Last Updated on January 29, 2022 by John Moretti
Do you love craft coffee with a luxury taste? Then, you may find yourself drawn to brewers like Koffee Kult and Kicking Horse. These two brewing companies produce fascinating blend options and create a myriad of different taste possibilities. Understanding the best choice for your needs will make it easier to choose a blend that feels right for you and which tastes fantastic every day.
However, there are differences between the two that must be carefully understood before trying out either brewer. Understanding these facts will make it easier to choose an option that suits your specific and personal coffee needs. To make it easier for you to decide, read along and have a closer look at both brewers and all differences between them.
The 5 Differences Between Koffee Kult And Kicking Horse
Koffee Kult and Kicking Horse coffee are two very popular luxury coffee brands. Each provides a unique array of flavors that make them worth considering. However, I found a few differences that I think should be highlighted.
The following 5 simple elements will make it easier for you to find a coffee blend that makes sense for your needs. Make sure that you fully understand them and take the time to balance them before making any purchasing decisions.
1. Which Brewer Has The Edge On Cost?
My research found that Koffee Kult is just a little less costly than Kicking Horse. Both are pretty affordable, but you’ll end up saving more money going with Koffee Kult. That kind of savings makes all the difference for those on a budget.
2. Kicking Horse Vs. Koffee Kult Coffee Profile
Kicking Horse specializes primarily in dark coffee and espresso. Their dark coffees were richer and tastier than Koffee Kult’s, though their options were just fine in all honesty. True dark coffee fans will likely prefer Kicking Horse, though.
3. Single Vs. Multi-Source Beans
Koffee Kult produces very fine single-source brews, while Kicking Horse has multi-source beans. The preference here depends on the individual drinker. I loved both! However, you’ll probably find one option that works better for your needs.
4. Which Brewer Is More Organic?
While Koffee Kult still provides somewhat organic options, Kicking Horse still leads the field regarding high-quality organic coffee offered at reasonable prices. That said, I applaud Koffee Kult’s efforts and think they’re above average in this field.
5. Which Brewer Has Better Subscription Options?
Koffee Kult and Kicking Horse both have subscription options. Koffee Kult’s is a bit less expensive, but you get a bit more quality and product from Kicking Horse. Thankfully, both provide adaptable shipping options that can minimize expenses.
Closer Look At Koffee Kult
Koffee Cult has nearly 10 years of history and started after the founder had one too many cups of questionable coffee. Their goal was to produce a quality cup of java, one that anybody would love.
Their first brew came from a 15-kilo brewer called Little Blue that roasted 18-pounds of coffee with each brew. Since then, the business expanded from a part-time hobby to a full-time deal.
From a small one-person operation in 2013 to its current 5,100 square-foot location, Koffee Kult has clearly impacted the market. However, it still possesses a small-company feel, with just 14 employees in a family-owned environment.
They are importing beans from many parts of the world to produce an excellent cup of coffee, indeed. What kind of flavors do they make? Let’s check it out!
How Koffee Kult Stands Out
While Koffee Kult remains primarily a regional favorite throughout Florida, they ship online orders, creating a broad array of potential customers.
They typically focus on artisan coffee, which mixes various blends and tastes to produce a fantastic drink. In addition, they focus on single-origin beans and everyday movement within the industry. Why single-origin?
Single Origin Advantages:
- Minimize Taste Confusion – Choosing beans from one source cuts back on conflicting taste profiles to produce a consistent and high-quality blend every time you brew a cup of coffee.
- Improves Bean Quality – By focusing on one source, you can enhance the bean quality by cutting on questionable sources and working only with reliable countries.
- Creates Diverse Taste Options – Single-origin beans allow Koffee Kult to work with Brazillian, Kenyan, Colombian, Ethiopian, and Tanzanian coffee farmers. This helps expand their taste profile.
- Helps Enhance Ethical Growing – Koffee Kult carefully chooses each bean source, choosing only the most ethical and fair groups on the market.
- Ensure You are Satisfied – All of these benefits help ensure that you are satisfied with your coffee, producing a unique and fascinating array of different taste possibilities.
Single-origin beans help to make Koffee Kult a fascinating option for coffee fans. While most major big-name brewers use multi-source beans because they are cheaper, Koffee Kult focuses on quality over quantity, allowing their customers always to get the cup of coffee they want.
Koffee Kult Product Options
Koffee Kult sells not just coffee beans and blends but various gifts, merchandise, and much more. T-shirts, coffee mugs, and other items make perfect gift choices for the coffee fan in your home.
Their blends vary in many different ways and include a myriad of different options. The most popular of their combinations have the options listed below.
1.White Lightning Blonde Coffee
This blend has a high level of caffeine, a robust flavor, and a vibrant flavor. The lighter overall taste limits the need for cream or sugar, allowing you to enjoy the true quality of the roast. Fans who can’t handle darker brews may want this option.
2. Medium Roast Coffee
If you want a lower-caffeine alternative to the previous option, this is an excellent choice for you. With its smooth blend of flavor and acidity (and minimal oil), you can enjoy this roast at just about any time. Me, I love a medium roasted cup of coffee just when waking up for the day.
