Unusual Coffees People Actually Drink

What are the most weird and surprising coffee types to try out?

For some coffee lovers the usual cup of espresso or latte just doesn’t do it. It might be surprising what weird and unusual coffees people actually drink. If you feel adventurous or curious about unusual coffee types, here we share with you some examples. We hope to inspire you to see and try something new, or maybe to warn you what coffees you definitely don’t want in your mouth! Well, that’s for you to decide. 

Some coffees are indeed strange… They may be made from unusual ingredients, others are made in even awkward or even disturbing ways. Amongst the most odd and shocking ones are the ‘poop coffees’ – coffee beans pooped out by animals; others, although less weird, but still unusual, have uncommon ingredients added to them. 

Let’s look at our list of unusual coffee types. 

9 odd coffee drinks to try or to avoid

1. Kopi Luwak

There are different terms you may come across which are referring to Luwak coffee: Kopi Luwak, civet cat coffee, weasel coffee or cat poop coffee. They all refer to the same type of coffee, which is Kopi Luwak.

What is coffee Luwak?

Coffee or Kopi Luwak is made from coffee beans digested by a cat-like animal living in Indonesia. It’s one of the world’s most expensive types of coffee. 

Why is Luwak coffee so expensive?

The main reason for its high price is the unusual and labor intensive production method.

What is so special about Luwak coffee?

Civet cats consume only certain coffee cherries, so coffee Luwak beans go through a rigorous selection of a discerning cat. Normal coffee beans don’t go through such selection. Apart from that, coffee cherries ferment while passing through the cat’s digestive system. Thanks to these, the coffee has a unique taste, it is smoother and more refined. 

What does civet cat coffee taste like?

Civet cat coffee has an earthy taste with hints of caramel and chocolate. It’s also smoother and less bitter. 

Important: we don’t support the production or consumption of Kopi Luwak due to ethical issues. 

2. Kopi Joss – charcoal coffee

What is Kopi Joss? Kopi Joss is an Indonesian coffee with charcoal. A piece of red hot charcoal is dropped into the coffee just before it’s served, which changes its flavor. 

3. Monkey spit coffee

The famous rock monkey coffee, also called monkey parchment coffee, is produced mainly in Taiwan and Chikmagalur, India. The monkeys chew coffee cherries for a few minutes and spit out the seeds (the coffee beans). Monkeys choose only the ripest, sweetest coffee cherries and reject those of poor quality, so the beans the monkey spit coffee beans are carefully selected. 

What does monkey spit coffee taste like?

The coffee beans have a vanilla-like aroma as well as notes of citrus and chocolate. 

4. Bat coffee

Bat coffee comes from Costa Rica and has a floral, fruity, and sweet taste. 

You may have come across the term “bat poop coffee” or “bat shit coffee,” but this isn’t accurate. Wild bats land suck the juice out of ripe coffee cherries leaving the cherries attached to the plant. The coffee bean matures on the plant covered in bat spit and is chemically altered by the digestive enzymes from the bat’s spit.

5.  Nitro Brew Coffee

Have you heard about this coffee drink with nitrogen? Nitro coffee brew is infused with nitrogen to achieve a creamy head and thick foam (similar to beer foam). It looks great and you can enjoy the extra frothiness of your coffee. 

6. Elephant dung coffee – Black Ivory coffee

Elephant dung coffee, also called Black Ivory coffee (that sounds better, doesn’t it?!) is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. It’s produced in Thailand from coffee beans digested by elephants. 

How is Black Ivory coffee made?

Blck Ivory coffee is made from beans that have been digested by elephants. The beans are collected from elephant dung, washed and roasted.

What is elephant coffee expensive and what’s so special about it?

Elephant dung coffee has a unique taste and it’s expensive due to a labor intensive production process. 

What does it taste like?

It has the flavor notes of chocolate, spices, and grass.

7. Snake Coffee

What is snake coffee?

Snake coffee is another type of ‘poop coffee’. It’s made from coffee beans which have been digested by snakes. Similarly to other ‘poop coffees’, the beans are collected from snake feces, washed, and then roasted.

8. Jacu bird dropping coffee

Jacu bird coffee is a Brazilian equivalent of Kopi Luwak. It’s made from coffee beans digested by the jacu bird. 

What does Jacu bird coffee taste like?

Jacu bird coffee has nutty and sweet notes with hints of and anise.

9. Black pepper coffee

This unusual coffee drink is a popular favorite in Senegal. Black pepper coffee, also called Café touba, is a black coffee drink with black pepper and sugar. It has a deep, earthy flavor with a zingy spiciness and sweetness, which can make your eyes wide open and keep you awake. Apart from the flavor, the African black pepper also has stomach calming qualities.

FAQs

What coffee is pooped by an animal?

There are several types of coffee pooped by an animal. Here is a list:

• Black Ivory coffee
• Luwak coffee
• Jacu bird coffee
• Snake coffee
• Elephant coffee

What is weasel coffee?

Weasel coffee is another name for Kopi Luwak. 

Is weasel coffee ethical?

Unfortunately, in most cases weasel coffee is not ethical. The animals are kept in cages and fed an unhealthy monotonous diet. 

Is Kopi Luwak cleaned before brewing?

Yes, the outer layer of the coffee bean is removed during processing and the remaining beans are completely cleaned before roasting. 

Final note

There are various strange coffees people drink around the world. Some of them you will be curious to try, others you may want to avoid, as you may find them truly disgusting. Anyway, it’s great to try out something new from time to time and we hope this article can give you some inspiration for what to look for. 

What is the strangest coffee you’ve ever had? Would you recommend others trying it? Share in the comments!