What your coffee hasn't told you yet
16 myths debunked, because the better you know your coffee, the better it tastes.
We've been drinking coffee for years. We have our habits, our brands, our rituals. And somewhere along the way, we picked up ideas about coffee that have been around so long they feel like facts.
Let's just say a few of them are worth a second look.
Because when you understand your coffee better, you enjoy it more. And that's something we've believed at Café Napoléon for over 40 years.
Here are 16 myths we still hear way too often and the truth behind each one.
Myth 01 — "Light roast coffee has no flavour."
Mellow coffee beans, when done right, are often the most aromatic and complex in the cup: floral, fruity, naturally sweet, citrusy.
Since they're less soluble than darker roasts, two things help: go for a finer grind for lighter and dense coffees (and vice-versa), and use a high-end drip machine, a French press or a pour-over to give the coffee the time it needs to open up fully.
Bonus: they pack more caffeine than you'd think. Perfect way to start the day.
Myth 02 — "The darker the roast, the better the coffee."
Start by figuring out what you don't love about your current cup: too bitter, too flat, too sharp? That's often more telling than trying to describe what you want. And it's exactly the kind of conversation we love having with you in the shop.
Myth 03 — "Water is just water."
Water matters more than most people think. For a great cup and a healthy machine, filter out limescale and chlorine, but keep the natural minerals in your water. Distilled or overly pure water makes for a flat cup; water that's too hard clogs your machine and muddies the flavours. A kitchen filter already makes a big difference in taste. Just keep in mind that a Brita-style filter won't remove limescale.
Myth 04 — "A blend is always better than a single-origin."
Fair point, a well-built blend often brings more balance and complexity. But a single-origin coffee has something special: it lets you taste the flavour notes that come straight from its terroir, altitude, and climate. Both have their place. What makes the difference, either way, is the roaster's skill and care.
Myth 05 — "The freezer keeps coffee fresh."
Airtight container, room temperature, away from light. That's really all it takes. Coffee absorbs moisture and odours from the freezer every time you open it. Buy smaller quantities, more often. That's the best way to always have coffee at its peak.
Myth 06 — "Espresso has the most caffeine."
Let's think about this: a single espresso (30 ml) has 60 to 75 mg of caffeine. A large drip coffee (300 ml) can have up to 200 mg. Espresso is concentrated, but you drink ten times less of it. And most cafés and high-end manual machines serve a double espresso by default; that's 60 ml and about 120 to 150 mg. So if you're watching your caffeine, think about format as much as the coffee itself.
Myth 07 — "Whole bean coffee keeps for months."
Coffee stays drinkable for months, but a few weeks after roasting, you start missing its best aromatic notes. Buy more often, in smaller quantities. It's the simplest way to always have coffee at its best.
Myth 08 — "Organic coffee is always better."
Organic certification speaks to farming practices, not what's in your cup. A non-certified coffee, grown with care and roasted with skill, can easily outperform a poorly handled organic one. Look for the roast date as much as the certifications. Freshness isn't something you can certify.
Myth 09 — "Pre-ground coffee is just as good."
Coffee loses a big chunk of its aromatics within minutes of being ground. Grinding just before brewing is the simplest, most impactful change you can make at home, no new machine, no different coffee. An entry-level grinder often makes a bigger difference than a $500 machine.
Myth 10 — "Decaf has no flavour."
A good decaf, roasted with care, can absolutely hold its own against a regular coffee. Three things make the difference: the quality of the bean, the decaffeination method, and freshness. For the process, look for Swiss Water. That's what we use at Café Napoléon. This natural method preserves aromatics far better than chemical solvents.
And here's something most people don't know: some suppliers decaffeinate old, unsold green coffee stock to move it. If your decaf tastes like cardboard, that's not a coincidence.
Myth 11 — "An expensive coffee is always a better coffee."
Price reflects rarity sometimes, marketing other times. What makes a great coffee is the terroir, the care at harvest, and the mastery of the roast. Three things you won't find on a price tag. Ask your roaster why a coffee costs what it costs. The answer tells you a lot.
Myth 12 — "All coffees taste the same."
There are more coffee varieties than there are wine grape varieties. Every origin, every altitude, every processing method produces a unique profile. An Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a Colombian Huila are as different as a Burgundy and a Rioja. If you're curious to explore, there's a whole world waiting, one cup at a time.
Myth 13 — "Acidic coffee will upset my stomach."
When a roaster talks about acidity, bright, fruity, citrusy, they're describing a flavour profile, not a chemical composition like the acidity in a tomato or a lemon. The pH difference between coffees or roast levels is actually negligible. If coffee bothers your stomach, caffeine is usually the culprit, not the fruity notes.
Myth 14 — "If it has hazelnut notes, there are nuts in it."
Great news for anyone with allergies: absolutely not. Tasting notes, hazelnut, almond, chocolate, spice, caramel, fruit, describe what your palate picks up naturally in the coffee, not what's been added. It's the terroir, the altitude and the roasting that create these flavours. What you read on the bag is a flavour portrait, not an ingredient list.
Myth 15 — "Good coffee should be drunk black."
There's no right or wrong way to drink your coffee. Adding milk, a plant-based alternative or even sugar isn't a betrayal, it's a preference. What matters is that the coffee underneath is good. A well-roasted mellow coffee with a splash of oat milk can be a remarkable experience. Nobody has to justify what's in their cup.
Myth 16 — "Robusta and Arabica are basically the same thing."
They're two very different species. Arabica is more aromatic, more complex, with a fine acidity and a wide range of profiles depending on origin. Robusta has had a bad reputation for a long time, but it plays an important role in certain blends, especially espressos. In Italy and in many coffee cultures around the world, it's part of the tradition. In small quantities, it adds a beautiful crema and balances the aromatic profile and mouthfeel of espresso blends. What counts is the care with which both are selected and roasted.
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And this is just the beginning.
Coffee is a world that never stops surprising you. There's always more to discover, one cup at a time.
You now know your coffee a little better than you did before. And that's already a lot.
If you want to go further, the Napoleon Rating Scale is here to help you make better choices: a simple tool to find the coffee that's right for you, from 15 to 85, from the most delicate to the boldest.
Come see us in the shop or explore the scale online. We'd love to help you find yours.
Discover the Napoleon Rating Scale: cafenapoleon.com