title_body: Bad smelling coffee beans
upvoted_answer: Beans can smell like dirt, especially if they are beans that are known for having an earthy flavor profile. What you want to avoid are rancid smelling beans that can get that way due to the oils being over-oxidized over time. Alway check the roasted-on date and don't drink coffee that is several months old. If the bag has an expiration date instead of a roasted-on date, that means they don't want you know how long ago it was roasted. Don't buy those.