Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans
December 22, 2021 | Kurt Parker
The Best Dark Roast Coffee is an important selection not to be taken lightly. Dark roast coffee beans provide a full-bodied, rich flavor, but can have a bitter taste if the coffee beans are roasted too dark. Many people prefer dark roasts for their added caffeine content. Rich and heavy, dark roast coffees are often recommended for those who like their coffee on the sweeter side and want some extra kick in the morning.
When selecting the best dark roast coffee, it is important to note that its taste could differ as well. It is also important to note that there are also dark roast coffees that are already flavored and sweetened.
If you love dark roasts but don’t wish to sacrifice taste, then high-quality dark roast coffee beans may be right for you. Our review of the best dark roast coffees will help you choose between different types based on flavor and body. Our team gathered the best dark roast beans and tested them to come up with this list.
What’s in the Article
Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee (Best Overall Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
Death Wish Coffee Whole Bean Coffee (Strongest Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
BLUE HORSE 100% Kona Coffee (Best KONA Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
Kicking Horse Coffee Kick Ass Dark Roast (Best Dark Roast Organic Coffee Beans)
Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans (Best Non-oily Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend Ground Coffee (Best Budget Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
Coffee Bros. Dark Roast Whole Bean (Freshest Dark Roast Coffee Beans)
Kicking Horse Coffee Grizzly Claw Dark Roast (Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans for the Drip Coffee Maker)
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans
Types of Dark Roasting
The 8 Best Dark Roast Beans
Here we go, for all the dark roast lovers, we tried and tested every dark roast beans on this list.
#1 Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee – Best Overall
LifeBoost Dark Roast Coffee is the first step in a movement for better health at home, at work, and everywhere in between. LifeBoost puts the power to improve your life back into your hands by delivering superior coffee.
Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee Beans has a full rich body with hints of chocolate. Packed with caffeine and antioxidants, it’s one of the best dark roast coffee beans you could drink. It’s pure, fresh, and rich in aroma.
Lifeboost Single Origin Acid-Free Coffee comes from high-elevation shade cultivation in Central America, a practice that has been shown to produce beans of higher quality than those grown at lower elevations. Each coffee bean is hand-selected, ensuring the highest standard of quality control possible.
Low-acid coffee beans are rich in antioxidants, providing all the wonderful benefits of a cup of coffee without the unwanted side effects.
LifeBoost is one of the healthiest coffees we reviewed, with a gluten-free and vegan certification. LifeBoost contains 5 grams of protein per serving. However, it’s a bit higher in carbs compared to other dark roast coffees that we reviewed, so it may not be suitable for those with diabetes or low-carb diets.
In the end, LifeBoost Dark Roast Coffee is Our top choice dark roast. It’s bold, tastes great and it is also Eco-friendly as it is Fair Trade.
What we liked about this bean
- 100% Organic coffee
- Fair trade
- Single-origin
- Low acid
- Grown at high altitude
- Ground coffee or whole beans coffee
#2 Death Wish Coffee Whole Bean Coffee – Strongest
Claiming to be the world’s strongest coffee. This company has found a way to sell expensive coffee better, and they’ve become one of the most famous coffee companies in the world. Death Wish Coffee is terrific for those who take their coffee seriously and like a little kick in their morning cup. Their motto is “The World’s Strongest Coffee” and it truly is!
Death Wish Coffee is a fantastic dark roast coffee that’s always fresh-roasted. Best of all, Death Wish dark roasted coffee beans are certified organic to make sure the beans are 100% free of any additives or preservatives. Death Wish Coffee is also delicious, low-acid, and smooth.
Death Wish Coffee whole beans is known for its intense, fuel-like strength and robust flavor. We took Death Wish Coffee’s already intense roast and ground it to a coarse texture that packs even more bold flavor into every cup.
This Death Wish Coffee is actually one of the best coffees out there in terms of quality, yet it is one of the cheapest. This is a great product. It’s packed with flavor, and it’s very affordable. We firmly believe you will love this coffee and use it on a regular basis. It’s not the most powerful option, but it is a natural and sustainable choice that we can all feel good about drinking.
What we liked about this bean
- USDA certified organic
- Fair trade
- Notes of Chocolatey flavors and cherry
- Great package
- Has high level of caffeine
#3 BLUE HORSE 100% Kona Coffee – Best KONA Dark Roast
For the most discerning coffee connoisseurs, there’s Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee. And it’s one of my favorite single-origin coffees from Hawaii. Big, bold, and yet smooth with a deep chocolate flavor,
If you’re only worried about how much coffee costs or how much caffeine it has, you’re missing out on something better. Blue Horse 100% Hawaiian Kona coffee is the best!
