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Coffee should be “deep, dark, and delicious.” At least that’s what Kicking Horse Coffee believes. This friendly and socially conscious coffee company is a Canadian-based favorite.
With a focus on tasty and accessible coffee blends, they source their beans from around the world and roast them at their facility in British Columbia. Their slogan is “wake up and kick ass.” So, you can bet they sell nothing but Kick Ass coffee.
Even though they’re based in Canada, those of us living in the United States can still enjoy their coffee. They sell their beans online as well as in some grocery stores. Buying coffee online can feel risky, though. How do you know if this coffee is right for you?
Well, we’ve researched for you. We’ll give you all the details in this Kicking Horse Coffee review so you can decide if you need to try these beans.
Best overall: A smooth, well-balanced coffee that’s easy to drink every day.
Best for espresso: A smooth, balanced coffee that works great with milk and as a straight shot
Best for dark roast: A bold, smoky coffee with a deep, classic dark roast profile
Best decaf: A rich, full-bodied coffee that still tastes great without caffeine
Best for filter: A smooth, well-balanced coffee that brews clean and works especially well for drip or pour-over
Kicking Horse Coffee started out in a garage in 1996. The two founders, Elana Rosenfeld and Leo Johnson got their start by roasting small batches of coffee beans out of their garage. Their goal was simply to roast the freshest and best-tasting coffee.
Since then, they’ve grown into a much larger roasting facility and in 2008 opened an adjoining café. But they’re still based in the small Canadian tourist town of Invermere, British Columbia.
With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, sustainability has always been part of what they do. Since 2007, all their coffee has been organic and Fair Trade. For 13 years in a row, they’ve ranked as Canada’s #1 selling organic and Fair Trade coffee.
They’ve earned more than just one award. In 2018, the company ranked #1 among Canada’s Best Workplaces in the mid-sized category and was also recognized for its efforts in inclusion, support for women, and manufacturing. It was not a one-time achievement. They continue to build on those values today, with a culture centered around authenticity, community, and a genuine focus on people.
Kicking Horse believes decaf coffee should taste delicious, like all their other beans. To preserve the best flavor, they use the Swiss Water Process to decaffeinate their coffee. This process removes the caffeine without any chemicals. It's the industry standard for the ultimate cup of decaf.
If you’re a dark roast fan who wants a caffeine-free brew, this one is for you. This decaf coffee is a blend of beans from Central and South America, giving it a well-rounded flavor. With each sip, you’ll taste notes of roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate, and brown sugar. This coffee has a mellow but long-lasting finish and a balanced body.
Kicking Horse’s decaf coffee works great with all your favorite brewing methods. Try it as French press, drip, pour-over, espresso, or cold brew. You’ll just need to grind it yourself because this coffee is only available as a whole bean.
If you prefer to drink your coffee as a latte or cappuccino, you’ll want to try the Cliff Hanger Espresso. Kicking Horse describes these beans as “heavenly.” By combining beans from many different growing regions, they’ve created a unique and balanced flavor profile. It’s a bright and fruity blend from Africa, Indonesia, South, and Central America. With aromas of black currant, milk chocolate, and brown sugar, it’s a standout addition to any espresso-based drink.
This blend is also great if you prefer to drink your espresso straight. You won’t taste any bitterness here. Just a bold and smooth cup of coffee with mild acidity and notes of berries and cocoa.
This medium roast is only available in the whole bean, so make sure you have a coffee grinder available. It makes a fantastic espresso, but Kicking Horse also suggests brewing it as French press, drip, pour-over, or cold brew.
While Kicking Horse is well known for its deep, dark roasts, they do stock one light roast coffee. Their Hola roast comes from South and Central America. Fans of light roast coffee will appreciate the bright and fruity acidity of this blend. Kicking Horse describes it as “wild, awake, spirited.” This coffee is a great option to start your day with. Light roast coffee beans have a higher caffeine content than darker roasts, so this blend will definitely wake you up.
When you brew the Hola roast, you’ll notice aromas of berries, nougat, and brown sugar. You’ll taste a pleasantly sweet combination of fruit and honey with a rich and creamy body.
For the optimal cup of coffee, Kicking Horse recommends you try this roast as drip, pour-over, or cold brew. It’s available as a whole bean or ground so you can brew it just how you like it.
“Cheeky, bright, precocious” is how Kicking Horse describes their Smart Ass blend. This is their signature medium roast for good reason. By combining beans from Africa, Central America, and South America, they’ve created a delicious and well-balanced brew. These regions give it an excellent combination of sweet, tart, and rich flavors. You’ll notice notes of red currant, sugar cane, milk chocolate, and berries. On top of that, are aromas of sweet syrup, vanilla bean, and stone fruit.
