Only time I’ve enjoyed espresso was in an Americano. But they’re not worth the trouble IMO, since you’re essentially just using espresso to make a regular cup coffee.

I still occasionally get burnt coffee now, but it’s partly due to the process, as I’ve been roasting my own beans for several months now. It takes some batches to figure out roughly how much time and how fast I have to keep it moving (stovetop roast in a stainless steel popcorn popper), and the process can vary a bit depending on the bean variety, so it feels much more art than science. I’ve had some really good batches, some mid, and some bad ones. All drinkable though.

Ethiopian beans seem to handle just about any roasting method with aplomb and generally turn out great (fantastic for me, as Ethiopian Sidamo Guji is my favorite bean region). Mexican Terruño is easy as well, and is happy up to a medium to medium-dark while still keeping its profile. These are go-to beans for me since they’re tasty and easy to roast.

I’ve had mixed results with Kenyan beans, some regions are rather finicky, and even within the same batch I’ve had some turn out great and others mediocre. They seem more prone to smoking and burning due to high amounts of chaff. And Peaberry can be great, but is hard to roast because it’s difficult to get first crack right since the beans are very small and have low moisture content. They may not crack at all.