What is Death Wish Medium Roast?
The lighter end of a range that does not otherwise do light, with the most detailed tasting profile the brand publishes.
Death Wish publishes a medium roast blend of USDA Organic and Certified Fair Trade arabica and robusta, with a taste profile of caramel and roasted nuts, subtle undertones of stone fruit and caramel, an aroma of stone fruit and roasted peanuts, an aftertaste of stone fruit and chocolate, medium body and medium acidity. Bags are 16oz.
Four separate descriptors, which is unusual at this scale
Aroma, taste, aftertaste and undertones, each written out.
Stone fruit is the interesting one. It means apricot, peach or plum, and it is a note that comes from the bean and the process rather than from the roast. Dark roasting flattens it, which is exactly why it appears here and not on the dark roast.
Medium acidity is what carries it. That brightness is what lets fruit notes read at all; the low-acidity Valhalla Java gives cocoa and molasses instead, which is the heavier, rounder end of the same brand.
The pairing of caramel with roasted peanut in the aroma and chocolate in the aftertaste is a coherent picture, not a word salad. Whoever wrote it tasted it.
A medium roast with robusta in it is an unusual choice
And it explains why this tastes different from other medium roasts.
Robusta is normally kept to dark roasts and espresso blends, where its heavier, more rubbery character is masked by roast. Putting it in a medium roast, where the bean has nowhere to hide, is a harder thing to pull off.
Death Wish does it because robusta is where the caffeine comes from, and caffeine is the brand. So this is not a conventional medium roast, and anyone expecting the clean, bright cup of a Kicking Horse Three Sisters or an Intelligentsia single origin should know that going in.
Note that Death Wish publishes no caffeine figure for this roast. Only the dark roast carries a number.
What this listing does not tell you
The origin, which the dark roast does give.
Death Wish Dark Roast names Peru, India, Guatemala, Honduras and Ethiopia. This one names no country at all, which is a step backwards from the flagship in the same range.
Also absent: altitude, varietals, farm or cooperative, processing method and roast date. The two certifications are the only sourcing information you get.
Death Wish Medium Roast vs Stumptown Founder's Blend
Two medium roasts at a similar price, and only one tells you when it was roasted.
Stumptown Founder's Blend publishes a roast date and comes from a roaster with a named Direct Trade programme. Death Wish publishes neither.
Death Wish answers with two certifications, which Stumptown's Direct Trade is not a substitute for, and with a more detailed flavour profile.
The honest split is what you want verified. Certifications are audited by a third party; a roast date tells you the coffee is fresh. Death Wish gives you the first, Stumptown the second, and neither gives you both.
Is Death Wish Medium Roast worth it?
The pricing is awkward, and that is worth knowing before you click.
The 16oz two-pack resolves at $39.74, which is about $19.87 a bag. The single 16oz bag exists as a variant but Amazon reports it cannot be shipped, so buying one bag may not be possible.
For roughly $20 a bag you get two certifications, a genuinely detailed profile and 1,096 ratings. That is reasonable rather than cheap, and the profile is the value.
Against it: no origin, no altitude, no varietals, no farm, no roast date and no caffeine figure. It is also the least-reviewed of the three unflavoured blends here.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if you want Death Wish's certifications without a dark roast.
It suits anyone who finds dark roasts flat and wants stone fruit and caramel, and anyone buying two bags anyway.
Do not buy it expecting a conventional medium roast, because the robusta makes it heavier than most. Do not buy it for the caffeine figure, which is published on the dark roast only. And check the pack availability, because the single bag may not ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Death Wish Medium Roast taste like?
Caramel and roasted nuts, with undertones of stone fruit, an aroma of stone fruit and roasted peanuts, and an aftertaste of stone fruit and chocolate. Medium body, medium acidity.
How much caffeine is in it?
Death Wish publishes no figure for this roast. The dark roast is the one rated at about 180mg per 6oz.
Where is it from?
Not published. The dark roast names five countries; this one names none.
Is it organic?
Yes, USDA Organic and Certified Fair Trade.
Can I buy a single bag?
The two-pack resolves at $39.74. A single 16oz variant exists but Amazon reports it cannot be shipped.
