10 Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans In 2022 – Reviews & Top-Picks

The roast profile determines how strong your coffee will be. Everyone has their own preferred go-to roast level. Many coffee fanatics swear by the bold cup of dark-roasted coffee to fuel their busy morning. At the same time, others enjoy the brightness and acidity of lighter roasts. 

So what kind of coffee are we experimenting with these days? Dark roasted coffee beans!

In this post, I’ll walk you through the different roast levels, the best dark roast coffee beans on the market, a buyer’s guide as well as some of the most frequently asked questions.

So without further ado, let’s get started. 

The Roast Levels

Roasting is a heat process that brings the flavor and aroma out of the green coffee beans. Roasted coffee beans weigh less because they’re left with less or no moisture inside the bean. They have a crunchy toasted taste, ready to be ground and brewed. They smell like coffee.

Light, Medium, Dark, and Darker than dark are the most common terms to describe different levels of coffee roasting. Each roast level can be very different in taste, flavor, body, and complexity from one another because the roasting process produces distinct sets of unique characteristics.

Let’s break down all of the roast levels to help you differentiate between roasting levels.

Light Roast

Light Roast coffees are light brown in color and have a light body (or viscosity). There’s no oil on the surface of lightly roasted beans. These beans are generally heated to about 350°F–400°F. When roasting, at around 350°F the popping sound- known as the “first crack”– is heard, which signals that the beans have reached a Light Roast.

There is a misconception that light roasts have less caffeinated content than their dark roast counterparts. However, that’s not the case. As they are roasted for a shorter time and at a lower temperature, moisture is left inside the bean, making it denser. A denser coffee bean retains more caffeine than the original green coffee bean (also referred to as “acid”). 

In terms of flavor, there is more complexity in a light roast coffee going on, revealing traces of sweetness, herbal, fruit tanginess, and subtle floral aromas.

Other common slang terms for light roasts are Light City/Half City, Cinnamon, Blond, and New England roast.

Medium Roast

Medium roasts are medium brown in color with a non-oily surface. Unlike light, they have thicker body and a much more balanced flavor than light roast, with a medium caffeinated amount. Raised to temperatures of between 400°F and 430°F, the medium is roasted through the first-crack stage, until just before the second crack.

Medium starts to take on a bit of the taste from the roasting process, resulting in deeper fruit flavors that can be chocolatey and nutty. Many coffee fanatics love it as medium roasts produce a balance of acidity, sweetness, and body.

Medium roast coffee is also referred to as an American, Breakfast/After Dinner, City+( as it is slightly more developed than a city roast), and Full City.

Dark Roast

Dark roasted coffees are characterized by their dark brown color with a sheen of oil on their surface and a smoky, bitter taste. These beans are roasted to the second crack or beyond (reaching an internal temperature between 465°F-480°F). If beans are roasted more than this, the coffee will taste more like charcoal.

The beans develop sweet, less acidic, and rich taste profiles. Simply put, the darker the roast the less the acidity in the coffee! Dark roasts have a more bolder and straightforward flavor with notes of dark chocolate.

Common names for dark roasts include Viennese, New Orleans (this US city is typically known for darker roasts), European, and Neapolitan/Spanish roasts.

Darkest Roast

Darkest roast coffee is also referred to as French, Espresso, Italian, and continental feature beans. They are roasted to such a dark level that no trace of the coffee’s original flavor remains.

The longer the beans are roasted, the more the oils inside of the beans are drawn out to the surface, so the body of the darkest coffee beans will be thicker. This means that the beans will have a bittersweet or toasty taste and more single-note in flavor. 

The Caffeination Myth

So which is it? Light, medium, or dark roast? Which one has more caffeine?

The truth is that caffeine content pretty much remains the same for all roast levels.

Light roasts have a slightly higher caffeine level than other roasts due to high bean density. This is because, the longer the bean is roasted, the lower its density gets. So you’ll be measuring more coffee with the scoop. Therefore, getting more caffeine in your cup. But this minimal difference can be corrected by measuring coffee with a coffee scale.

