Coffee Reviews Archives | The Darkest Roast

Background about Panera

So, let’s begin with a little bit of background information about Panera themselves. Panera started their journey in Boston in the United States back in 1980. The company has come very far, as they now have more than 2,300 bakery-cafes across the US and Canada. The brand wants to bring fresh ideas and clean eating to the table.

Why I had high hopes

I had high hopes for Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee for a number of different reasons. The first reason for expecting a lot was because of the claims made by the company themselves. Now, I know that businesses are going to always rave about their products, so I was not expecting there to be a lot of negative remarks! However, with words like ‘bold flavor’ how could I not get excited? Plus, this coffee is 100 percent clean with no artificial preservatives or anything of that nature, and so that is always a positive. Another reason why I was excited to try this particular blend of coffee is that there had been a lot of positive comments online. This added to the anticipation. However, my coffee hopes were dashed, and I will explain why below.

Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee Review

Sold in a mild green packaging, the product itself is a little bit underwhelming. It doesn’t stand out when compared with other coffee brands on the market. Of course, the green gives a nod to the clean and eco-friendly approach of the product and so I can understand why it was chosen. However, it does make the coffee blend into the background. Nevertheless, I could forgive the boring packaging for some great flavor. Sadly, I did not get that either.

Upon brewing the coffee, the aroma was very weak. It smelt like a hot chocolate, rather than coffee. There was no strong coffee smell to go with the chocolate aroma. In fact, this is a theme throughout the entire coffee because when I had my first taste, all I could taste was chocolate. Panera says that the coffee has chocolate notes. However, I would say that the chocolate is way more than a mere note! It completely takes over the coffee and it is incredibly overwhelming.

I was also surprised to find that the coffee was bitter and acidic, which was another disappointment. In fact, I was not able to finish my cup, so this tells you everything that you need to know!

Does everyone agree?

So, does everyone agree with my opinion? Am I being overly harsh about Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee? I was shocked to see that this coffee blend actually has a pretty good rating online. As mentioned, this was one of the reasons why I was looking forward to trying the coffee for myself. However, I can only assume that those who purchased this drink were looking for more of a chocolate drink than a coffee drink, as this is exactly what you get.

Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee Score

It is a shame to say that I really was not impressed with the Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee. The most I could give Panera Bread Dark Roast Coffee was a 2 out of 5 stars. You could even say that this is generous when you consider the fact that I was not able to finish the cup of coffee. However, one thing I can say about the coffee in a positive light is that I do appreciate the brand’s efforts to create a clean cup of coffee. They have worked hard to ensure there is nothing artificial about the drink, and this is something that you have to applaud. However, the acidic nature of the drink and the overwhelming chocolate flavor mean that I won’t be drinking this coffee again and I certainly cannot recommend it.

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Are you a coffee fanatic? If you are, you’ve found the perfect blog. Here, I give my honest opinions on the coffee that I love and the ones that don’t hit the mark. Today, it’s my Gevalia French Roast coffee review, so if you want to learn more, check out what I have to say underneath.

About Gevalia

I find Gevalia isn’t brand people associate with coffee right away, and there’s a good reason: it’s Swedish. When I think coffee, I imagine Italians or Arabs sipping away but the Scandinavians never spring to mind. Well, I was wrong to feel like this because the Swedes “drink more coffee than almost anyone, anywhere.”

As a result, Gevalia is a Swedish brand which has expanded into the States to develop their traditions for Americans. It’s been over 160 years since Victor Theodor Engwall opened his first store in Gävle – hence the name – and the company has been going strong since.

Today, they have over thirty varieties of coffee but I’m going to focus on the French roast.

Why I Was Excited

As a coffee-lover, I always enjoy trying brands that are boutique-like and not part of a massive chain. Sure, Lavazza and Starbucks have some fantastic products and I’m by no means a snob, but the best cups of Joe I’ve had have been from lesser-known brands.

On top of that, I did some mandatory Googling beforehand and found that the reviews were very consistent. Everybody seemed to think it was the best blend on the planet and there wasn’t any that was better. Of course, this raised my expectations, which is never a good thing, but Gevalia delivered in a big way.

Gevalia French Roast Coffee Review

The French roast had a very strong smell which was different to a lot of the other coffees I have reviewed. They had a simple, sweet aroma and one even had notes of cinnamon. However, the Gevalia French roast was nothing like that – as soon as I opened the packet, the smells burst out and shot up my nose. I have to say that the fact it was tinged with cocoa notes was incredibly satisfying too. Nothing goes together better than a robust mug of java and chocolate.

Another thing I enjoyed before tasting was the description on the packaging. It sounds strange but lots of brands talk a good game and fall short. The package accurately described the aromas, in my opinion, and it felt like a nice change of pace.

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I liked the grains, too. They were moist but not so much so that they felt sticky or oily. They were a good mix of dry and moist; somewhere in the middle.

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Now, for the bit, you’ve all been waiting for – the tasting. The Gevalia French roast has incredible flavors and it’s down to the roast. It’s very dark and rich looks as incredible as it tastes. What took this coffee to another level for me was its versatility. I had it with milk and black and they were both amazing experiences in terms of flavor. The black coffee was even stronger than the original cup I had yet it wasn’t overpowering. It just hit the right notes, which makes it perfect for those of you who enjoy their coffee without milk.

As far as blends go, this is one of the best I’ve tried in a long while and is a product I would buy again. In fact, it might become my new, all-time favorite and take pride of place in the kitchen!

Gevalia French Roast Score

There’s no doubt about it – the Gevalia French roast gets a 5 out of 5 from me. The aromatic roast gets the taste buds flowing from the moment you open the packet, and liquid doesn’t disappoint. Full-bodied and robust yet light and smooth at the same time, there aren’t many better dark roasts on the market.

Gevalia: Interesting Facts

As you probably gathered from the “About Gevalia” section, the company is an interesting one and there is more to it than meets the eye. Here are some facts that I think you might find interesting.

The Beans Are South American

The brand is Swedish and the name is “French roast,” yet the beans are solely from the slopes of Colombia and Brazil.

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There Is A Compatibility Icon

Gevalia understands that there are lots of coffee makers on the market, so their single-serve cups have a black icon on the bottom-left corner of the packaging. It shows compatibility with the new Keurig 2.0 machine.

The Cups Melt

Actually, this isn’t true. They are designed to expand and that makes it look different when brewed, so don’t freak out!