minutes, I picked them up on the counter in stylish black and white cups matching the industrial design to the cafe. My macchiato was very good. I could discern the strong espresso through the milk with neither the milk or espresso overpowering each other. The single espresso was a classic 1oz affair, so it may be better to order a double knowing that you wont get a 4oz espresso monstrosity. It tasted quite bright with many flavors coming through, namely a syrupy taste, yet lacked a substantive body to it. That could be due to it being a single rather than a double, but my palette isn't necessarily the sharpest. The Intelligentsia Black Cat has a bold flavor packing a really strong taste. Next time, I drink espresso there, I will get a different blend or bean, if possible.

Price: Here is the link for the menu. 2.00 for a single espresso without tax seems expensive, but Chinatown Coffee's baristas know what they are doing, so one is paying for the the extra experience and knowledge (perhaps). They also sell organic bananas for a dollar. Sorry, I thought that was interesting for some reason.

Free Wifi: Yes!

Conclusions: Talking with a friend who works in the area, he loved Chinatown Coffee Co., especially the tea. Looking over the Yelp reviews and knowing how fickle their reviewers are, I can't help but feel a special cafe lives in Chinatown. With that said, you will have to deal with their coffee policies, and an elevated price. I will certainly be headed back to try out the various coffee blends, beans, and concoctions passing by the Starbucks in the heart of Chinatown. And you should too!

Did I miss any aspect in my coffee house review? Please tweet me at Metroespresso, or leave a comment below. I want to thank all my readers for following and commenting on Metro Espresso making this blog fun and enjoyable. I do this because it gives me something to do, and an excuse to chat about coffee.

Introduction

Welcome to Metro Espresso. This is a blog about my coffee interests and the coffee shops in the DC area.

What I will be doing in the coming posts and blog is four-fold (sorry for all the folding). First, this blog will review and critique DC-area coffee shops supplemented by pictures, commentary, and reviews about each place. Second, discussing coffee culture. Third, how to make quality coffee ranging from espresso to Turkish coffee using my own experience as examples of what to do and what not to do. Four, pontificating about coffee'ness in general.

What you will not find here is a coffee snob who looks down upon people who drink Starbucks, Folgers, or Maxwell house. As a coffee lover, and all other coffee lovers should, it is our job to tell the world about the wonders of coffee beyond the usual coffee products in a manner that engenders curiosity and a passion for a great cup of joe.



Here is my coffee setup,(from left to right) I have a small Bialetti Moka pot that makes quasi espresso which can be quite scrumptious. Next to it, I have a French Press pot that makes coffee similar to drip, but since it doesn't use a paper filter it keeps all the lovely oils in the coffee making a stronger and better tasting coffee. Next to that, is a Capresso Infinity burr grinder that, you guessed it, grinds whole coffee beans adding to the freshness of the coffee. Buying pre-ground coffee goes staler much quicker than whole bean, making a grinder an integral part to any coffee set up. Finally, the Lello Ariete espresso machine, while not a popular machine, it makes decent espresso for the price compared to other pricier home machines. In front, are all the tools: scoops, tampers, portafilter (the handle-looking thing), brush, and stop watch for timing how long the french press coffee should steep for.

A minor disclaimer(actually not really, more of a disclosure): I am not a coffee expert, but a person who enjoys coffee, who has read up on the subject through a few books, and spent perhaps a bit too many times sniffing coffees at the super market. I have pictures! I appreciate all the feedback, advice, and constructive critiques.

If you have a coffee setup, or had a great cup of coffee somewhere, please tell me at duderino102@gmail.com