Peruvian coffee beans: our Piura and Amazonas bag

No. 10 Folklore is a fully washed Peruvian coffee from Piura and Amazonas, sun dried, with salted caramel, citrus and a silky body on the label. It suits anyone who wants a mild, round cup they can drink all morning, and it ships free in the US as a 12 oz bag for $28, whole bean or ground.

What is on the bag?

Everything here comes from the label. The roaster is Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California, and the only ingredient is coffee.

Where does it grow and how is it made?

Piura and Amazonas are regions in northern Peru. The label gives the altitude as 1,100 to 1,700 m and lists five varietals: Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Pache and Catimor. Fully washed means the fruit is taken off the bean before drying, and sun dried means the beans are laid out in the sun. It is a medium roast. We do not name a farm, a grade or a score, because the label does not.

Who is Peruvian coffee for?

It is for the person who wants a cup that does not fight back. The roaster describes Folklore as mild and round, and as the second pot, the one you make for the house. If you want a coffee that is sharp or floral, this is not the one. If you want salted caramel with a bit of citrus and a smooth finish, it is. For what that smooth feel means, see what body means in coffee.

How does it compare with our other coffees?

A buyer weighing Folklore is usually also looking at a Colombian or a Guatemalan bag. All three are medium roast, fully washed and $28.

If you are choosing between Peru and Guatemala, we put those two side by side in Guatemalan vs Peruvian coffee. The other two bags are on their own pages: No. 1 Common Sense and No. 7 Praxis.

How do you brew it?

The roaster suggests drip or French press at 60 g per litre. That is about 1 level tablespoon (5 g) for every 2.8 oz of water, or roughly 21 g for a 12 oz mug. The No. 10 Folklore brewing guide has the three ways we make it, so we will not repeat the recipes here. For other sizes, the how much coffee per cup page has the numbers.

What will it taste like in the cup?

We can only tell you what the label and the roaster say. The notes are salted caramel and citrus, and the body is silky. The roaster says it is mild and round, the kind of cup that does not fight back. That points to a coffee with sweetness up front and a little citrus at the edge, not a sharp or heavily roasted one. It is a medium roast, so you should not expect the smoke of a dark roast or the tea-like lightness of a light one. If you want a bag at the other end of the range, No. 9 Optimism is the bright, floral option.

Whole bean or ground?

Both come in the same 12 oz bag for the same $28. Whole bean is the choice if you own a grinder and want to set the grind for each method. Ground suits a drip machine or a French press if you do not. If you are grinding at home, the how to clean a coffee grinder post keeps old oils out of the cup. Folklore is made for drip or French press, so either format works for the way most people will brew it.

What do we not know about it?

The label does not tell us the farm, the harvest year, a cup score or a grade, so we do not state any. If a number matters to you for a purchase, it is not on the bag, and we would rather say so than guess.

Is there a subscription?

Yes. A subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click. Every coffee is $28 for 12 oz, so you can switch between bags when you want to. Or look at all ten coffees first.

Start with one bag, brew it at 60 g per litre, and see if it becomes the pot you reach for.