[pimeys]

Yep, it is the same in Berlin. There are local roasteries such as The Barn who make amazing coffee drinks from lightly roasted beans. The coffee has almost a fruity taste, it is so good.

I just got back from the US and had Starbucks a few times. The coffee was almost an exact opposite from that. Bitter, bland and burnt. Luckily we visited Seattle that has some good coffee culture still left, but I really don't get the popularity of Starbucks.

[shiroiushi]

Given how popular it is, I have to assume that Americans simply like coffee that way.

[anon373839]

Starbucks is in the business of selling milk, mainly. That’s where they make the most money. If you’re going to serve someone a “coffee” drink with 30 oz. of dairy, the espresso has to be as black as tar or it won’t be tasted at all. This is the main reason Starbucks roasts the coffee as they do.

The second reason is cheap consistency: it’s harder to do a medium roast blend and get a reliable flavor profile than to just burn everything to ash.

[stephencoyner]

The open secret is that Americans don’t drink the coffee forward drinks. They drink sugar syrup options.

[jhbadger]

I'm an American although not a big fan of Starbucks (I like to brew my coffee at home), but I definitely prefer dark roasted coffee and buy my beans that way.