With a great flavor and mild body, this coffee is super drinkable. It’s a great choice to start off your morning or to pair with a dessert at the end of the day.
This blend will taste great no matter your preferred brewing method. Give it a try as French press, drip, pour-over, espresso, or cold brew. It’s available as ground or whole bean if you prefer to do the grinding yourself.
Three Sisters is a blend of light, medium, and dark roast beans. It's named for a trio of peaks in the nearby Canadian Rocky Mountains. The overall profile ends up tasting like a medium roast.
This coffee is particularly special for Kicking Horse since they’re located alongside these peaks. It’s their way of paying homage to the mountains. They’ve characterized the Three Sisters blend as “smooth, savory, seductive.” It’s a well-rounded and complex cup of coffee.
A mixture of beans from Indonesia, Central America, and South America makes this a wonderfully flavorful brew. You’ll taste notes of tobacco, stone fruit, and cocoa. Brewing this coffee will give off aromas of dried fruit, toasted coconut, and chocolate malt.
Kicking Horse’s recommended brewing methods for these beans include Press Pot, drip, pour-over, and cold brew. It’s available in whole bean or ground so you’re free to create your ideal brew.
The Kick Ass dark roast is the quintessential Kicking Horse blend. This boldly dark roast takes their motto of “wake up and kick ass” to heart. Described on the packaging as “sweet, smoky, audacious,” this one is a favorite among Kicking Horse fans.
These Kick Ass dark roast beans come from Indonesia and South America to create a bold, complex, and earthy flavor. Kicking Horse takes the roast on these Kick Ass beans extra dark. It exemplifies their commitment to coffee that’s “deep, dark, and delicious.” While darker roasts can sometimes mute the distinct flavors in coffee beans, that’s not the case here. Brewing a cup of Kick Ass dark roast starts with aromas of vanilla and dark chocolate.
With each sip, you’ll taste notes of chocolate malt, molasses, and licorice. It ends with an enjoyable, lingering finish.
The Kick Ass blend is best served up as French Press, Drip, pour-over, or cold brew. You can buy it as a whole bean or pre-ground.
Wake up with Kick Ass dark roasts!
Grizzly Claw is another favorite among Kicking Horse’s dark roasts. Anyone who’s a fan of rich flavors and dark chocolate should try this blend. On the bag, Kicking Horse aptly describes these beans as “decadent.”
Coming from Central America and South America means these coffee beans are well balanced, full-bodied, and free of bitterness. The dark roasting profile creates a very low acid level. Even those with stomach sensitivities can enjoy this flavorful blend without issue.
Brewing these beans brings out enticing aromas of sugar cane and cocoa powder. When sipping this blend, you’ll taste notes of dark chocolate, cacao nibs, brown sugar, and roasted hazelnut. This coffee is practically a dessert on its own.
Kicking Horse recommends brewing Grizzly Claw as French press, drip, pour over, or cold brew. It’s available as either whole bean or pre-ground. So even those without an at-home coffee grinder can enjoy this coffee.
454 Horse Power is another great choice for lovers of dark roast beans. Kicking Horse calls this coffee “the champion of taste.”
The beans for this blend come from Indonesia, Central America, and South America. Coffee beans are grown in Indonesia often have a more intense, spicy, and earthy flavor. Central and South American beans tend to be more balanced and well-rounded in flavor. It makes sense that this blend, sourced from those three regions, would create a great and uniquely flavored coffee.
These beans have bold aromas like cacao nibs, peat, and nutmeg. Tasting this brew reveals notes of tobacco and black licorice. The heavy body and velvety smooth finish make this a coffee you won’t forget.
You should brew these beans as French press, drip, pour over, or cold brew. Luckily, it’s available as a whole bean or pre-ground, so you can brew it any way you like.
Kicking Horse offers a pre-ground option for many of their coffees. These include their Hola Light Roast, Smart Ass Medium Roast, Three Sister Medium Roast, 454 Horse Power Dark Roast, Grizzly Claw Dark Roast, and Kick Ass Dark Roast.
We already know that Kicking Horse Coffee blends and roasts a great cup of coffee. But that’s not the only factor in choosing where to buy your beans.
So much goes into the process of sourcing and selling coffee, so it’s important to do some research before you buy.
Check out this list of pros and cons to help you decide if you’re going to love or pass on Kicking Horse Coffee.
