Kicking Horse Coffee Review: Grocery-Store Brand or Artisanal?
If you drink coffee and grocery shop then you are the reason we wrote our Kicking Horse Coffee Review. Kicking Horse Coffee is a Canadian kickass roaster of specialty coffee that offers a mountain of options to choose from. If you’re in Canada or the main parts of the USA, you can find Kickin Horse nearly everywhere. They’ve become a staple at the grocery store, yet these still are the rare all-organic, FairTrade, arabica coffees available on the shelf.
In our Kicking Horse review, we look at the different roasts that they offer including the Kick Ass Dark Roast (their flagship), Three Sisters, Smart Ass, Hoodoo Jo, Pacific Pipeline, Z-Wrangler, Half Ass (half caffeine), Grizzly Claw, 454 Horse Power (you’re gonna shake), Hola, Cliff Hanger Espresso, and Decaf. Let’s look at their history, core values, various offerings, and our take on whether you should fill your cup with some Canadian Rocky roasted brews.
Kicking Horse Coffee Review 2024 Summary
Whichever Kicking Horse coffee you choose, this coffee roaster makes sure they roast only the best beans from the coffee farms they support. They are vocal with their advocacies to help growers earn a decent living and care for their employees and the community they reach out to. At the same time, they provide coffee lovers with delicious coffee at a fair price.
Kicking Horse Coffee, established in 1996 in British Columbia, is celebrated for its organic, Fair Trade Arabica beans, and commitment to sustainability. Known for bold, smooth flavors, the company, starting from a small garage, has gained acclaim for its workplace culture and environmental initiatives, making it a standout in both quality coffee production and corporate responsibility.
Pros
Cons
Our Top Picks From Kicking Horse Coffee
- Ground coffee
- Chocolate malt, molasses, and licorice notes
- Fairtrade, shade-grown, and organic
- Tobacco, stone fruit, and cocoa notes
- 100% Arabica from Indonesia, Central, and South America
- Organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher
- Wild berry syrup taste with smooth cocoa finish
- Aroma notes of blackcurrant, milk chocolate, and brown sugar
- Organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher
Getting to Know Kicking Horse Coffee
The Kicking Horse Story
Every coffee company starts with a cause, a solution, or a mission. With Kicking Horse, it’s a different story. Theirs began with a decision to settle down and do something big in a garage beneath the Canadian rocky mountains.
Elana Rosenfeld and Leo Johnson began their first business venture in 1996 by selling coffee in their garage in Invermere, B.C. It’s a tough job for both of them. Yet the days they’re beating the heat on skivvies, balancing babies on the hips, and experimenting on the best roasting methods to craft what is now the Kick Ass coffee – was all worth it.
In 1998, the Kicking Horse roasters signed with Transfair Canada to build awareness and play fair with coffee growers. By 2003, they decided to purchase only 100% Certified Organic coffee beans. And in 2007, they cut ties with non-Fair Trade and non-organic coffee roasters.
To keep the love for coffee coming, Kicking Horse also opened a cafe in 2008. Loyal customers love the java goodness of Kicking Horse that in 2009 it was hailed as Canada’s no. 1 Organic, Fairtrade coffee for 13 consecutive years.
This Canadian roaster continued to expand its offerings with coffee blends in 2014 and cold brew in 2017. And from those two “schmucks” (as Elana’s mother describes them) roasting in the garage to 120+ employees of Kicking Horse, it is named as 2015s’ and 2018’s The Best Workplace in Canada.
Core Values
Kicking Horse follows its core values strictly to maintain its quality operations. It’s a guiding principle in every decision-making and the bible for the right work attitude. Thus, every kickass employee of Kicking Horse is awake, authentic, inclusive, curious, and courageous.
Canada’s Best Places to Work
The coffee roasting company has been receiving notable accolades since 2015. It’s Canada’s No. 1 Fairtrade and Organic Coffee roaster which is synonymous with an unconventional and irreverent business approach. The notoriety of Kicking Horse doesn’t stop there as it also has a strict commitment to values, quality, and taste.
