Dark Horse is a dark roast blend with bittersweet chocolate and caramel flavors. It features toasted nut and vanilla notes with a smooth texture and deep flavors. The roast profile goes beyond the second crack, achieving a robust and slightly smoky character while maintaining caramelized sweetness. This coffee makes an excellent cold brew.
Nathan Wyss and Josh Magnani founded Contraband Coffee in San Francisco, opening their original Larkin Street location on Christmas Eve 2010. SF Weekly named it Best New Cafe in 2011, and a second San Francisco location followed in the SoMa district in 2017. Roasting takes place at a facility on 81st Avenue in Oakland, where a vintage Probat and custom built equipment allow each coffee to be approached with its own specific profile. The name carries through to the lineup, with blends like Black Market, Smuggler's Blend, and Sub Rosa alongside single origins from Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, and Rwanda. Contraband sources exclusively through cooperatives, small farmers, and ethical organizations, refusing to work through middlemen.
