If you are well-versed in coffees, you must have already heard about animal poop coffees. And if not, you might be missing out on the strangest yet healthy aspect of these cups of Joe.
As their name indicates, animal poop coffees actually come from the poops of animals. Although coming from poop, these coffees are yet the most expensive and rare all across the world.
Kopi Luwak, cat poop coffee, Coatis coffee, monkey poop coffee, and Jacu bird coffee are some of the most popular names when it comes to animal poop coffees.
This article is all about monkey poop coffee! It will take you through all the relevant details about it, how it is beneficial, where you can get it, and everything you would like to know.
So, let’s get to it.
What is Monkey Poop Coffee?
Monkey poop coffee is a unique variety of coffee beans that comes from India and Taiwan. It is usually processed with the help of Formosan rock macaques and rhesus monkeys.
Despite monkey poop coffee, monkey spit coffee would be a better name for it. It is because the monkeys, who assist in its processing, don’t really consume the coffee beans. Instead, they chew them up and spit them out for others to pick up.
Since coffee beans are not digested by animals, it is more frequently referred to as monkey coffee than so-called “poop coffee.” And that actually sounds more pleasant, no?
The monkey coffee is said to make a delicious cup of brew with a sweet, rich flavor. You’ll likely get 80-240 mg of caffeine per cup.
However, like other specialty coffees, only a few of you might get to try it. It is because it is a little pricey and difficult to find.
How is monkey poop coffee made?
Monkey coffee is primarily a product of Taiwan and Chikmagalur, India.
Both regions have coffee plantations that are occasionally situated next to forests or scattered among other flora that coexist well with the deep shade coffee plants.
In Taiwan, Formosan rock macaques live in these woodlands naturally, while rhesus monkeys inhabit these forests in India. Since farmers had no control over the monkeys’ frequent visits to their coffee crops, they have turned them into a tool for producing high-quality coffees like this one.
The term “coffee bean” refers to the seed found inside the coffee fruit or cherry. The inhabitant monkeys are, naturally, attracted to the ripest, sweetest coffee cherries that are growing on coffee farms. They chose, pick and chew the best coffee cherries and then the remaining fruit and the paper that surrounds it are spit onto the ground.
The chewed seeds are carefully harvested by workers, who then wash, process, rinse, and dry them. In contrast to the typically green appearance of raw coffee beans, dry beans seem gray and occasionally bear the impressions of a monkey’s tooth.
The coffee beans after being dried are roasted and available for sale.
Monkey coffee production is a relatively recent industry. Previously, monkey-chewed coffee beans were infrequently recovered and considered to be an organic waste. However, the story took a turn in the early 2000s when some coffee producers started gathering the chewed seeds to process for sale on the global market as a gourmet coffee resembling other coffee types.
Is monkey poop coffee real?
Having read all the information above, this question may still come to your mind is monkey poop coffee for real?
Well, it is absolutely real and has been around for years. It is just that its health advantages and specialties have never been in talk much. Probably, because of the way it is processed!
However, people have started acknowledging its benefits and taste and want to explore more and more about it. Maybe that’s why you are reading this too.
And we do appreciate that! Because it is always better to know about all the aspects of a food item before you actually incorporate it into your diet list.
Here we have some other important things that you must know about monkey coffee. So, keep reading!
Caffeine Content in Monkey Coffee
When it comes to coffee, caffeine is the most considered and measured ingredient.
The amount of caffeine in any type of coffee beans varies depending on several factors. For example,
- The variety of coffee that is grown
- The roast
- The brewing technique.
Mostly Arabica beans are used in making monkey coffee, which has a lower caffeine content than the popular robusta beans. Also, dark roasts provide less caffeine than lighter roasts. It is because more caffeine is burned off when a bean is roasted for a long. But monkey coffee is typically found in light to medium roasts.
Additionally, the brewing method of the coffee makes a difference too. For instance, an 8 oz. serving of coffee is likely to provide you with;
- 160-240 mg of caffeine if boiled
- 70-140 mg of caffeine if drip brewed
- 80-135mg of caffeine in case of French Press
It is always wise to check for the amount of caffeine before you buy monkey coffee because excessive consumption might end up aggravating various physical and mental health issues.
So, is it safe to consume it?
Provided that the coffee beans come after being chewed by monkeys, the monkey coffee is often questioned for its safety. If you too are concerned about it, here is your answer!
Consuming monkey poop coffee is typically not harmful. The chewed-out coffee beans are painstakingly harvested by local farmers, who then thoroughly rinse and wash them before processing them professionally.
The typical processing technique is the dry procedure, which is afterward roasted and sold as a high-value coffee commodity.
Here are some of the health benefits linked with this coffee.
Caution! All these benefits might make you want more of it every day!
