Do you prefer a bold-flavored coffee bean? French roast coffee beans are the darkest-colored coffee beans, have a strong flavor and have been roasted the longest! Costco carries the Starbucks French Roast Coffee for all those dark roast lovers and I’m spilling the beans on what I think of it!
My husband is obsessed with coffee which is kind of funny because when we met he wasn’t really a big coffee fan. I was the one who loved coffee because I survived off the stuff working 16-hour shifts at the hospital and having nights as part of my rotation. Sean bought me a ton of fancy coffee equipment one year and instead of me using it, he did! Ever since he’s been into perfecting the perfect cup of home-brewed coffee.
We usually buy our coffee beans from local roasters but when we were at Costco last we bought the Starbucks French Roast coffee beans to give a try.
Other coffee products from Costco are the Level Ground East Africa Dark Roast Coffee Beans, Salt Spring Coffee Beans, Ethical Bean Coffee Lush Medium Dark Roast, Kirkland Signature Cold Brew Colombian Coffee, Starbucks Winter Blend Coffee, Starbucks Fall Blend Coffee and the Kirkland Signature House Blend.
Location in Store
You can find the french roast coffee beans in the aisle with all the other coffee beans and tea. The item number is 11357.
Taste
I could tell as soon as I opened the bag that this was a VERY dark roast, and it tastes that way. On its own, the coffee has an almost burned flavor. It’s not unpleasant at all, but I wondered if I should have used cooler water to brew it. I used cooler water than I normally with the lighter roasts I typically drink, but next time I’d try even cooler water (maybe 195 or 200 degrees Fahrenheit vs. the 205-degree water I used the first time).
Aside from the slightly burnt flavor, the coffee has kind of a bitter aftertaste. The flavors also stay on your tongue for a long time after you have a sip!
I like the coffee a little better with cream. I always like a bit of cream or oat milk in my coffee, but find it makes the biggest improvement with harsher dark roasts. For the Starbucks French Roast, I found it cuts the bitterness a lot and allows me to notice some different flavors. It tastes a bit more floral and chocolatey with cream in my opinion.
Cost
The two-and-a-half-pound bag of beans costs $24.99 Canadian at Costco regularly but I was able to grab a bag for $5 off the regular price.
Convenience
You’ll need a coffee grinder because the beans come whole. I’ve also heard a rumor that you can take the coffee beans to Starbucks to have them ground for you as long as they’re Starbucks brand.
The best-before date listed on the beans is 7 months from the date they were purchased and you can use them to make hot or cold coffee. I also like to use coffee in some of my baking, such as the homemade chocolate cake I make for Sean’s birthday every year.
Nutrition
Calories
Black coffee has very few calories, about 5 calories in a cup and not fat, sugar, carbohydrates or sodium. When cream, milk, sugar or syrups are added to coffee is what can make coffee beverages high in calories, fat and sugar.
Ingredients
There’s only one ingredient, coffee beans! Whether coffee is healthy or not can be controversial so I won’t comment much on it but I love a cup per day.
Scoring
Taste: 6/10 but this is pretty subjective because I like lighter roasts
Cost: 8.5/10
Convenience: 1/10 (You have to grind the beans and make the coffee).
Nutrition: Not applicable.
Overall
Give it a try!
I don’t love dark roast coffee beans but I know a lot of people do so therefore I have to suggest giving this a try if you know you like a bolder brew!
What do you think of french roast coffee?
Please note that this review was not paid for or sponsored by any third party. This product was purchased by Costcuisine for the purpose of producing this review. The opinions in this review are strictly those of Costcuisine. Costcuisine is not affiliated with Costco or any of its suppliers. In the event that Costcuisine receives compensation for a post from the manufacturer of a product or some other third party, the arrangement will be clearly disclosed (including where the manufacturer of a product provides Costcuisine with a free sample of the product).
OK this is an annoyance with SB. Can they please put beans in a recyclable packaging. We have to throw out the packing. Not very environmental. This is enough to make me stop drinking their coffee. Come on work a bit on it to make packaging recyclable!. Philippe
We’ve been buying Starbucks French Roast Coffee for years, but I think we’re ready for a change. Seems to taste slightly acidic to me.
I have a few other coffee reviews posted!
French roast is usually roasted very dark using average or less quality of beans. I really wish that Costco would carry Peet’s Italian or Sumatra roasts. That is what I use when traveling for the most part, be it for 5-cup drip or my AeroPress, or sometimes by Krups espresso maker. Gevalia espresso is also good.
At home, I roast my one beans, my favorites being Ehiopian, Guatemalan, Peruvian and Sumatran. Yemeni beans are off-list right now because the war has killed quality control from tree-to-store.
Oh and thanks for all your reviews Natalie! Your review of this Starbucks French Roast is spot on IMHO. Lots of cream needed in this coffee!
I use an Italian made Eureka grinder and a Chemex pour over as well as several other types brew equipment. Your coffee grinder and the grind settings are, after the actual coffee choice, probably the most significant part of making good coffee. I buy quite a few of the Costco coffee’s yearly.
I bought this coffee only once from Costco. This coffee is pretty much burnt, and devoid of all the lovely flavour nuances of a lighter roast. If you like extra strong and bitter coffee, this one excells!
If you like better coffee, the Starbucks winter roast is pretty good, and Balzacs medium roast from Costco is even better!
You definitely sound like a coffee connoisseur!
Yes we are!
I find with the French roast beans they are very oily and if I grind too many at one time they clog my grinder. I have a small inexpensive grinder.
Love SB coffee
Thanks for your great reviews.
Saves me from trying a product my family would not like and seeing your take on products I purchase all the time.