Is There Coffee Made from Elephant Poop? (Solved & Explained!)

Black Ivory Coffee is a coffee harvested from elephant droppings and is considered one of the rarest and most expensive coffees in the world. Due to its rarity, it is not easily accessible from mainstream coffee shops, instead, it is only purchasable at select high-end locations.

This article will look at Black Ivory Coffee, how it is harvested, processed, and what it tastes like, as well as how to brew it.

What is Black Ivory Coffee?

Being one of the most expensive coffee\s in the world, Black Ivory Coffee is typically only found at high-end hotels or online on the retailer’s website. The supply of Black Ivory Coffee greatly depends on the elephants, so there is typically always a small amount of this coffee available.

A large number of coffee cherries are needed for the entire process, with only a small fraction of coffee cherries actually making it through the process of being digested and found while sorting through elephant droppings. Fragments and half-chewed seeds are not included and add to the 33 kilograms of coffee that is lost to produce one kilogram of brew-ready coffee beans.

How Did Elephant Poop Coffee Start?

Black Ivory Coffee started out at an elephant sanctuary named the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation but eventually moved to another location in east Thailand. There are 20 elephants at this location that help in eating coffee beans and digesting them to make that distinct coffee bean flavor.

At least eight percent of proceeds from Black Ivory Coffee are donated to the original Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. This is used to help the elephants live better lives and give them better healthcare.

How Does Black Ivory Coffee Affect Elephants?

The overall health of elephants who are on a coffee cherry diet, or who mainly eat coffee cherries, are not adversely affected by the effects of a caffeine-heavy diet. According to the caretakers of the elephants, they are more concerned about the elephants missing their coffee fix and becoming irritable.

Coffee cherries aren’t the only foods that the elephants eat, however. The elephants also eat grass, green leafy material, other fruits, and sugar cane. It takes a lot of energy to break down all these foods, such as cellulose.

The fermentation process that the coffee bean undergoes while in the digestion system of the elephant, mixing the other foods such as the fruits, helps bring out the sweetness in the coffee bean and infuse sweetness from the fruits to the coffee bean.

Why Did the Black Ivory Coffee Brand Make and Market Their Coffee?

Black Ivory Coffee wanted to improve the situation for elephants and decided that a way to help would be to make a luxury brand surrounding the elephants and have some of the proceeds go towards helping elephants.

Black Ivory Coffee is also famous for its unique taste, and the company, not wanting to overwork their elephants, decided to only give their limited supply of coffee to special places, such as select five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants.

They also wanted to make a small portion of the coffee available online for adventurous people to try, stressing that it is only a small amount set aside for their online store, but the proceeds act the same and will go towards helping elephants.

How Do You Make Black Ivory Coffee?

The process to make Black Ivory Coffee is multi-step, and starts and ends with the coffee cherry and its beans:

• Coffee cherries are prepared for the elephants, first being mashed into a paste with other staple foods, such as fruits. These are then brought to the elephants.

• The elephants will eat the paste by mouth, or with their trunk.

• The digestive process takes some time, but eventually, the elephant will finish its digestive process and drop the partially-digested coffee beans in its droppings.

• These droppings are carefully sorted, and all of the whole coffee beans are put in a container for further processing.

• These beans are then washed, sanitized, and dried. The drying process can take some time, due to the climate and other factors.

• After drying, the beans are hulled and sorted, where only the largest beans are kept to ensure the roasting process is even.

• The beans are then roasted using a special formula that is precise and roasts these particular types of beans well.

• The beans are then packaged and shipped out to premium locations. Black Ivory Coffee does not warehouse roasted coffee due to the desire to maintain its freshness.

How Does Black Ivory Coffee Have Such a Unique Taste?

According to the leading minds behind Black Ivory Coffee, the fermentation process is the most unique aspect of this coffee due to its ability to strip the potent bitterness away from the coffee bean, resulting in a lighter, more floral type of coffee.

While being digested, the enzymes in the stomach reduce the protein found in the coffee bean, giving the bean a pleasant, fruity taste.

The digestive process takes time, up to at least 30 hours, and is mixed with other foods that also lend flavors that imbue the coffee bean, such as bananas and sugar cane. During this process, the coffee beans will have a fruity, earthy smell.

What Does Black Ivory Coffee Taste Like?

The actual taste of the bean itself is special, as the aroma is floral and chocolatey, while the taste is a bit more pronounced of these flavors, being chocolate malt and a slight note of cherry.

The taste is also similar to tea, as the coffee bitterness that is known and well-associated with coffee is reduced with this type of brew. People have made comparisons to Black Ivory Coffee as a cross between coffee and tea.

While brewed and fresh, Black Ivory Coffee has a smooth body with a sweetness topped with caramel and a nutty aroma. There are also hints of spice and tamarind. As tastes can vary, some people have also reported a taste of milk chocolate with a nutty finish.