Heard a barista in Portland say a dark roast hides bad beans

I was at a cafe in Portland last week and the barista told me they only use light roasts because a dark roast can cover up low quality beans. She said their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is roasted to a City level, which is pretty light. But I've always loved a good French roast for its strong flavor. Does a darker roast really just mask problems, or is it a valid taste choice on its own?

2 comments

2 Comments

kai_bennett7d agoMost Upvoted

That barista isn't wrong, but it's also a taste thing. A dark roast is a real style, not just a cover-up. You can like your French roast and still respect a good light roast.

hugo2367d ago

Yeah the "cover-up" line is what gets me. I used to only drink dark roast because I thought it meant stronger coffee. Then a friend made me try a light roast from Ethiopia. It was like fruit and flowers, totally changed my mind. Now I keep both around, a dark for mornings and a light for when I want to actually taste the bean. They're just different drinks.