The Kicking Horse staff indulged in the perks and benefits received from the horse coffee management. Such perks include free weekly lunches, extra pay for employees who bike to work, and day-offs. Male employees are also entitled to parental leaves with pay. They also support them with chores and daycare allowance.
At least twice each year, the roasting company temporarily closes to bring everybody together for kayaking, play pond hockey, ski in the nearby resorts, or camping. Best of all, every employee has a steady supply of Kicking Horse coffee at work and home!
It’s no wonder Kicking Horse Coffee was among Canada’s best places to work in 2015 and 2018. Also, the Best Workplace for Women, the Best Workplace for Manufacturing, and the Best Workplace for Inclusion in 2018 alone.
Kicking Horse Features & Certifications
Aside from the perks and benefits awarded to Kicking Horse employees, Kicking Horse roasts the following beans:
100% Certified Organic
Organic coffee beans mean so much to Kicking Horse. Despite the increasing pressure on sourcing more green beans to compromise the high demand for their roast, the horse coffee management stuck to its principles. It discontinued its purchases from non-organic certified growers.
The coffee roasting company makes sure that certified independent coffee auditors test and evaluate their coffee to be free from pesticides and herbicides. Best of all, they support coffee farmers who apply sustainable farming practices while cultivating the coffee plants.
Fairtrade
The Kicking Horse company also developed a standard for maintaining the quality of their coffee. Aside from organic certification for coffee, they also practice Fairtrade with coffee growers. Fairtrade is a system by which its profits empower small and local coffee farmers.
Likewise, it invests in the future of the coffee community by providing proactive tools, organizing training, and productive agricultural practices to help small coffee farmers run their farms successfully with sustainability in mind.
Shade-Grown Arabica
Coffee develops its unique flavors when the maturation of the coffee cherries takes place naturally. This happens when the coffee plants are not exposed directly to the sunlight and are instead shade-grown. That’s why shade-grown coffee is known for being uniquely delectable and aromatic.
Sustainable
The Kicking Horse Coffee Company is looking for ways to serve exceptional products. One of the solutions they’re eyeing is the single-serve packaging. In addition, Kicking Horse Coffee is continuously looking for an alternative that can meet the company’s standards – including composting, recycling, and sustainability.
Rocky Mountain Roasted Coffee
Roasted from the garage beneath the Canadian rocky mountains, these coffee blends are bold, smooth, and adventurous. This coffee roaster is committed to bringing the goodness of premium coffee while being supportive of local and global environmental sustainability.
Supported Organizations
Fairtrade, Organic, and Sustainability are things that much matter to Kicking Horse. Thus, these Canadian roasters support these people and organizations they think are essential. Such as:
- The Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival
- The Nature Conservancy of Canada
- The Idle Free BC
- Jumbo Wild
- Wildsight
- Living Lakes Network Canada
- Wings over the Rockies.
Likewise, they support nonprofits and schools in Canada through their fundraising program. The company supplies the discounted coffee to your agency while marketing and selling are up to your organization. And all the profits for selling the coffee is yours to keep.
Low Acidity
Generally, dark roasts are less acidic compared to medium and light roasts. The low acidity in dark roasts is what gives its unique flavor profile. Yet, the roast level of coffee beans in Kicking Horse coffee is surprisingly different than other coffee beans. One noticeable coffee feature is the taste of their dark roast. It doesn’t exhibit an overwhelming burnt matter aftertaste that can ruin your coffee palate.
The Different Kicking Horse Coffees
If you’re looking for a decent roast that tastes like real coffee and not just something black and bitter. It’s best to start your coffee tasting journey with some of these roasts from Kicking Horse coffee. These are:
Kick Ass Dark Roast
A whole bean, dark roast imported from Indonesia and South America.
- Aroma: smoky, with sweet vanilla and dark chocolate tones.
