DEATH WISH COFFEE REVIEW: DOES IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

I ordered a bunch of Death Wish Coffee bags to find out and bring you this review.

There are many reasons to love coffee – the flavor and aroma, the ritual, and of course, the caffeine kick. If the latter is your top priority, you’ve come to the right place!

Death Wish Coffee boasts about three times as much caffeine as a standard brew, perfect for pepping you up without filling you up. But how does it taste? Was flavor sacrificed in exchange for an energy boost?

Read on to learn who will and won’t enjoy these amped-up beans.

The Full Review Of Death Wish Coffee 

Did Death Wish coffee pop up on your radar one dreary afternoon as you struggled through that mid-afternoon office slump? You’re not alone. The brand is wildly popular among caffeine fiends. While it no longer holds the title of “world’s strongest coffee,” Death Wish still offers coffee lovers a well-above-average kick. 

This review looks at Death Wish in detail, from the coffees it offers to its impressive sustainability initiatives – and whether it’s even safe.

How We Rated It

• Coffee Quality and Flavor
• Selection and Variety
• Sustainability
• Caffeine
• Price

4

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What Is Death Wish Coffee?

Death Wish is a popular coffee company based in Saratoga Springs, New York, specializing in high caffeine coffee blends. They don’t add synthetic caffeine but rather exploit the fact that Robusta coffee is naturally about twice as high in caffeine as Arabica beans. 

The brand is equally well known for its rebellious marketing style – starting with the name Death Wish. They favor black packaging with edgy designs like skulls and lightning bolts. A slogan prominently displayed on their website reads, “Let’s Drink Coffee And Throw Things At Happy People.” 

I can’t say I’m a huge fan of that last one, but I’m not here as a marketing reviewer. Let’s talk coffee.

What Kinds Of Coffee Does Death Wish Offer?

Having first sampled Death Wish over five years ago, when it only had one coffee, I was surprised by the significant growth of the product line. There are now four Everyday Roasts and six Flavored Coffees.

Everyday Roasts

The Everyday Roasts are the Medium Roast, the Dark Roast, the dark Espresso Roast, and the exciting-sounding Valhalla Java Odinforce Blend, which is also (you guessed it) a dark roast.

Lovers of exotic single-origin coffees or lighter roasts won’t find anything to their taste. But specialty coffee fanatics aren’t the target market here.

The inclusion of Robusta beans in the blends encourages the deeper roast. In my experience, Robusta can taste woody or astringent when roasted too light, while a darker roast brings out its full body and earthy, chocolatey flavors.

Note that there is only one option for grind size – a medium grind suitable for drip machines or pour-over coffee (even for the espresso roast). If you plan to make shots of espresso, cold brew, or French press coffee, I suggest buying whole beans and grinding them at home.

The classic Dark Roast also comes as coffee capsules for a Nespresso machine and in an instant coffee format.

Flavored Coffee

The six coffee flavors are Vanilla, Chocolate Hazelnut, Pumpkin Chai, Chocolate Rum Ball, Coconut Caramaul, and Blue and Buried (blueberry-vanilla coffee cake flavor). 

The flavored coffees are only available in K-Cup pods or as a bag of ground coffee. Usually, I complain when whole bean coffee isn’t available, but I think it makes sense in this case. Flavor chemicals really linger in your grinder.

What Does Death Wish Coffee Taste Like?

I ordered the Triple Threat Bundle to get a sense of DeathWish Coffee’s quality and flavors. It includes 16 ounces each of the Medium, Dark, and Espresso roast blends. I dutifully sampled all three in small doses over several weeks to keep my caffeine levels reasonable.

Overall, I found the coffee robust and flavorful. While it certainly wasn’t as complex or nuanced as many specialty beans I’ve reviewed, I didn’t detect any of the overwhelming bitterness or rubbery flavors you sometimes get from low-end Robusta beans. 

All three coffees had a sweet and smooth flavor with very little acidity. However, I will say that they had fairly similar flavor profiles. Even the Medium seemed more medium-dark to my taste.

The Medium was the brightest of the three and the only one where I detected fruity character. I mainly tasted milk chocolate and caramel, but hints of apricot and cherry made it a little exciting. It’s the one I would most likely buy again. 

