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JohnQPublic
29th April 2013, 09:50 AM
Black Ivory Coffee (http://www.blackivorycoffee.com/#!about/aboutPage)

"...in Chiang Saen, northern Thailand​. It begins with selecting the best Thai Arabica beans that have been picked from an altitude as high as 1500 meters. Once deposited by the elephants, the individual beans are hand-picked by the Mahouts and their wives and then sun-dried and roasted. Approximately 10,000 beans are picked for each kilogram of roasted coffee; thus, 33 kilograms of coffee cherries are required to produce just one kilogram of BLACK IVORY COFFEE..."

" Why does this process improve the taste of the coffee?

​Research by Dr. Marcone at the University of Guelph indicates that during digestion, the enzymes of the elephant break down coffee protein. Since protein is one of the main factors responsible for bitterness in coffee, less protein means almost no bitterness. As well, in contrast to carnivores, herbivores such as elephants use much more fermentation for digestion. Fermentation is desirable in coffee as it helps to impart the fruit from the coffee pulp into the bean.




Why does this process improve the taste of the coffee?

​​Research by Dr. Marcone at the University of Guelph indicates that during digestion, the enzymes of the elephant break down coffee protein. Since protein is one of the main factors responsible for bitterness in coffee, less protein means almost no bitterness. As well, in contrast to carnivores, herbivores such as elephants use much more fermentation for digestion. Fermentation is desirable in coffee as it helps to impart the fruit from the coffee pulp into the bean."

Saying, "this coffee tastes like sh*t", never was more true!

vacuum
29th April 2013, 09:53 AM
I'm assuming they wash them before roasting...

madfranks
29th April 2013, 10:19 AM
They probably shovel it straight from the ground into the bag, poop and all. They should call it "brown ivory coffee".

Spectrism
30th April 2013, 07:21 AM
Sounds D-licious. Just don't smell the coffee when you drink it. This special coffee will also give you the memory of an elephant. Maybe that word "memory" is not the right translation. If you happen to go on a safari, don't step in any elephant "memories".

There is another coffee bean excrement fad from another animal... I think a wild cat.

Here it is:
http://coffeetea.about.com/cs/kindsofcoffee/a/aakopiluwak.htm

Kopi LuwakNot just an urban legendFrom Sean Paajanen (http://gold-silver.us/bio/Sean-Paajanen-7954.htm), former About.com Guide



Kopi Luwak coffee comes from the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an area well-known for its excellent coffee. Also native to the area is a small civit-like animal called a Paradoxurus. That's the scientific name, the locals call them luwaks. These little mammals live in the trees and one of their favorite foods is the red, ripe coffee cherry. They eat the cherries, bean and all. While the bean is in the little guy's stomach, it undergoes chemical treatments and fermentations. The bean finishes its journey through the digestive system, and exits. The still-intact beans are collected from the forest floor, and are cleaned, then roasted and ground just like any other coffee.


The resulting coffee is said to be like no other. It has a rich, heavy flavour with hints of caramel or chocolate. Other terms used to describe it are earthy, musty and exotic. The body is almost syrupy and it's very smooth.
One must wonder about the circumstances that brought about the first cup of Kopi Luwak coffee. Who would think to (or even want to) collect and roast beans out of animal feces? Perhaps a native figured it was easier to collect the beans from the ground this way, rather than having to work harder and pick them from the trees? We'll likely never know. But because of the strange method of collecting, there isn't much Kopi Luwak produced in the world. The average total annual production is only around 500 pounds of beans. Because of the rarity of this coffee, the price is quite outrageous. If you can find a vendor, the current cost for a pound of Kopi Luwak is around $300 or more. Some more adventurous coffee houses are selling it by the cup, but you won't likely find it at your local coffee shop just yet. The coffee isn't so spectacular that it's truly worth that amount of money. You are paying for the experience of enjoying such an unusual and rare delicacy.