After years behind the counter, I've developed a few rules that help me cut through the noise:

1. If the roaster can't tell you the roast date in under 10 seconds, skip it.
2. If the date is printed in small type on the back, it's probably not the point.
3. If the beans look oily but the date says fresh, trust your eyes.
4. If you're buying merch, remember: the bag is the bonus, the coffee is the point.

These aren't hard rules, but they've saved me from a lot of disappointing cups and wasted dollars.