Talked to a retired barista yesterday who changed my whole approach

Guy said I was wasting money on fancy single-origin beans when I can't even tell the difference in a blind test. Made me try a $8 bag from the grocery store and honestly it tasted just as good. Anyone else had their coffee snobbery called out like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren_carr1mo ago

That retired barista basically told you what a lot of us need to hear. It's a funny thing how we get convinced that spending more always means getting more, especially when it comes to taste. Same thing happens with tools, clothes, even food sometimes. We buy into the hype and forget that our own basic senses are the best judge. If a cheap cup of coffee tastes fine to you, then it's fine. That's a good lesson to carry into other parts of life too.

brooke711mo ago

Hear me out though - that retired barista probably spent years learning to taste the difference and got good at picking beans. Not everyone can do that overnight. Maybe the $8 bag is decent but you're missing out on some flavors that take practice to notice. idk, maybe I'm just being stubborn but I feel like there's a reason people pay more.