I remember when I was very young and on a road trip with my family, we had stopped at a small strip mall to take a break and stretch our legs. I stayed curled up in the backseat in the bored stupor that long drives tend to put you in, until my dad re-entered the car with a fresh cup of black coffee. As a joke, I asked if I could have a sip, but he shrugged and handed the cup back to me without questioning it. It felt like coffee was for Grown-Ups Only, and I was secretly very excited to try it. I brought it to my mouth and sipped.
It tasted terrible and I gave it back to my dad immediately.
And, while I’ve come to appreciate black coffee, the dark roast I had for my first Dazbog coffee took me right back to that moment so many years ago. It wasn’t necessarily awful, and it was well worth the $2 or so that I spent on it, but it was certainly unpleasant.
Right off the bat, it had a sharp bitterness–maybe I’ve been spending too much time working with music, but my mind wanted to go the term “treble-y.” The flavor came in waves, pricking my tongue like tiny thorns. After getting over that initial unpleasant sensation, however, the body of the brew was very full, which is more than I can say for other coffee I’ve had at this price. Unfortunately, I became disappointed once more as the aftertaste began to develop–the linger had an almost chemical quality to it. I found myself drinking much faster than I usually would, just to avoid the taste it left in my mouth.
All this being said, the staff was very friendly, the service was great, and the cup looked cool. Part of me wishes I happened upon a bad brew and that the rest of their menu is decent, but I don’t know if I’ll be back to see for myself.
Black Coffee in Collins 