- Cupping Notes: bold and complex
- Tasting Notes: with hints of molasses, licorice, chocolate malt with an earthy finish.
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, French Press, Pour-over, cold brew
Kick Ass by Kicking Horse Coffee is a dark roast blend with tasting notes of chocolate malt, molasses, licorice, and an earthy finish, best brewed using a drip machine, pour-over, or cold brew. Sourced from Indonesia and South America, the beans are organically grown, Fairtrade certified, and shade-grown, ensuring ethical and sustainable practices.
Three Sisters
A blend of three unique medium roast coffee beans that is smooth, savory, and seductive.
- Aroma: with lasting sweet dried fruit, chocolate malt, and toasted coconut aroma.
- Cupping Notes: well-rounded and complex
- Tasting Notes: with hints of sweet tobacco, cocoa, and stone fruit.
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press and cold brew
The Three Sisters coffee, inspired by the Canadian Rocky Mountains, features a complex flavor with notes of tobacco, stone fruit, and cocoa, and is suitable for multiple brewing methods.
It is ethically sourced from Indonesia, Central & South America, and is organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, and 100% Arabica, supporting sustainability and fairness.
Smart Ass
A cheeky, bright, and precocious medium roast, whole bean coffee originating from Africa, Central and South America.
- Aroma: scents that resemble sweet syrup, stone fruit, and vanilla beans
- Cupping Notes: has a light, mild body, but with a vibrant mouthfeel
- Tasting Notes: with hints of tart red currant and sugar cane and milk undertones
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, espresso and cold brew
The medium roast Smart Ass coffee beans offer a bright, chocolaty flavor with notes of tart red currant, sugar cane, milk chocolate, and a honeyed berry body.
It's best brewed using methods like French press, drip machine, pour over, espresso, and cold brew. It is sourced from Africa, Central & South America, adhering to organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, and Shade Grown standards.
Hoodoo Jo
Originating from Africa, Indonesia, and Central and South America, this medium roast whole bean is a robust, distinctive and wild berry.
- Aroma: resembles the rich aroma of winey berries and freshly roasted almonds.
- Cupping Notes: well-rounded, vibrant and complex
- Tasting Notes: with hints of blackcurrants and semi-sweet chocolate with a nutty and earthy finish
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, espresso and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee's Hoodoo Jo is a medium roast whole bean coffee, featuring a robust flavor profile with notes of wild berry.
Sourced from Africa, Indonesia, Central, and South America, the coffee is roasted in Canada and has Fairtrade, organic, and Kosher certifications.
Pacific Pipeline
A whole bean, medium roast cultivated from small farms in Indonesia, Central and South America.
- Aroma: with an earthy aroma combined with anise and molasses
- Cupping Notes: full-bodied and complex
- Tasting Notes: with hints of tropical dried fruit, creamy, cola and walnut undertones
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee's Pacific Pipeline is a blend of organic, Fair Trade coffee beans sourced from Indonesia, Central, and South America. The coffee features tasting notes of tropical dried fruit, a creamy texture, and undertones of cola and walnut.
Z-Wrangler
A whole bean, medium roast with a humble character.
- Aroma: resembles cocoa powder with sweet pastry undertones
- Cupping Notes: bold and sweet-toned
- Tasting Notes: with hints of baking spice, creamy maple syrup, and sweet golden raisins with a smooth, mouthfeel finish
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Espresso, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee's Z-Wrangler is a medium-roasted, caffeinated whole-bean coffee, blending Indonesian and Central American roasts for a sweet and smooth flavor with intense body and brightness. It is Canada's number one organic Fair Trade coffee, boasting certifications in both Organic and Fair Trade, ensuring ethical and sustainable practices.
Half Ass
A whole bean, dark roast with half the caffeine.
