I’ve been a coffee drinker for over a decade, and I always figured the differences between beans were minor. I drank what was convenient, usually dark roasted blends from the store—bitter, strong, forgettable. But a friend gave me a bag of locally roasted beans, and I was floored. There were actual flavors—it was sweet, floral, bright. Not burnt. Not acidic. That led me down the rabbit hole of artisan roasts. It’s honestly wild how much better coffee can be when it’s roasted in small batches with care. Anyone else have this kind of wake-up call?