Coffee has always been rich in history, culture, and experimentation. Among the most fascinating varieties are coffees that undergo part of their processing through the digestive tracts of animals or as a result of animals selectively consuming and excreting coffee cherries.
These coffees are often rare, laborious to produce, and surrounded by both intrigue and controversy. Below is an exploration of five well-known examples: civet coffee, bat coffee, jacu bird coffee, black ivory coffee, and monkey parchment coffee.
While each shares the common thread of being shaped by animal interaction, the unique digestive or selective-eating processes contribute distinct flavors and stories that captivate adventurous coffee enthusiasts.
Civet Coffee
Civet coffee, often called kopi luwak, is perhaps the most famous—and controversial—animal-processed coffee.
It originates in Indonesia, where wild civets consume ripe coffee cherries. Inside the civet’s digestive tract, the cherries undergo fermentation as enzymes break down proteins in the bean.
This reduction of proteins, which are responsible for bitterness, results in a smoother and often sweeter cup profile. Once the beans are excreted, they are collected, thoroughly washed, dried, and roasted.
Although it became globally popular for its uniqueness and purportedly refined flavor, civet coffee has faced serious ethical concerns.
The rise in demand has led to inhumane practices, including caging civets and feeding them cherries exclusively to increase production. True wild-sourced kopi luwak is extremely rare, and ethically sourced versions emphasize responsible collection from natural habitats.
Bat Coffee
Bat coffee stems from bats’ selective eating behavior rather than fermentation within their digestive systems. Fruit bats or similar species nibble on the ripest and sweetest coffee cherries, often leaving behind partially eaten fruits on the branch.
Farmers then collect these cherries, which have been exposed to bat saliva. This contact begins a mild, natural fermentation that contributes to a unique flavor profile appreciated for its floral and fruity notes.
Because bats only choose the highest-quality cherries, the resulting beans are naturally sifted for ripeness. Production is very small-scale and limited to regions where bats and coffee plants coexist.
Unlike some other animal-related coffees, bat coffee is generally considered more ethical, as it relies on natural wildlife behavior and does not involve captivity.
Jacu Bird Coffee
Jacu bird coffee comes from Brazil, where the jacu, a wild bird native to the Atlantic Forest, consumes coffee cherries straight from the plantation.
The beans pass through the bird’s digestive system, during which they undergo fermentation similar to that found in civet coffee. After the birds excrete the beans, farmers collect, clean, and process them.
The jacu bird is highly selective, choosing only the juiciest, ripest cherries. This selectivity combined with its digestive biology creates a coffee known for its mild acidity and clean, nuanced flavor profile.
Production is very limited because farmers must work with the natural feeding habits of the birds.
Jacu bird coffee is often regarded as an environmentally friendly option because it supports coexistence between coffee farming and native wildlife rather than confinement or forced feeding.
Black Ivory Coffee
Black ivory coffee is produced in Thailand using elephants that consume coffee cherries mixed into their regular diet. As the cherries pass through the elephant’s lengthy digestive tract, they experience an extended fermentation process.
Enzymes break down bitter compounds while the elephant’s digestive system imparts distinctive flavor characteristics. Once excreted, the beans are meticulously collected, cleaned, and processed.
This coffee is one of the rarest and most expensive in the world due to the long digestive time, the limited number of beans elephants naturally excrete intact, and the labor-intensive collection process.
The resulting brew is often described as smooth, earthy, and chocolatey with minimal bitterness. Ethical Black Ivory production prioritizes the wellbeing of the elephants, emphasizing conservation, veterinary care, and natural feeding practices.
Monkey Parchment Coffee
Monkey parchment coffee comes mostly from India and Taiwan, where certain species of monkeys are drawn to ripe coffee cherries. Instead of swallowing them, monkeys typically chew and spit out the beans.
The enzymes in their saliva begin a light fermentation process before the beans naturally dry on the branches or fall to the ground. Farmers then gather these beans and complete the drying and roasting process.
Because monkeys choose only the best cherries and lightly ferment the beans through chewing, this coffee is often noted for its sweet, fruity, and slightly wine-like characteristics.
Production is extremely limited, as it depends entirely on the unpredictable feeding habits of wild monkeys, making this one of the rarest wildlife-processed coffees.
These animal-processed coffees stand apart for their unusual creation methods and the distinctive flavors that emerge from natural fermentation or selective feeding.
While they intrigue coffee lovers around the world, ethical sourcing is essential to ensuring that the animals involved are not harmed or exploited. When produced responsibly, these coffees offer a unique intersection of ecology, tradition, and flavor.