Kona Blue Horse is 100% Hawaiian Coffee. It is grown in one of the most fertile volcanic soils in Hawaii. The rich soil, warm climate, and steady rainfall combine to create a coffee that bursts with flavors of caramel, chocolate, and nuts.
The Dark Roast coffee is smooth and full-bodied. Moreover, they are stronger and bitter with a chocolatey flavor. This makes them have the remaining bite to its consumers. As for this product well, it’s one of the delicious dark roast coffee whose taste has blended smoothly and with a rich aroma of malts. It’s a perfect blend that is also full of bold aromas, tastes, and other fine features from the Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee.
In the end, choosing a dark roast Kona coffee is a matter of personal taste. However, when it comes down to it, Kona Blue Horse is our top pick for a number of reasons. It’s obviously quite high quality, and it offers a unique taste that you won’t find anywhere else.
What we liked about this bean
- 100% Authentic Hawaii Kona
- Sustainable and farm-fresh
- Superb rich and full aromas
- Mild acidity
- Hand picked & sun dried
#4 Kicking Horse Coffee Kick Ass Dark Roast – Best Organic
Kicking Horse Coffee Kick Ass Dark Roast coffee is one of the most popular dark roast coffee products in the world. It’s become a favorite for customers looking for a high-quality dark roast coffee. They use 100% fair trade certified organic beans in every can we produce. In addition to that, it also have no deceptive labeling and no artificial ingredients.
Kicking Horse’s Kick Ass Dark Roast coffee beans comes from the mountains of Canada, and is 100% Arabica beans. It is USDA certified organic and fairly traded. It is also Kosher. Best of all, it provides a smooth dark roast with very little bitterness, has an amazing, rich flavor, and is available in three strengths.
Kicking Horse Coffee is also very environmentally friendly. They use 100% recycled packaging, so no need to worry about the extra wastefulness. Every can is completely recyclable and BPA free.
Kicking Horse Coffee Kick Ass Dark Roast organic coffee contains 320mg caffeine per 12 ounces. It’s also an USDA certified organic product, so you can be sure of its quality and safety.
Best of all, you don’t need to add any additives because the coffee is delicious straight from the bag. Many people prefer dark roast coffee beans because it has deeper and richer flavors than light roast coffee. With Kicking Horse Coffee, you get both.
What we liked about this bean
- 100% High quality Arabica Beans
- USDA Organic
- 3 available sizes
- Distinct, unique taste
- Notes of Chocolate malt, earthy flavor
- Perfect for cold brew
#5 Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans – Best Non-oily
Koffee Kult’s secret was hand-selecting the coffee beans and roasting them in small batches. Small batches allow the coffee to be roasted more frequently so that freshness is guaranteed. They’re combining freshly roasted coffee with a small batch process. The result is consistent quality and maximum freshness in every cup. It has an intense flavor and robust body that comes with a lot of sugar and cream. There’s nothing better than the taste of a freshly brewed pot of dark roast coffee.
We have a new kind of coffee made from beans in Indonesia. Most people say it has the right kind of acidity and bitterness. These high-quality beans are then mixed with deep-roasted Robusta coffee beans to give them a more prominent taste.
Koffee Kult Dark Roast coffee produced a flavorful cup that was bold and acidic. It had low acidity, a medium body, very low bitterness, and an earthy, nutty taste. As a coffee brand, Koffee Kult has excellent coffee. Their dark roast is probably one of the best dark roast you can buy.
Our Koffee Kult Dark Roast review found that this is a strong blend that is worth trying. The flavor of the dark roast blend is bold and smooth, and it is well-balanced with sweet undertones. It has organic and Fair Trade certifications, so you will know that it was made with high-quality beans and roasted fairly. With very few flaws and a lot of positive reviews, we are happy to give this a top pick in our review.
What we liked about this bean
- Fair trade and organic
- No oil on beans
- Makes great espresso roast
- Perfect for cold brew
- 100% Arabica coffee bean
- Bold yet smooth
- Great aroma
- Nut and dark chocolate notes
#6 Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend Ground Coffee – Best Budget
The Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend is one of Peet’s signature varieties. It is quiet, subtle, and can kick-start your morning just like Major Dickason’s Blend. The coffee beans are dark-roasted, which produces a high body and a nutty flavor with no bitter or burnt aftertaste. Major Dickason’s coffee is available for purchase in whole bean or ground variants.