Benefits of Monkey Coffee
Monkey Coffees and others that have undergone animal processing are recognized to have numerous health advantages. They are usually low in acidity and caffeine content and are likely to give you more energy without having any negative effects on your body. Additionally, because they are simpler to digest due to the lesser acidity, your stomach will be spared as well.
Here is a list of some potential charms of our beloved monkey coffee.
- Due to its low acidity, monkey coffee is a stomach-friendly option to consume. It is rarely linked with any digestive issues provided that it is consumed in healthy quantities.
- Monkey coffee along with other related beverages is often linked with lower chances of cognitive decline and dementia. They are likely to keep you active and fresh for a significant time.
- The coffee is also recognized for its antibacterial potential. It protects your teeth and oral cavity and is likely to cause no or minimal staining as compared to our regular coffees.
- Monkey coffee has been proven to be beneficial for various psychological factors. It improves your mood and energy beyond a regular boost of caffeine.
- It is also found effective for migraines and headaches. However, significant research is required to testify to this claim.
Where can you buy monkey poop coffee?
Knowing all these benefits, you might be thinking of purchasing one, right? We’re here to help you with that too!
Monkey poop coffee is still seen as being rare at this time of day, making it seem extremely tough to get your hands on it. As a result of the production’s strong reliance on rhesus monkeys and natural factors, its supply on the market fluctuates considerably.
So, if you have your heart set on this treat, you’d better research the world’s top coffee suppliers to ensure you don’t miss out.
Note, that coffee with the “monkey” brand should not be confused with monkey coffee. Even though it’s rare to find actual monkey coffee, the animal is regularly used as a brand name in the coffee industry.
If not monkey coffee, the beverage can also be searched with alternate names like monkey poop coffee or monkey parchment coffee.
How much is monkey poop coffee/is it rare?
Monkey coffee is usually pricey because the availability fluctuates significantly. Also, there aren’t many people that specialize in monkey coffee, so it’s not unusual for coffee manufacturers to have much less than 100 pounds available for an entire year.
Thus, retail prices for it range from several hundred dollars per pound easily makes to ten bucks for each cup of freshly brewed coffee.
How to make monkey coffee?
Now that you’ve purchased the coffee, you must be thinking about how would you make one. Here you go!
Brewing monkey coffee isn’t much different than that from ordinary coffees. However, the former has a very distinct flavor from the latter.
Compared to ordinary coffee, monkey coffee is sweeter and more flavorful. It is because the enzymes in the beans are broken down by the monkeys’ saliva, which alters the overall taste.
Although vanilla frequently stands out, monkey coffees contain a whole range of coffee flavor notes, including chocolate, citrus, and nuts. They have a strong body, a round, nice acidity, and barely any bitterness.
Sadly, it might not be a good choice for morning delight but can be a great choice for sipping on in the evening or whenever you need an energy dose throughout the hectic day!
Some other animal-processed coffees to consider
Besides monkey coffee, there are many other options to consider when it comes to animal-processed or poop coffees. Have a look!
Civet Cat Coffee
Civet cat coffee, popularly known as Kopi Luwak, is the oldest and best-known animal poop coffee. In actuality, it was the pioneer of all animal poop coffees, the first kind to be identified.
The Asian palm civet cat is the animal that consumes the coffee cherries in civet coffee. It is a small cat-like mammal related to the weasel and native to southeast Asian nations like Indonesia and the Philippines. Hence, the coffee gets its name so.
Elephant Coffee
When kopi Luwak got its recognition, people started testing feeding coffee cherries to elephants and collecting partially digested beans from their excrement. And thus elephant poop coffee was created as a result. It is also famous as black ivory coffee.
Even though elephant poop coffee is acknowledged to not taste as nice as kopi Luwak and does not have the same special health benefits, it is still sold for more than $900 per pound.
Bat Coffee
Another example of an animal-processed coffee that isn’t literally animal poop coffee is the bat poop coffee.
Bat “poop” coffee, like monkey coffee, is made when a certain species of Central American bat consumes the outer pulp of the coffee cherries and licks the sweet mucilage.
The fermentation process is initiated by the saliva of the bat, just as it is by the saliva of the monkey in monkey coffee.
Bird Coffee
Local Brazilian coffee grower Henrique Sloper realized that the Jacu, an endangered native bird species, had taken over his whole plantation at the Camocin estate.
Sloper’s coffee plants were being torn apart by wild Jacu birds, which were devouring the tastiest coffee cherries and nearly wiping out the plants themselves.
Sloper didn’t want to hurt the birds, but he thought back to a time he had kopi Luwak and its unusual way of manufacturing gave him the idea of creating bird poop coffee.
And that’s how Jacu poop coffee came into being!
Conclusion
Animal poop coffees might sound very strange and nauseating sometimes but they are not that bad!
As mentioned above, there are many such types and almost all of them are linked with great taste and health benefits.
So, if you have not consumed one yet, how about trying it now?
