Ran into the same thing last year with a $20 bag versus a $7 store brand and the cheap one won too. Dark roasts hide a lot of flaws, so the grocery stuff can taste fuller and sweeter next to a bright light roast. Try matching the roast levels next time, like a light store brand against the Ethiopian, because comparing a dark to a light is kind of rigged from the start. Also let both sit a few days after roasting, since fresh beans gas off and brew weird in a French press. Grind size matters too, so keep it the same for both or one will come out weak. Your buddy pouring blind is the right move though, that takes the label out of it.

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