To get more caffeine, simply add more grounds.

Our Picks For Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans

01. Lifeboost Low Acid Coffee – Best Dark Roast

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Specs: Brand Name: Lifeboost Coffee | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 12 Ounces | Speciality: USDA Organic

Lifeboost Coffee is a gourmet coffee brand that trades all kinds of classic and flavored whole coffee beans. Lifeboost is primarily a single-origin coffee brand and all of its beans are grown at a High Altitude of 5,700 ft+ up in the mountains of Nicaragua. Lifeboost ensures healthy beans and avoids the use of chemicals while growing beans. Each batch of coffee the Lifeboost team sources is hand-picked by experts and roasted carefully to ensure that the rich flavors of the single-origin don’t get lost in the process.

This Lifeboost Dark Roast is one of the healthiest coffees you can buy with your money. For coffee aficionados who keep track of their daily digestive needs; note that Lifeboost coffee has a pH of 7 which is neutral as far as acidity is concerned, making it easy on your stomach. The flavor profile associated with these beans is smooth, full-bodied, nutty, and chocolaty with little to no signs of bitterness. You’ll be surprised by the powerful aroma!

Even better, try a bag of Lifeboost Coffee and if you don’t like it you’ll get a complete refund within 30 days after purchase.

To sum up the discussion, I think Lifeboost is the best dark roast coffee, offering a cup that never disappoints.

02. Peet’s Coffee – Runner-up for Best Dark Roast Coffee

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Specs: Brand Name: Peet’s Coffee | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 10.56 Ounces | Speciality: Certified Organic, Non-GMO, Fair Trade

Formed in 1966, Peet’s Coffee is a San Francisco-based coffee chain primarily known for its darker roasts. The beans are all 100% Arabica sourced from the top-growing regions of Central America. Once sourcing is complete, Peet’s unique slow-roasted by-hand process locks in maximum freshness for a long period of time.

This particular Dark Roast Blend was formulated by Mr. Peet’s in consultation with his customer Major Dickason. It has a complex, rich, and full-bodied profile with a pleasant spiciness and a crisp, citrus finish. Peet’s Coffee is acceptable by all coffee brewers but we advise you to try it out as a cold brew or as an espresso.

The Major Dickason’s Blend also comes with a decaffeinated version. For user convenience, you can get this coffee both as a whole bean or grounded option. In terms of price, Peet’s won’t cost any burden on your wallet. You can own a 10.5 Ounce bag either ground or whole bean at just $8.99 (at the time of writing this review).

Peet’s cares about their customers and that’s why they also invented Recyclable K-Cup pods for Keurig Brewers. The single-serve pods are roasted the same way as the company’s bagged coffee and are a great choice to brew in the morning or any time of day.

03. Death Wish Dark Roast Coffee – Best Strongest Brew

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Specs: Brand Name: Death Wish Coffee Co. | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 16 Ounces | Speciality: Certified Organic, Natural

Okay, So Death Wish Coffee does not wish for your passing by any means. In fact, they named it because of the deadliest level of caffeine present inside their coffee. Other than caffeine, it’s also surprisingly delicious too.

Death Wish doesn’t add anything extra for the caffeine, they just simply use a blend of 100% Arabica and Robusta. Since Robusta beans are naturally higher in caffeine, it helps enhance your clarity and focus while giving you a strong jolt of caffeine in the early morning. Another factor responsible for their boldest flavor is the slow roasting process done in small batches right at Death Wish’s headquarters in New York, forming a brew that’s stronger than an average cup.

This Death Wish Whole Bean Coffee edges on the darker side featuring notes of cherry and chocolate, great for making espresso. Bitterness is also something that you won’t experience till your last sip. Furthermore, to achieve a nice Death Wish cuppa, it’s also vital to take into account the brewing ratio. For drip brewing, I recommend using only 2.5 tbsp of grounded coffee for every 6 ounces of water added. By this, you can experience a Death Wish with a caffeine kick that is low in acidity.

