Location: Fairbanks, AK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]
When I go with others on trips, no one volunteers to wake up extra early with me and hit a coffeehouse first thing. Truth be told, most of my family and friends think it psychotic that I wake up with the sun just so I can try out a new coffeehouse, but then again, I guess not everyone gets the same child-like euphoria upon discovering a local coffee gem.
While I was in Fairbanks, I awoke with the dawn to visit a coffeehouse and roastery that I had read kind words of, a place dubbed McCafferty's. Located in the historic and uniquely charming Fairbanks downtown area, I found McCafferty's in an unassuming building with large glass windows. Inside the place had multiple levels with a mishmosh of furniture, decent lighting and lots of local art.
In ordering, I got an espresso of their espresso blend and a drip of the Costa Rica Tarrazu. The espresso, pulled medium-long with a blonde-ish crema, presented the flavors of cherry, chocolate, pepper, english muffin and cabbage with a buttery aftertaste and a slight dark aura to it; a fair spro but their extraction proved not as optimally skilled as I would have hoped. The drip of the Costa Rican held wheat, baked apple, oak, brisket and wheat grass in a light/medium body, a pleasant cup of coffee though some of the flavors felt a little faded.
While I've had better early morning coffee destinations, McCAfferty's proved a decent Alaskan gem to rise for in the AM. If you happen to be in downtown Fairbanks, give McCafferty's a go.
