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.
Where It All Started
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.
- Super sustainable oriented with 100% organic coffee, fair trade, and shade-grown options.
- Often ranked as the Best Place to Work in Canada
- Reasonable price points
- Variety of choices including a half cafe coffee
- Owned by Lavazza
- It sometimes can be hard to find the product outside of big online retailers
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.
Coffee at Kicking Horse
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 a certified independent coffee auditors test and evaluate their coffee to be free from pesticides and herbicides. Best of all, they support coffee farmers that apply sustainable farming practices while cultivating the coffee plants.
Fairtrade
The Kicking Horse company also developed a standard in 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 empowers 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.
Features & Benefits of Kicking Horse Coffee
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 Kicking Horse Coffees Available
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
- DARK ROAST, GROUND: Sweet, smoky, audacious. This remarkable blend of beans is the spirit of Kicking Horse Coffee, and a bold invitation to wake up and kick ass with us.
- TASTING NOTES, BREW METHOD: Chocolate malt, molasses, licorice and an earthy lingering finish. Recommended methods: drip machine, pour over and cold brew.
- ORIGIN INDONESIA & SOUTH AMERICA: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on.
- ORGANIC, FAIRTRADE, KOSHER, SHADE GROWN, ARABICA COFFEE: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100% Certified.
- ROASTED IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS: It’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks.
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
- MEDIUM ROAST, WHOLE BEAN: Smooth, savory, seductive. The Three Sisters are a trio of towering Canadian Rocky Mountains. Pay homage to these powerful peaks
- Tasting notes, brew method: Well rounded and complex with notes of sweet tobacco, stone fruit and cocoa. Recommended methods: French press, drip machine, pour over and cold brew
- Origin Indonesia, Central & South America: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on
- Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, Shade Grown, Arabica coffee: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 % certified.
- Roasted in the Rocky Mountains: it’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks.
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
- Medium roast, whole bean: Cheeky, bright, precocious. A bright, chocolaty concoction for the smart-thinking, deep-drinking, good-at-their-game-in-the-morning crowd.
- Tasting notes, brew method: Tart red currant, notes of sugar cane and milk chocolate, with a honeyed berry body. Recommended methods: French press, drip machine, pour over, espresso and cold brew.
- Origin Africa, Central & South America: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on.
- Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, Shade Grown, Arabica coffee: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 % certified.
- Roasted in the rocky mountains: It’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks.
Hoodoo Jo
Originating from Africa, Indonesia, Central and South America, this medium roast whole bean is a robust, distinctive and wild berry.
- Aroma: resembles the rich aroma of winey berry 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
Spin doctors and crankers, rejoice. Hoodoo Jo puts the pedal to the mettle, drives the wheel and rolls comfortably along the edge. Taste the Hoodoo’s power, and the light will shine within.
- Medium Roast
- Africa, Indonesia, Central & South America
- Robust, Wild Berry, Distinctive
- Fairtrade, Organic, Kosher
- Roasted in Canada
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
- Coffee beans from Indonesia, Central, & South America
- Canada's #1 organic Fair Trade coffee
- Whole beans for the freshest taste
- Certified QMI organic and Fair Trade
- Tasting Notes: Tropical dried fruit, creamy, cola and walnut undertones.
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
- Lassoing Indonesian and Central American roasts, this 'camp coffee' is sweet and smooth with intense body and brightness.
- Canada's #1 organic Fair Trade coffee
- Certified Organic
- Certified Fair Trade
- Organic with QMI logo
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
On your mark... get set.... take it easy! Kick back and enjoy the moment. This blend is the full taste of our Kick Ass® coffee, with just half the caffeine, and more than a little hint of that sweet, rich, smoky magic. Swiss Water Decaf process.
- Dark Roast
- Indonesia & South America
- Sweet, Smoky, Audacious
- Fairtrade, Organic, Kosher
- Roasted in Canada
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
- DARK ROAST, WHOLE BEAN: Rich, dark chocolate, decadent. From the heart of the mountains, a strong spirit roars. The most magical hand mother nature can deal
- TASTING NOTES, BREW METHOD: Rich, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, brown sugar and roasted hazelnuts. Recommended methods: French press, drip machine, pour over and cold brew
- ORIGIN CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on
- ORGANIC, FAIRTRADE, KOSHER, SHADE GROWN, ARABICA COFFEE: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 percent Certified
- ROASTED IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS: It’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks
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
Organic, fairtrade, kosher, shade-grown, Arabica coffee. Dark roast, whole bean.
Origin Indonesia, Central & South America: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on.
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
- LIGHT ROAST, GROUND: Wild, spirited, awake. This blend knows how to dish up a warm welcome. It's a hot tropical storm, sailing in off the sea. Hullo good mornings
- TASTING NOTES, BREW METHOD: Juicy red currant acidity paired with a creamy honey body. Recommended methods: drip machine, pour over and cold brew
- ORIGIN CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on
- ORGANIC, FAIRTRADE, KOSHER, SHADE GROWN, ARABICA COFFEE: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 percent Certified
- ROASTED IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS: It’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks
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
- Unique Pentax Technology: Pentax Bright, fruit & cocoa, heavenly. Get a grip on this chocolaty, smooth blend. Don't hang in suspense, this blend reads like the manifesto of delicious coffee.
- Tasting notes, brew method: Silky and complex, wild berry syrup with a smooth cocoa finish. Recommended methods: French press, drip machine, pour over, espresso and cold brew.
- Origin Africa, Indonesia, Central & South America: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on.
- Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, Shade Grown, Arabica coffee: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 % certified.
- Roasted in the Rocky Mountains: it’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian Rocky Mountain peaks.
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
- Dark roast, whole bean: Swiss water process. Decaffeinated coffee should be exactly like every other one of our blends: deep, dark and delicious. Tip top taste with a mellow finish
- Tasting notes, brew method: Rich, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, brown sugar and roasted hazelnuts. Recommended methods: French press, drip machine, pour over and cold brew
- ORIGIN CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Grown in a socially and environmentally responsible way, by farmers with sustainable businesses they can depend on
- Organic, fairtrade, kosher, shade grown, Arabica coffee: Coffee that is good and fair for the coffee drinkers, the farmers and the planet. 100 percent certified
- Roasted in the rocky mountains: It’s all deep, dark and delicious, roasted right below the towering Canadian rocky mountain peaks.
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 goes 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 a chit-chat with the kick ass 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 bemouth Lavazza. 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 carries over 130 different coffees including single origin, estate, peaberry, decaf and flavored coffees from all around the world. All of their coffees are fresh roasted in Atlanta, GA. Check out their Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Low Acid Coffee varieties.
Check out our in-depth review of Volcanica coffee for more information about their offerings.
Grounds & Hounds Coffee is not just a coffee company but a social enterprise that supports animal rescue and adoption. It is like a paradise for coffee and dog lovers. Not only that you will be able to buy delicious specialty coffee roasts, but with every purchase you make Ground and Hounds will donate a portion to an animal rescue initiative. They are also big supporters of organic and FairTrade coffee.
Check out our in-depth review of Grounds and Hounds coffee for more information about their offerings.
100% Organic Shade-Grown Fair Trade Certified Arabica Coffee. Sultry, bold dark roast tones with notes of chocolate roasted leaving traditional Nicaraguan flavors of bright apricot, fig, and spice. Plus, carbon negative. For every pound that’s sold, Tiny Footprint donates a portion of the proceeds to fund reforestation in Ecuador’s Mindo cloud forest.
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!
