I'll have the French Roast? Article by David Earnest, Founder, Cobblestone Coffee. I'll have the French Roast? Have you ever thought about that popular blend called "French Roast"? I mean really, what exactly IS "French Roast" anyway? This is a question that I WISH more people would ask me when I meet them. French Roast is a very popular, best selling blend no matter which coffee house you are visiting, but… what is it exactly? The secret is, French Roast typically is a blend of whatever the roaster wants it to be. It can be anything, any blend of any coffee beans, good or bad, but they are all roasted to the degree of 'French'. A French roast is a temperature at which the roasting process is stopped, and typically is a very dark roast. Not the darkest, but a dark roast, generally for those that are familiar, meaning stopped in the middle of the second crack of the roasting process.  The equivalent would be the degree of well done on a steak. Asking for the French Roast is analogous to saying "I'll have the Well Done yet generic coffee, please."  There is nothing in the name that says anything about the beans that are used in your French Roast. Nothing in there that says that this is a very high quality blend of beans, nothing imported from France, nor a French technique of roasting. This blend has nothing to do with France. Nothing. As a matter of fact, I have met several roasters in this industry (at industry functions) that, with a sly grin, have admitted that they actually assemble a very inexpensive, low quality blend of beans, roast them all to French, and mark the price way up because of the implied quality that comes with the name French Roast. As if that is the standard practice within the roasting industry. Two of said roasters, are roasting right here in Maryland. Buyers beware. So I ask you, do you really know what you are sipping in that French Roast of yours?  If you insist upon the French Roast, I hope that you will ask your coffee provider exactly what beans have been used in their blend.  As I travel, it's fun for me to watch some coffee house employees stutter and spin when I ask that question… "Hi. I see you are offering a French Roast, that's fantastic. Can you tell me exactly which beans are blended in your French Roast?" "Uh… well… I'm not sure… I uh.. think… it's uhh… Guatemalan I think.. Would you like a taste?" "No, thank you." If your coffee provider does not know, or refuses to answer or is vague, why? Why don't they want you to know what they've used in that blend? Why haven't their employees been trained to know what's in the French Roast?  Don't forget the first rule of Marketing: If you want your customers to know something, then say it, and say it often. If not, then don't make it obvious. Get the point here? I also ask you then, have you noticed that Cobblestone Coffee does NOT carry a French Roast blend? For this very misconception AND the continued practice in this industry of roasting inexpensive beans and calling it a 'French Roast', we do not and WILL NOT carry a blend with this name. At least, we will not as long as I am the owner of this company.  I refuse to associate Cobblestone with a common yet vague blend.  You deserve better. What we DO provide though, is a couple of high quality coffees roasted to the degree of 'French' for those that appreciate a french roasted coffee. Our 'Smithy's Anvil', and both of our Ethiopian coffees are roasted to French. We make it a point to inform you of exactly what is in your cup. You will know that the beans you have paid for are the very same high quality beans that you've come to expect from us.  All of the coffees we use in our blends are the very same top of the line single origin coffees that you see in our menu available to the public. We do NOT have any hidden lower quality blender coffees that we mix in to our blends. Want to know what's in one of our blends?  Ask us!  The Chesapeake Sun? Great, it's a blend of our Mexican High Grown, mixed with our top quality Guatemala Antigua, roasted to Full City. Our French roasted coffees are listed in the descriptions of each of our coffees, both blends and singles. And food for thought… exactly what is in that "Breakfast Blend" of theirs? Happy Sipping. (c) Copyright 2007 Cobblestone Coffee Roastery, LLC. Reprint by permission only.