Try Death Wish Coffee risk-free and for any reason, if you didn’t enjoy this coffee, simply ask for a refund and the whole amount will be refunded to you with no questions asked. You simply can’t get better than that.

04. Café Don Pablo Signature Blend – Best Low Acidic

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Specs: Brand Name: Café Don Pablo Store | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 32 Ounces | Speciality: GMO-Free

Don Pablo is a professional artisanal roaster of the quality blend. Don Pablo only sources high-quality Arabica beans from Colombia, Guatemala, and Brazil which are then roasted in small batches to create a cocoa-toned blend with a bold and rich flavor profile.

This Cafe Don Pablo Signature Blend is a GMO-free whole bean roast with low acidity making it an ideal fit for people with sensitive stomachs. The lower acidic level also assures a relatively smoother drink experience which otherwise you may find in an average cup of coffee. Suitable for all types of brewers the Cafe Don Pablo offers a smoky, caramelized exterior, perfect for lattes and cappuccinos.

It comes in a 2-pound bag and won’t put a serious hit on your wallet. Unfortunately, it’s not all the smiles and rainbows, it has a few cons too which are worth pointing out. First of all, it’s a medium to dark roast, hence it is quite not the real deal. Secondly, you may experience a slightly bitter aftertaste. To avoid it, you may need to add a spoonful of sugar to fully enjoy this coffee.

05. Koffee Kult Whole Bean Dark Roast – Freshest Beans Available

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Specs: Brand Name: Koffee Kult | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 32 Ounces | Speciality: Certified Organic

Koffee Kult is another popular artisan roaster in the coffee industry. According to the manufacturer, customer orders are packed and shipped within hours of the beans being small-batch roasted, ensuring you’re getting the freshest beans possible. Their exotic specialty grade beans are imported from rainforest-friendly farms in Guatemala, Colombia, and Sumatra.

This Koffee Kult Dark Roast is quite popular these days on Amazon. The tasting profile is smooth, clean, and bold with no bitter aftertaste paired with the hints of cinnamon and cocoa topped by a long finish. The packaging is also quite reliable as it comes with a plastic zipper onto it.

However, as it’s a blend. Hence it may not be a choice for you if you prefer to consume only organic-grown or single-origin beans. Although the beans are already sourced in a Certified Organic way, they still fail to meet the standards of organic foods. Speaking of ratios, to make a nice cup of Koffee Kult Dark Roast coffee I advise using 1 tbsp/cup. And, if you prefer to make the taste a bit extra, you can increase the number to 2 tbsp/cup.

For those who just care about the beans’ freshness, Koffee Kult Dark Roast is the perfect companion.

06. Kicking Horse Coffee, Kick Ass, Dark Roast Blend – Best Pre-ground

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Kicking Horse coffee by Lavazza is sure to give you a kick! It’ll be able to give you a lovely, unique taste, which you’ll surely fall in love with. The 100% Arabica shade-grown coffee beans are sourced from Indonesia and South America in an environmentally responsible way. Roasting is done right at the peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

This remarkable blend of arabica beans offers flavor notes of chocolate malt, molasses, liquorice with a substantial body and bold, soothing flavors. You can brew your coffee with various brewing techniques such as drip, french press, cold brew, and pour-over. And with each and every brew you’ll experience a new era of flavors bashing your tastebuds one by one.

On the downside, no size options or refund is available with the product. The bag is also not available as a whole bean option which is disappointing considering the fact that it won’t allow the user to select his preferred grind size.

Aside from these concerns, at least give this Kicking Horse Blend a try and we believe you’ll never turn to any other brand again. 

07. Real Good Extra Dark French Roast Coffee Beans – Best For All Brewers

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Specs: Brand Name: Real Good Coffee Company | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 32 Ounces | Speciality: Kosher Certified

“Have you ever had a cup of joe that begs you to say, ‘That’s a really good cup of coffee?’ That’s how it feels when you first try Real Good Coffee beans.” There are absolutely zero signs of bitterness in your brew.

