Cult favorite
Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Hair Bender
8.1Great
Stumptown's original café espresso blend: citrus, dark chocolate and raisin, forgiving enough to work in nearly any brewer.
5$0.84 / cup
Death Wish Coffee
Dark Roast Whole Bean
An organic, Fair Trade arabica–robusta dark roast with baker's chocolate notes and about 180 mg of caffeine per 6 oz cup.
7.2
Good
Coffee Reviews score
See the breakdown →
Community
—/10
- Roast
- Dark
- Origin
- Blend · 2 origins
- Caffeine
- high
- Price per serving
- $0.66 / cup
- Dark Chocolate
- Cocoa Powder
- Cherry
USDA Organic Fair Trade
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Last reviewed October 17, 2026 by the Coffee Reviews editors · How we score
An organic, Fair Trade arabica–robusta dark roast with baker's chocolate notes and about 180 mg of caffeine per 6 oz cup.
Death Wish's original Dark Roast blends arabica for flavor with robusta for 'natural strength', using USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified beans from India, Peru and other South and Central American countries. The brand lists cocoa and cherry aromas, baker's chocolate flavor, low acidity and a heavy body, and states about 180 mg of caffeine per 6 oz serving. Fans like its punch and smoothness; specialty drinkers tend to see it as a marketing-led dark roast.
Best for
- Drinkers who want maximum caffeine from drip coffee
- Cold brew and iced coffee
- Shoppers who want an organic, Fair Trade dark roast
What we like
- High caffeine (about 180 mg per 6 oz serving, per the brand)
- USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified beans
- Low-acid, heavy-bodied dark roast that works as cold brew
- Sold in 1 lb to 5 lb bags
Watch-outs
- The robusta-containing dark roast can taste harsh or bitter if over-dosed
- Marketing focuses on strength rather than flavor or origin
- Not roasted to order; bag age depends on the retailer
Flavor profile
What it tastes like.
In the roaster’s words
“Aroma: cocoa, cherry. Taste profile: pleasant baker's chocolate and notes of cherries. Acidity: low. Body: heavy, smooth. Aftertaste: baker's chocolate.”
- Dark Chocolate
- Cocoa Powder
- Cherry
- acidity
- body
- sweetness
- bitterness
LightMediumDark
How it scored
The breakdown.
7.2Good
Cup score out of 10, weighted across five factors.
- Flavor & cup quality30%6.8
Bold, low-acid and chocolatey for fans, but r/Coffee regulars describe it as uninteresting and robusta-bitter, and Whole Brain Coffee called it 'fairly good'.
- Quality & freshness20%6.9
Certified organic beans and a consistent dark roast, but it is a shelf-stable grocery product with a robusta component rather than a fresh specialty roast.
- Value20%7.7
About $0.66 per 15 g cup at the brand's $19.99 per pound (≈ $0.56 in the 5 lb bag), reasonable given the organic and Fair Trade certifications.
- Sourcing & transparency15%7.2
USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified, with origin countries named at brand level (India, Peru, South and Central America) but no farm detail.
- Community love15%7.5
One of the best-known coffee brands on YouTube and TikTok with loyal fans, offset by persistent skepticism in coffee subreddits.
Creator video reviews
Watch it in action.
1 mixed
Independent creators, verified with YouTube and TikTok. We don’t pay for reviews and creators don’t pay us.
What people are saying
From the forums.
Verbatim from Reddit, forums and long-term owner write-ups — linked so you can read the full thread.
“If your Death Wish coffee tastes bitter, you used too much coffee when you brewed it. … I gave up 100% Maui Peaberry and Kona coffees once I started drinking Death Wish Dark roast.”
“I have been alternating between Death Wish Dark Roast and Kicking Horse, Kick Ass. I love a nice flavorful, strong coffee. They are both good.”
“I also drink deathwish dark roast that I do enjoy. Death wish as cold brew is pretty Damm good.”
“Death Wish isn't particularly interesting in the grand coffee world, though that's just a general consensus and not everyone will -- or needs to -- agree.”
Details
The particulars.
- Origin
- 🇮🇳 India · 🇵🇪 Peru
- Species
- Arabica-robusta
- Format
- Whole bean
- Caffeine
- high · ~180 mg per serving
- Best brewed as
- Drip machine, French press, Cold brew, Espresso
- Certifications
- USDA Organic, Fair Trade
- Typical price
- $19.99 for 1 lb (checked October 2026)
- Servings
- ≈ 30 cups at 15 g per cup (16 oz bag); a 5 lb bag is $84.99 (≈ $0.56 per cup)
Community
Member tasting notes & discussion.
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Discussion
No discussions yet.
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FAQ
Good questions.
How much caffeine is in Death Wish Dark Roast?
Death Wish says its Dark Roast contains approximately 180 mg of caffeine per 6 oz serving when brewed following the instructions on the package. Actual caffeine varies with dose and brew method.
Why is Death Wish so strong?
The company blends arabica with naturally higher-caffeine robusta beans. That robusta share also drives its heavy body and low acidity.
Is Death Wish Coffee organic?
Yes. Death Wish says it sources USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified arabica and robusta beans for its everyday roasts.
Alternatives
You might also like.
Kicking Horse Coffee
Kick Ass (Dark Roast) Whole Bean
7.8Good
Kicking Horse's bold, smoky organic dark roast: chocolate malt, molasses and licorice from Fairtrade co-op beans.
4$0.90 / cup
La Colombe Coffee Roasters
Corsica
7.6Good
La Colombe's signature dark-roast drip blend for 30+ years: baker's chocolate, red wine and spice from Latin American arabica.
4$0.71 / cup
Intelligentsia Coffee
Black Cat Classic Espresso
8.3Great
Intelligentsia's flagship espresso since 1995: syrupy and bright with cherry, cola and orange, roasted to order in Chicago.
4$0.77 / cup