Some bakers want that dark crust or bread that is “bien cuit.” I guess bread beauty, like anything else, is in the eye of the beholder. (I like my breads kinda medium brown.)
French country loaves (pain de campagne) have about 5% rye flour, which you might enjoy more than the 30% you weren’t a big fan of.
I agree that it’s a little surprising it wasn’t sour after almost a full day in the refrigerator. Perhaps the sweetness of emmer offset the possible sourness.
Someday you might enjoy making Eric’s version of the Poilane Bakery miche. It has a multi day process that requires patience but not much labor. It’s a mix of bread flour, spelt, and rye flour.