This Real Good French Roast is a dark, whole bean, extra bold coffee with a smooth, sweet finish. All of the beans are roasted fresh in Seattle, USA, and work great with all types of brewers whether be Aeropress, pour-over, drip espresso, or even Moka pots.

A good cup of coffee can only be experienced with the right coffee-water brew ratio and here are a few official recommendations from the company Real Good Coffee. First of all, for drip brewing, always add 2 tbsp of medium ground coffee with every 6 oz (10 grams) of filtered water. Similarly, for French press add 9 tbsp equivalent to 55 grams of coarse ground coffee for every 34 oz. of french press. Lastly, for pour-over brewing, add 4 tbsp up to 22 grams of medium ground coffee for every 12 oz. of water. Pour slowly for maximum flavor extraction.

At a price tag of just $24.99, you’re getting a full 2-pound bag of whole bean coffee. Despite being affordable, it may pose a little bit of a problem too in case you didn’t like the coffee. However, with these premium Arabica beans, chances are quite low that you’re gonna have this issue.

08. Starbucks Espresso Whole Bean Coffee – Best Dark Roast Coffee for Espresso

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Specs: Brand Name: Starbucks Store | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 20 Ounces | Speciality: Full-bodied

Starbucks has perfectly planted itself as a coffee giant in the world of the coffee industry. With tons of options to choose from, we’d like to talk about Starbucks Espresso Roast which tastes shockingly strong. 

This Espresso roast is one of Starbucks darkest roasts that’s a well-curated blend of quality Arabica beans with a handful of oil present on the beans. This oil presents a satisfying crema that leads to an excellent espresso shot. It works by adding an extra layer of flavor to your coffee no matter how you brew it!

This variant is milk-friendly and performs perfectly well when combined with steamed milk or a decent splash of cream. Also, expect to enjoy some caramel & raspberry notes with strokes of spiciness.

However, this one is a more suited option for Espresso lovers. Buyers can also choose the Starbucks French Roast (View On Amazon) which is also a dark roast and acceptable by all brewers.

To sum up, you might prefer to go with a less common coffee brand, but if you are a die-hard Starbucks fan, you’ll definitely love this!

09. Volcanica Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Coffee, Dark Roast – Best Sumatra Coffee

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Specs: Brand Name: Volcanica Coffee Store | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 16 Ounces | Speciality: Fair Trade

Volcanica takes its pride in bringing the best coffee beans from the Volcanic regions. Their Sumatra Mandheling Coffee is a rare Indonesian coffee that is well-known for its richness and exotic flavor that’s both Earthy and Complex.

This Sumatra Dark Roast Coffee is a great option for drip and espresso coffee lovers. It has a heavy body with low acidity that is naturally sweet with flavors close to earthy cocoa. It’s also organic, syrupy with a meaningful depth and notes of brown sugar and dried fruit. 

Volcanica cares about its farmers and they responsibly source their beans from top growing regions meanwhile following the ethics of Fair Trade. As far as I know, there are only a few companies that are Rainforest Alliance Certified and the Volcanica Coffee company is undoubtedly one of them.

Any downsides? Yes, the coffee you buy isn’t refundable which is pretty disappointing also, the prices are high compared to other options. However, their customer service is pretty fast but that’s not even close to what we call “Refund”. 

Aside from these concerns, we think it’s a great coffee that you must try at least once.

Note: For decaffeinated lovers, Sumatra Mandheling Decaf Coffee is also available. Although it’s on the pricier side, it gets the job done.

10. Tiny Footprint Carbon Negative Dark Roast Coffee – Best in Affordability 

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Specs: Brand Name: Tiny Footprint Coffee | Caffeine Content: Caffeinated | Item Weight: 16 Ounces | Speciality: Certified Organic

Finally, our list of best dark roast coffee has come to an end with the Tiny Footprint Carbon Negative Dark Roast Coffee. Here’s all that you can expect from this great coffee brand.