The Dark was the boldest and heaviest of the bunch, with dark chocolate flavors dominating. The Espresso roast was somewhere in the middle. To me, it tasted like the Medium minus the fruit – a lot of chocolate and caramelized notes – with a slightly heavier body.

How strong is Death Wish coffee?

Interestingly, Death Wish doesn’t post any data about the actual caffeine content of their coffee, and independent research has delivered varying results. In 2015, EMSL Food Chemistry Lab reported 200 to 210 mg of caffeine per 100 mL, equivalent to 710 to 745 mg per 12-ounce cup of Death Wish Coffee. A later report by SDS Agri Food Laboratory found lower values.

The exact amount of caffeine in any coffee drink depends largely on how you brew the coffee. In any case, I think it’s safe to say that the caffeine level in DeathWish Coffee is at least double that of an average coffee shop cup of joe. For example, a 12-ounce Starbucks medium roast has roughly 235 mg.

I certainly felt the difference in my energy levels while testing it.

How much caffeine in death wish coffee compared to similar brands:

Is Death Wish Coffee Safe?

The FDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily for an average healthy adult, equivalent to about four standard cups of coffee a day (1). A 12-ounce serving of Death Wish delivers nearly double that, so definitely consume this coffee in moderation, especially if you haven’t built up a strong caffeine tolerance.

The side effects of too much caffeine are typically mild, including feeling jittery, anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, headaches, and dehydration. Drinking enough coffee, even Death Wish, to do serious harm is difficult – though you do risk developing a dependence (2).

There is also evidence that consistent consumption of more than 600 mg of caffeine daily over a long period can have more serious consequences, like thinning of bones and fractures, stomach acidity imbalance, and increased blood pressure (3).

Ethical Sourcing At Death Wish

Death Wish distinguishes itself from many other “strongest coffee” brands by prioritizing ethical sourcing. All DeathWish Coffee is Organic and Fair Trade certified, and the natural hardiness of Robusta beans has additional environmental benefits (4).

While I don’t personally think there is a substantial difference in the flavor or health benefits of organic beans, sustainable growing and sourcing of coffee is crucial if we want to continue to enjoy this drink in the future. I love seeing prominent brands like Death Wish doing their part!

Where Can I Buy Death Wish Coffee?

Here are three places to find Death Wish Coffee:

• Buy directly from their site. It has the best selection, and you’re more likely to receive freshly roasted and ground beans. 
• It’s available on Amazon, where you can often find sale pricing and free shipping.
• Many chain stores stock Death Wish, including Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods.

The price of Death Wish coffee is very reasonable – around $20 a pound – especially given that a little goes a long way. Plus, if you visit their site, there are plenty of options to bundle various coffees for a discount. My Triple Threat bundle saved $5 versus buying each individually.

Subscribe to Death Wish Coffee 

If you’re a dedicated Death Wish fan, it’s well worth signing up for a subscription to the “Society of Strong Coffee.” Not only do you never need to worry about running out of coffee, but you’ll enjoy up to 25% savings, free shipping, and special members-only benefits like exclusive merch and special events.

Don’t Buy Death Wish Coffee If…

• High caffeine content isn’t a priority: If you don’t need extra caffeine, Death Wish Coffee isn’t for you. Check out Kicking Horse Coffee or Lavazza Coffee for excellent dark and medium roast blends. Or try Bones Coffee if flavored beans are your thing.

• You want even more caffeine: I’m not sure I endorse this from a health or flavor perspective… But if you really need a morning jolt, Devil Mountain Black Label Coffee currently tops our list of the world’s strongest coffee with an insane 1555 mg of caffeine per cup. Tread carefully and maybe consult your doctor.

• You favor light roasts: You won’t find any bright and fruity coffees from Death Wish. If that’s your preferred profile, try Stone Street Coffee or Peet’s Coffee for broad selections of light-roasted coffee beans.

The Verdict

Should you try Death Wish Coffee? The answer depends on what you’re looking for. I won’t claim it’s the best coffee I’ve ever tasted, but that’s not why Death Wish exists. I will say that it’s the best of all the “strong” coffees I’ve reviewed.

The team at Death Wish built their reputation on their caffeine content, but it’s clear that they care just as much about a good cup of strong coffee. The roasts I tried were smooth and flavorful, and I was impressed by their commitment to environmental and economic sustainability in the coffee industry.

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