Death Wish Coffee

Mike Brown founded Death Wish Coffee in 2012 in Saratoga Springs, New York, where the company still maintains its headquarters. They roast at a manufacturing facility in nearby Round Lake, New York. The brand built its reputation on blending robusta beans—chosen for their high caffeine content and climate resilience—with arabica to produce a particularly strong brew that typically delivers around 180 milligrams of caffeine per cup.

They source USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified beans from Peru, India, Guatemala, Honduras, Ethiopia, and Sumatra. The company developed a freeze-dried instant coffee version of its blend for astronauts aboard the International Space Station, working with NASA Food Labs to create a formula suitable for use in orbit. Beyond their original dark roast, they now offer medium and espresso roasts as well as seasonal flavors.