First of all, they are the first coffee roasters on the planet to achieve a carbon-negative footprint. They do this by donating a portion of every pound of coffee they sell to plant native tree species in Ecuador’s Mindo cloud forest. Over time, these trees will reduce carbon dioxide and provide habitats to hundreds of local bird species.

So, how does their coffee taste? Here is the answer, really good! The beans are 100% Arabica grown high in the mountains around 3,750 to 5,400 ft. The flavor profile incorporates traditional Nicaraguan flavors of bright apricot, fig, and spice. They are also well-suited for all kinds of brewers including drip brewing. 

If everything is fine then why do we place it as the last best dark roast coffee? With all the pros, there are certainly cons with this product too. Firstly, the acidity present in high-altitude beans doesn’t go well with sensitive stomachs. Secondly, being on the lighter side of a dark roast may offer a smoky aftertaste which isn’t a satisfying experience.

All in all, for those who want to have a unique brand experience this one is worth checking out.

Things To Consider When Buying Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans

There’s a lot to consider when choosing the best dark-roasted coffee. If you’re shelling out 20 bucks for an Haute bag of beans, you should at least know the flavor profile, whether you should ever consider the roast date, and whether the origin of beans matters, to make an informed decision.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing between dark roast coffee blends.

Check out the Roast Date

The taste of coffee is subjective, but the quality of the coffee is not, that’s why you’ll want to be sure you’re getting freshly roasted coffee. 

For this reason, check out the roast date printed on the bags of the coffee to determine whether or not the coffee is fresh. I would suggest looking for beans that’ve been roasted anywhere from 7-14 days from the said roasted date, for the optimal taste experience.

During the roasting process, the cells of the coffee bean are packed full of CO2 and other elements. Freshly roasted coffee beans retain this CO2, which affects the quality of your brew. When you let your beans rest for a few days, CO2 escapes the beans gradually after the course of the next few days. Coffee tastes better when it is allowed to rest and undergo the degassing process.

At the end of the day (or the beginning, if you drink your coffee at that time), the roast date on your coffee is a meaningful thing to pay attention to, so that you can achieve those incredible flavors for your senses. Be wary of the coffee brands that exclude roast dates from their packaging. 

Know your flavor preferences

Darker roast coffee beans produce coffee that has deep flavors of dark chocolate, spice, and woodiness. Dark roasts are the least acidic, often bold and rich, and boast a rich aroma, full of body and texture. They’re not bland —far from it—however, they tend to have the least unique set of tastes, but the most richness.

Some coffee connoisseurs prefer Arabica dark roast coffee for its floral aroma, while some have a liking for Robusta with an earthy taste and a woodsy aroma.

Before deciding on the best dark roast beans, it’s helpful to have a general idea of your own personal taste preference.

Coffee is a rich and fascinating world, and more than half the fun of coffee is experimenting. As long as you’re a coffee fan, I would recommend going beyond your comfort level and experimenting with something new to test which one your taste buds take a liking to.

Bean Origin Matter Less

With dark roasts, the origin of the coffee beans does not matter. The longer a coffee bean roasts, the more of its original flavors dissipate. Dark roasts keep less of their original natural flavors as the toasted and smoky notes and the extended roasting process overshadows the coffee bean’s authentic flavors. Whereas, Light roasts tend to keep their natural flavors and are strongly influenced by how and where the beans have grown.

Debunking Dark Roast: Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

As you can see, picking the best dark roast coffee beans matters a lot. At the end of the day, it all depends on your personal preference.  With good quality beans, you can brew a strong flavored cup of coffee.

Dark roast coffee fans swear by the Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee; for its rich chocolate notes, and powerful aroma, with little to no signs of bitterness.

Happy caffeinating!

Taimoor S.

Taimoor followed his passion to become a coffee connoisseur and now travels the world to visit the most popular coffee shops. His cupboard is also stocked with a collection of brewing gadgets. He loves to drink Death Wish Coffee’s dark roast and highly caffeinated coffee grounds when he needs a boost of energy.