- Aroma: resembles the scent of cacao, earthy and multi-dimensional
- Cupping Notes: rich, heavy body, smoky but sweet-toned
- Tasting Notes: with hints of sweet chocolate malt and toasted pecans
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
Half Ass is a unique blend of decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee beans, offering a full-bodied and flavorful coffee experience. The decaffeinated beans are processed using the Swiss Water method, ensuring a chemical-free decaffeination process. This coffee features an earthy aroma with hints of cacao and a multi-dimensional character.
Grizzly Claw
A dark roast, whole bean coffee that is rich, chocolatey and decadent.
- Aroma: resembles the scent of cacao, earthy and multi-dimensional
- Cupping Notes: Rich, full-bodied, earthy
- Tasting Notes: with hints of rich dark chocolate, brown sugar, cacao nibs and roasted hazelnut
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee's Pacific Pipeline is a blend of organic, Fair Trade coffee beans sourced from Indonesia, Central, and South America. The coffee features tasting notes of tropical dried fruit, a creamy texture, and undertones of cola and walnut.
454 Horse Power
A whole bean, extremely bold dark roast coffee that is velvety, earthy and spirited.
- Aroma: with hints of nutmeg, cacao nibs and peat
- Cupping Notes: full-bodied with a smooth finish, vibrant
- Tasting Notes: with hints of sweet tobacco, earthy mouthfeel with a black licorice finish
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee offers a dark, organic, and Fairtrade coffee that prioritizes both taste and ethical practices. This coffee has velvety and earthy characteristics with a high caffeine kick.
Their commitment to Fairtrade ensures profits are used to empower farmers and invest in their communities, while their organic certification signifies a focus on quality and sustainable farming.
Hola
A light roasted, whole bean originating from Central and South America that is wild, awake and spirited.
- Aroma: the aroma resembles the tanginess of ripe berries, creamy nougat and brown sugar
- Cupping Notes: full-bodied, vibrant, exotic
- Tasting Notes: with juicy red acidity and hints of creamy, honeyed body
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Espresso, Pour-over, French Press, and cold brew
This product is a light roast, ground coffee with a flavor profile of juicy red currant acidity and creamy honey body, suitable for various brewing methods including drip machine, pour over, and cold brew.
The coffee beans are sourced from Central and South America, emphasizing social and environmental responsibility and sustainable practices for farmers. It is organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, and shade-grown, with the roasting process taking place in the Rocky Mountains, ensuring quality and ethical production.
Cliff Hanger Espresso
It’s a bright, fruity and heavenly medium roast that resembles a chocolatey, smooth blend.
- Aroma: smells like blackcurrant, milk chocolate and brown sugar
- Cupping Notes: has bold and smooth, complex
- Tasting Notes: with hints of wild berry syrup and smooth cocoa finish
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, espresso and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee's Cliff Hanger Espresso is a medium-roast, whole-bean blend that features a chocolaty and smooth flavor profile with aroma notes of blackcurrant, milk chocolate, and brown sugar.
It also comes with tasting notes of silky wild berry syrup and a smooth cocoa finish. It is certified organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher.
Decaf
A decaffeinated coffee that tastes just as good as the other Kicking Horse coffees. Blended with the Swiss Water process for a dark taste and mellow finish.
- Aroma: smells chocolatey with a nutty complexity
- Cupping Notes: balanced and full-bodied with a long-lasting mellow finish
- Tasting Notes: with hints of roasted nuts and chocolate undertones
- Process: Swiss Water Method
- Best brewing method: Drip machine, Pour-over, French Press, espresso and cold brew
Kicking Horse Coffee is a dark roast coffee decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Method, ensuring the coffee retains a deep, dark flavor similar to regular blends. This product is certified organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher, highlighting its quality and ethical sourcing.
The Cafe
In 2008, Kicking Horse Coffee opened its doors to welcome customers with the java goodness. Just right in front of the Kicking Horse Coffee headquarters is a cafe that brews the freshest coffee and sells the finest baked goods that go well with any kick-ass brew on the menu.