Major Dickason’s Blend is a balanced blend created to suit all palates, giving it a smooth character that does not overshadow the individual character of each bean. Coated in bittersweet chocolate with earthy, toasty undertones, Major Dickason’s Blend is a culmination of Peet’s flawless craftsmanship and precision. One of the best dark roast coffee has never been so bold and smooth.
Peet’s selects only the best beans from Latin America and Asia, then roasts them in small batches. The shiny oil on the beans is an indication that these are dark-roasted beans. Dark roast coffee is smoky and robust. It’s trying to bring the flavor of dark roast coffee and the other flavors from different areas of the world.
Those looking for a smooth yet full-bodied coffee flavor will love Major Dickason’s Blend, which combines the dark chocolate and hazelnut notes of Brazilian beans with a Decaf French Roast.
What we liked about this bean
- Very affordable
- Hand-roasted in a small amount
- Signature blend
- 100% Arabica coffee
#7 Coffee Bros. Dark Roast Whole Bean – Freshest
Coffee Bros. Dark Roast whole beans are a good choice for coffee. They taste good and are made by a company that promises to give you great-tasting coffee. They’re flavorful, smooth, and roasted to perfection. In addition to being a dark roast, this brand of coffee has a low acidity level, which helps ease your stomach after drinking it.
This hearty brew is freshly roasted by its master roasters and is smooth, complex, and rich, making it a real treat for your taste buds. Coffee Bros.’ dark roast coffee tastes bold, but not bitter. It has a sweet finish and offers a nice, smooth flavor with each sip.
Coffee Bros. Dark Roast Whole Bean is a good addition to any coffee or iced coffee. You can also make espresso with it. It tastes good when mixed with milk.
Coffee Bros. Dark Roast Whole Bean is a combination of beans from Brazil and Indonesia. The latter contributes a distinctive earthy flavor to the blend. The final result is a rich, complex dark roast whose flavor recalls dark chocolate, caramel, and maple syrup without masking the origin’s essential character.
Coffee Bros. Dark Roast Whole Bean is one of the best dark roast coffees you can buy, as it has everything you’d look for in a dark roast, without any unpleasant aftertaste. Overall, it’s a very good coffee if you are looking for a workaround for your regular coffee habit.
What we liked about this bean
- Notes of dark chocolate, caramel and maple
- Kosher diet
- Ground or Whole bean
- 100% Arabica
- Flavorful and bold
- Freshly roasted
#8 Kicking Horse Coffee Grizzly Claw Dark Roast – Best for Drip Coffee Maker
Finding the best dark roast coffee is no easy feat. There are a multitude of dark roast coffee to choose from, with a variety of flavours and brands. The Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast Coffee is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to try dark roasts for the first time or anyone who wants a satisfying dark roast coffee without an overpowering flavor.
It is robust, smooth brown sugar, and has a nice dark chocolate aftertaste. It’s also organic and fair trade, which we like.
Kicking Horse Dark Roast Coffee sources beans that are shade-grown and sustainably grown employing fair-trade practices, ensuring farmers receive a fair wage for their labor. The company is certified organic and Kosher, so you can expect pure, chemical-free coffee, expertly roasted. The company takes pride in its philosophy of putting customers first.
Enjoy its rich flavor and low acidity any way you brew it: in a French press, drip machine, or pour-over brewer, or as cold brew for serving over ice.
Kicking Horse Coffee makes really good coffee. They have several different types, so if you like dark roast, it’s easy to find one you like. Their Grizzly Claw Dark Roast Coffee is full-bodied, smooth, and packed with flavor. It will likely be a hit among fans of darker roasts.
What we liked about this bean
- 100% Arabica beans
- Whole or ground
- Notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar, hazelnuts, and cocoa.
- USDA certified organic
- Fair trade
- Perfect for drip machine, pour over and cold brew
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans
If you prefer a dark roast coffee over the more common light roasts, there are several things to consider when buying beans. The best dark roast coffee beans will have a rich, complex flavor and be free from off-flavors that might be present in low quality coffee beans.
We have the best of each types of coffee beans here.
Bean type
It’s important to understand the types of coffee beans that are available. Coffee is a popular drink around the world and there’s certainly a lot of variation between different types.
Coffee beans can be categorized into 3 major types. Each type of coffee beans is suited for different brewing methods and produces distinctive flavor notes.
Arabica
Arabica beans are the most common type of coffee bean and is often used for espresso. Arabica coffee beans are the most popular type of coffee bean. The Arabica plant originated in Ethiopia and is considered to be the oldest cultivated coffee plant.
