Straight from the elephant's butt

[Hum]

In the lush hills of northern Thailand, a herd of 20 elephants is excreting some of the world's most expensive coffee.

Trumpeted as earthy in flavor and smooth on the palate, the exotic new brew is made from beans eaten by Thai elephants and plucked a day later from their dung. A gut reaction inside the elephant creates what its founder calls the coffee's unique taste.

Stomach turning or oddly alluring, this is not just one of the world's most unusual specialty coffees. At $1,100 per kilogram ($500 per pound), it's also among the world's priciest.

For now, only the wealthy or well-traveled have access to the cuppa, which is called Black Ivory Coffee. It was launched last month at a few luxury hotels in remote corners of the world ? first in northern Thailand, then the Maldives and now Abu Dhabi ? with the price tag of about $50 a serving.

Why elephants?

"When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness," said Blake Dinkin, who has spent $300,000 developing the coffee. "You end up with a cup that's very smooth without the bitterness of regular coffee." :huh:

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[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

That's just gross! :x

[+Warwagon MVC]

On the plus side the elephant makes more coffee per day than that other "Little" creature who's poop we make coffee from.

[thechronic]

Oh Hum. You seriously make my day sometimes with the random stuff you share :D

[*RedBull*]

RemixedCat will not like this. LOL

and that is digusting. Congress needs to add lunatic back into the documentation so they can aptly discribe the individuals who drink this sh*t.

I mean literally it is drinking sh*t. :x

[Hum]

A gut reaction inside the elephant creates what its founder calls the coffee's unique taste.

You'd think they could treat the beans with some lab chemicals, instead of sending them thru a tour of an elephant. :s

[Astra.Xtreme]

You'd think they could treat the beans with some lab chemicals, instead of sending them thru a tour of an elephant. :s

I was thinking the same thing. Surely they can artificially recreate the same effects.

Though I'm sure half the selling point is the novelty fact that you're drinking something that's been crapped out. :/

The same thing is being done with a type of monkey, if I remember correctly.

[exotoxic]

I mean literally it is drinking sh*t. :x

Its really no big deal, its not like they don't wash them first. Not really different than eating anything from an animal.

[Nothing Here]

What kind of mind thinks: "Hmm, I bet the coffee from an animal's butt will taste great!"

[*RedBull*]

Moose nugget earrings come to mind. At least no one eats them.

[farmeunit]

You'd think they could treat the beans with some lab chemicals, instead of sending them thru a tour of an elephant. :s

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

[Charisma Veteran]

Trumpeted as earthy in flavor and smooth on the palate

I see what they did there. :shiftyninja:

Also... I'd try it.

You'd think they could treat the beans with some lab chemicals, instead of sending them thru a tour of an elephant. :s

Natural ftw? ;)

[Marshall Veteran]

Also... I'd try it.

You would try it? I just lost a little bit of respect for you. :rofl:

[*RedBull*]

You would try it? I just lost a little bit of respect for you. :rofl:

I'm leaning that way too....

[Nothing Here]

Let's all just open up a can of "poop" coffee and give it a try.

[Salty Wagyu]

They should have called it E-Coli Coffee instead.

[Aergan]

.....do not understand.

[MightyJordan]

When I saw the title, I think it was gonna be about the mongongo nut. The nuts come from trees, but sometimes, they simply have elephants eat the nuts whole, as they can reach the trees much easier. Then they poo the nuts out, fully intact, and still edible.

And if you fancy an alternative to elephant s**t coffee, how about some weasel vomit coffee? ;)

[hckngrtfakt]

ugggh, wrong article to read the precise day i decide to have 4 cups :x

(no wonder there's always a funny aftertaste...)

[Crisp]

Does it come with Elephant milk too? I like milk in my Coffee.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Plus, if you want to make coffee out of the poop but can't find any water, you can always do this!

[Charisma Veteran]

You would try it? I just lost a little bit of respect for you. :rofl:

Haters gonna hate :D

It's like exotoxic said, they of course clean it first :p I think faeces is completely disgusting and gag at the thought of it, but this is sterilised first :p I mean, if you think about it, a lot of things we eat has disgusting origins, like dairy. And we've all got a pretty much 100% of having eaten bugs and sh** from some animal or another, if you've ever eaten anything canned or processed. So... not seeing the big deal. Long as it's tasty, I'm down.

[Marshall Veteran]

Haters gonna hate :D

It's like exotoxic said, they of course clean it first :p I think faeces is completely disgusting and gag at the thought of it, but this is sterilised first :p I mean, if you think about it, a lot of things we eat has disgusting origins, like dairy. And we've all got a pretty much 100% of having eaten bugs and sh** from some animal or another, if you've ever eaten anything canned or processed. So... not seeing the big deal. Long as it's tasty, I'm down.

Twas a joke. Though if I can avoid consuming feces on a conscious level, I'm all for it.

[Hum]

^ If I see an elephant parked behind a Star Bucks, I'm running the other way. :woot:

[*RedBull*]

^ at that point McDonald's would be a viable alternative....

OK I just thought of this: That's some expensive @ss coffee. :s