3. Dark Roast Coffee
Dark coffee is naturally low on acid and has a slicker oil on the beans, making it very tasty and exciting. Expect touches of cinnamon and caramel with this particular blend. It produces a delicious and worthwhile roast most fans should enjoy.
5. Eye Cracker Espresso
Do you need high-quality espresso that meets your needs? Koffee Kult has a blend that will force your eyes open when you’re losing energy. Expect tastes of tangerine, cherry, and even a little bit of caramel in this delicious and well-roasted blend.
6. Decaf Options
Do you like a late-night cup of coffee but don’t want to stay awake all night when you’re done drinking? This option might be the best choice for you. It includes a tasty flavor and chemical-free makeup that makes it very safe and enjoyable for many taste options.
7. Custom Coffee Blends
If you want unique and more personalized flavors, Koffee Kult offers options like Thunderbolt French Roast, Road Dog, Mr. Coopoers Fiesta En La Finca, and more. These options help to fill out their blend of options and create great cups of coffee as well.
After trying a few of these blends, I’m happy to say that they have a high level of quality. However, what stands apart the most for me is just the overall health and quality of the beans. They don’t feel dried out or old, and there don’t seem to be any stale beans. For me, that’s what separates a quality brewer from a so-so one.
Closer Look At Kicking Horse Coffee
Kicking Horse Coffee has a similar small-business feel, starting as a garage-based business 25 years ago. They have expanded their operation and produced an excellent Canadian coffee option. Many other fans have claimed they’re the best in the nation, and I find that’s not inaccurate. This brewer is quite exciting and well worth your time if you’re a fan of high-quality coffee.
Brewed in the great Canadian Rocky Mountain range, they were one of the first 10 companies that signed on with TransFair Canada. This agreement strives to provide high-quality coffee grown ethically and fairly. They roast only 100% organic coffee beans and no longer work with non-fair trade businesses. In this way, they are one of the leaders of ethical brewing in the world.
What Makes Kicking Horse Stand Out?
Kicking Horse’s biggest thing to stand out from Koffee Kult is its heavy emphasis on organic brewing. Not that Koffee Kult doesn’t work in similar ways, mind you.
However, Kicking Horse is the first company to go fully organic and is still a leading light in this field. They also use a blended brewing option, choosing beans from other parts of the world instead of one source.
This option works for Kicking Horse because they aren’t using multiple beans to hide a poor-quality bean. Instead, they are creating unique and fascinating blends that complement each other perfectly.
In addition, they are experts at drawing out the best possible taste profiles from each bean, creating the kind of long-lasting and high-quality taste that you just can’t get anywhere else in the coffee world.
Even better, Kicking Horse has longevity and popularity that exceeds Koffee Kult. Of course, there’s nothing new with being the (relative) new kid in town. However, Kicking Horse has proved that they have an essential part in the coffee world. They also continue to innovate and produce bold new blends that simply taste fantastic and which are often available at affordable prices.
Kicking Horse Product Options
Let’s examine a few of the most popular Kicking Horse options on the market today. I tended to find that their espresso beans were among their best. They were definitely better than those espresso options from Koffee Kult.
However, they also have some good medium and light options that may be worth considering. Let’s dive into these unique options to see what you can get from this blend.
1. Cliffhanger Espresso
This blend is designed specifically for the espresso lover in your life. It does do well with options like Aeropress and even a French Press, though. That said, espresso machines do blend best with this option.
In addition, you can produce precise acidity with this blend, creating a mix of fruity tones that helps to make it a very tasty and reliable blend that will fulfill your needs with ease.
2. Pulling Espresso with Cliff Hanger Beans
If you want an espresso with a very rich taste and thick body, this option is a good choice. It features a bright taste mixed with a cocoa aftertaste and a fruity middle tone. The rich caramel taste will go well with just about any type of snack.
So far, I find that Kicking Horse has the better espresso options compared to Koffee Kult, and I think that’s likely to stay true with other blends.
3. Kick Ass Dark Roast Kicking Horse Coffee
Do you like a genuinely dark roasted coffee? You might enjoy this bean. It produces a very Spanish-roast style flavor, one that is quite potent and overwhelming. This option is not for the faint of heart.
In fact, some might find it lacks the slightly burnt taste that they may enjoy from dark coffee. However, those who do not like that burnt flavor may end up being a big fan of this bean.
4. Three Sisters and Hola
Most of Kicking Horse’s beans are reasonably dark and produce what you’d expect from a dark coffee. However, they also have a few medium and light options. Three Sisters is medium and has a light taste of toasted coconut and cocoa. Hola has a higher acidity and caffeine level, making it a good “get up and go” option for those tough mornings when life doesn’t seem to start.
Making a Choice
Which of these brewers is the best? Honestly, they’re both more than worth your money. I ended up being a massive fan of Kicking Horse for their organic options and their overall taste.
However, I also found Koffee Kult had the kind of rich lighter coffee that I loved. I genuinely think that it just depends on what type of coffee you prefer!