If sustainability and ethical growing practices matter to you, Kicking Horse Coffee might be your new favorite brand. Since 2007, all their coffee has been organic, Fair Trade, and shade-grown. Not sure what that actually means? Here’s a quick breakdown.
Organic coffee beans are produced without the use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Fair Trade coffee supports better prices and working conditions for coffee bean farmers.
Shade-grown coffee beans are a more natural growing process than planting coffee in the sun. It’s more environmentally sustainable and provides natural pest control and fertilization.
Kicking Horse Coffee has been repeatedly recognized for supporting a great work environment. The organization Great Place to Work ranked them as the #1 best workplace in Canada in 2018.
They were also listed among the best on the 2017 ranking. They’ve received recognition as a great workplace for women, inclusion, and manufacturing.
If it’s important to you to buy from a business that treats its workers well, you’ll want to check out Kicking Horse.
This is a brand that clearly puts its values first. Beyond sustainability and a positive workplace, it also supports a range of cultural and environmental initiatives.
They have a particular connection to environmental organizations in Canada. That’s likely because of their location along the Canadian Rocky Mountains. On their website, they list several initiatives they support.
Some of these include the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival. On a smaller scale, they also offer a fundraising program for local schools and nonprofits.
If you’re looking for single-origin coffee beans, Kicking Horse won’t be for you. While they have a great selection of coffees, they’re all blends.
Single-origin coffee beans have recently gained a lot in popularity. But that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with a coffee blend. It’s really a matter of your personal taste and preference.
While shopping Kicking Horse’s selection, you might be slightly disappointed if you live in the United States.
A handful of their blends are only available in Canada. In spite of that, they have a great selection for their fans in the United States. Each of the coffees that we reviewed here is available in the United States.
In 2008, Kicking Horse Coffee opened a café right next to its roasting facility in Invermere, British Columbia.
Today, the café is open again and continues to be a local favorite. It’s a full-service spot where you can try their full range of coffees, from classic espresso drinks to seasonal specials, all brewed with their signature blends.
You can sit inside or take your coffee out to the patio, with views of the surrounding mountains. It’s also a great starting point if you want to explore Invermere with a cup in hand.
The food side is simple but solid. Expect locally made baked goods, sandwiches, and easy breakfast options that pair well with coffee.
There’s also an adjoining retail space where you can pick up beans, brewing gear, and branded merch. If you’ve found a blend you like, this is the easiest place to take it home.
Kicking Horse Coffee is a great option if you want delicious coffee with an ethical background. They have a long-standing commitment to using only organic, Fair Trade, and shade-grown coffee beans.
Plus, their ethical focus even extends to the workplace. They’re well known for providing a great working environment for their employees. For multiple years, they’ve ranked among the top employers in Canada.
Go to StoreWhile some people are picky about only buying single-origin beans, that shouldn’t stop you from trying Kicking Horse Coffee. The quality of their blends is undeniable. Each coffee is carefully sourced, expertly blended, and finely roasted.
Catering to all types of coffee lovers, you can buy their beans either whole or pre-ground.
While you may not have access to their full stock if you live in the United States, there are still a good number of coffees to choose from. And if you’re feeling adventurous, you might even take a trip out to their café in British Columbia, Canada.
It’s perfectly located in an idyllic small tourist town among the Canadian Rocky Mountains. You can shop their full stock of coffees and enjoy a super fresh cup in their friendly shop.
Kicking Horse Coffee is a strong choice if you’re looking for organic, Fair Trade coffee with bold, consistent flavor. It performs especially well in medium and dark roasts, making it a reliable everyday option for most brewing methods.
Most blends are bold, smooth, and slightly sweet, with notes of chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit. Medium roasts tend to be balanced and approachable, while dark roasts are deeper, smokier, and more intense.
Cliff Hanger Espresso is the best option for espresso. It’s smooth, balanced, and works well both as a straight shot and in milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.
Three Sisters is the best choice for filter coffee. It brews clean and balanced, with a smooth body and subtle complexity that works well for drip and pour-over methods.
Yes, all Kicking Horse Coffee is certified organic and Fair Trade. The brand has focused on ethical sourcing and sustainability for many years.
Kicking Horse Coffee is known for bold flavor rather than unusually high caffeine content. However, darker and more intense blends can feel “stronger” due to their roast profile.
No, Kicking Horse focuses entirely on blends. Their approach is to create balanced and consistent flavor profiles rather than highlight single-origin characteristics.
You can buy Kicking Horse Coffee on Amazon, through their official website, and in many grocery stores across North America. Availability may vary depending on your location.
