Just realized espresso isn't supposed to taste like burnt tires

I spent two years thinking I just didn't get why people love espresso. Then I visited a shop in Portland called Heart and the barista pulled me a shot that tasted like berries and chocolate. He explained that most chain places roast way too dark to cover up bad beans. Now I actually get why people spend $2,000 on a home machine. Has anyone else had that moment where a good shot changed your whole outlook?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandra7151mo ago

The bit about chain places roasting too dark to cover bad beans hits hard. My buddy Mike used to think he just hated coffee, period. He'd grab a latte from a drive-through and wonder why people made such a big deal about it. Then his cousin dragged him to a local spot that does light roasts and pulled him a shot of Ethiopian beans. He sent me a text later that night saying it tasted like blueberry pie and he finally understood what all the fuss was about. Now he's got a little setup at home and won't shut up about it. Did that Portland shop have a specific bean you asked for or did they just pick something for you?

betty_scott181mo ago

Oh wait, that's actually not quite right about the Ethiopian beans tasting like blueberry pie. I mean they can be fruity for sure, but that blueberry thing is more of a natural process thing, and a lot of Ethiopian coffees are washed which gives them more of a floral tea kind of vibe. But your buddy Mike's story is spot on though, the light roast thing really does change everything for people. And to answer your question @sandra715, the Portland shop actually just asked what flavors I liked and the barista picked out a Kenyan for me that had this crazy tomato soup thing going on. I didn't even know coffee could taste savory like that.