The cafe offers a full coffee experience with its wide assortment of beverages, freshly made food, and snacks as well as Kicking Horse coffee merch you’ll surely love. You can find the cafe at 491 Arrow Road, Invermere BC, V0A 1K2. It’s a great place to loiter with the locals, have chit-chat with the team, and drink the right cup of coffee that matches your taste.
What People Say About Kicking Horse Coffee?
The overall consensus of Kicking Horse Coffee is that it’s a very reputable brand with high-quality coffee. However, it doesn’t stand up to local roasters, and in 2017 it was sold to the Italian brand Lavazza, known for its commodity coffee.
It’s the “best” of Grocery Stores brands according to Reddit and you can find plenty of people that say for the price, you can find a local blend that will taste better for the same price point. Either way, buying sustainable and Fairtrade coffee is incredibly important.
Alternatives
Do you feel like Kicking Horse coffee is too strong for you? We highly recommend the following coffee that’s not too strong but has the right kick that you can tolerate. These are:
Volcanica Organic Coffee
This family-run business specializes in high-quality gourmet coffee with great taste and lasting flavors. Their coffee is organic and shade-grown, ensuring a chemical-free product. For decaf lovers, their healthier Swiss Water Method decaffeination stands out. We recommend Volcanica coffee for its affordability and bean quality.
Volcanica Coffee is a family-owned specialty coffee roaster focusing on high-quality, exotic coffees from volcanic regions. They offer a diverse range of over 150 coffees, including single-origin and flavored varieties, freshly roasted weekly in Atlanta and committed to customer satisfaction and quality
Check out our in-depth review of Volcanica coffee for more information about their offerings.
Grounds and Hounds Coffee
Grounds & Hounds stands out with its high-quality coffee from top bean-producing regions and its mission to help rescue dogs. Every purchase supports dogs and Fair Trade coffee farmers. Highly recommended for its quality, affordability, and noble cause.
Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. focuses on ending animal euthanasia and enhancing animal welfare while offering exceptional coffee experiences. Their Arabica beans, sourced worldwide, are small-batch roasted to create diverse, flavorful blends. They cater to animal-loving coffee enthusiasts, promoting quality pet time with every cup. Emphasizing natural, minimally altered products, they use organic or traceable green coffee. Their approach extends to a responsible supply chain, ensuring eco-friendly coffee production.
Check out our in-depth review of Grounds and Hounds coffee for more information about their offerings.
Tiny Footprint Coffee
Tiny Footprint Coffee prioritizes environmental sustainability through every step of its operation. By selling organic, shade-grown coffee beans sourced from top regions, the company plants trees for every bag purchased. They also ensure fair compensation for farmers by paying competitive prices for the beans. Their commitment to the environment extends to their roasting process, utilizing a fuel-efficient, vintage 90-kilo German drum roaster for optimal roasting, underscoring their dedication to both quality and ecological responsibility.
Tiny Footprint Coffee, a coffee roasting company, stands out for its commitment to the environment, being the first globally to offer carbon-negative coffee. This brand emphasizes eco-friendliness and ethical labor practices. Their coffee beans are procured from farmers dedicated to nurturing their crops while safeguarding their natural surroundings. Additionally, these growers are compensated with fair and competitive wages.
Check out our in-depth review of Tiny Footprint coffee for more information about their offerings.
The Verdict of our Kicking Horse Review
Whichever Kicking Horse coffee you choose, this coffee roaster makes sure they roast only the best beans from the coffee farms they support. They are vocal with their advocacies to help growers earn a decent living and care for their employees as well as the community they reach out to. At the same time, provide coffee lovers with a delicious coffee at a fair price.
It’s not surprising that Kicking Horse is as competitive as a wild horse in the prairie. It raised the bar high when it comes to roasting specialty brew, in giving back to the community, and in managing a harmonious and refreshing work culture. They’re definitely a kickass coffee roaster!