Arabica trees are shorter than robusta, but they produce higher quality coffee beans. Arabica plants grow best at cooler elevations but can produce coffee beans at higher elevations as well
Robusta
Robusta is the second most common type of coffee bean and is often used for instant coffee. It is plentiful in Africa, Asia and especially Brazil – a major world producer of robusta beans. Robusta beans are particularly favored due to their low production costs.
They contain many natural advantages compared to Arabica beans. Some growers go for hybridization of Arabica and Robusta because of their lower land requirements and cheap labor costs.
Kona
Kona coffee is grown near the town of Kona on the Big Island island of Hawaii. The tree grows to be over 6-feet tall with very small leaves that are highly aromatic. Peaberry beans were found in Ethiopia by peaberry itself was introduced by the Dutch Back.
It is considered an irregular crop due to its rarity. The numbers of peaberries vary every year however one study found that 10 percent of all coffees have peaberries within them.
Types of Dark Roasting
There are many ways to roast coffee beans, with each method producing a very different result. Aside from a handful of perennial classics like the French roast, Italian roast, Vienna roast, and so on, the roasting technique that you choose will largely depend on your ultimate goal: whether you plan to make dark roasted coffee or light roast coffee.
French
French roasted coffee beans are considered to be the darkest roast and have a stronger flavor as a result. That doesn’t mean they can’t be grown in other countries – they can, but they produce the strongest, most flavorful coffee.
Italian
The Italian Roasted Coffee Beans are one of the most popular kinds due to its intense and full-bodied flavor. The best Italian Roasted Coffee Beans are used to create cappuccinos, lattes, espressos, and other specialty brews.
Since these beans are best used as an espresso roast, they are also found in bold blends of coffee. They have a full flavor and can be used in a French roast style if required. However, they need to be ground finely for getting the right blend.
Vienna
Vienna roasts typically have a smooth and rich taste making them a favorite among coffee drinkers. Depending on the origin type, these dark and strong blends are known to have hints of brown sugar, raisin, cherry, chocolate, and other sweet tones of flavor.
Espresso
Espresso roast refers to the color of the bean as it is taken from the roaster and cooled. In dark roasting, the beans go through the first crack but are not allowed to burn up to a point where the second crack begins. Espresso roasts are generally darker than drip or french roast coffee.
We have the best espresso beans in the market today, check it out.
Continental
Continental roasts have a lighter body, with sweet and more familiar, fuller flavor. They are generally easier on your stomach and are the most common style of coffee served in cafes across the globe. This is done by roasting the coffee for longer periods at lowered temperatures. The longer you roast a bean, the darker and more bitter it becomes.
Taste, Flavor and Aroma
When choosing your coffee you should consider not only the flavor but also the aroma, which contributes greatly to the overall taste. It is also good to take into account your tastes, as there are plenty of different flavors to choose from. Some people prefer to have it strong and black, while others may find it best to add milk or cream or add in some sugar or honey.
Origin
The best dark roast coffee beans are dependent upon the origin of the bean. There are numerous regions internationally producing coffee such as Ethiopia and Indonesia which produce some of the world’s best dark roast coffee beans.
From a taste perspective, there is no definite best origin because preferences are subjective to each person. Different areas have different tastes in their coffee. This is important because it allows the farmers to tell when the coffee is ready to harvest.
Roast Date
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing the best dark roast coffee beans is the roast date. Generally speaking, the darker the roast, the more quickly the coffee beans will go stale. Therefore, buying more expensive dark roast coffee beans that were roasted a week ago is not conducive to getting a fresh cup of coffee.
If you cannot buy from a roaster where you live or if you can choose between two different roasters with similar prices and bean quality, your best bet is always to go for fresher beans. You should look for the fresher roast date because it serves as a guide for how long the beans will retain their flavor for after being roasted.
Flavor Notes
Dark roast coffee beans have, by far, the largest variety of flavor notes out of all the different roasts. Most dark roasted coffee beans that you find at the grocery store are either French, Italian or Spanish blends.
These blends are roasted to bring out their unique characteristics and tend to be on the sweeter side. It should have different kinds of coffee for people who like different tastes. Some of the coffees are nutty and smokey. Some of the coffees are floral, fruity, and chocolatey.
Conclusion
At the end with all these factors taken into account, Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee came out on top, we have no problem giving it our highest endorsement. The complex and intense flavor of this bean brings a rich taste. The aroma and the taste are very pleasing – there is no bitterness.
Dark roasts gives you extra energy to start your day at any time. It has a great profile that hits all the marks and a nice flavor. In addition, most dark roast beans are less expensive than its competitors.
To brew the best coffee in the world, our coffeeholic team is here to help you. Just read our coffee-related guides.