Animal poop coffee is a new fad in the world of specialty coffee. Despite the exotic origin, the product is very similar to normal coffee beans. The difference is that it goes through a special fermentation process inside the digestive system of an animal. The coffee is said to be smoother, less acidic, and more chocolatey with hints of jungle flavors. Go here

This particular coffee is made from the excrement of civet cats (also called luwaks). These wild animals are naturally drawn to the sweet, luscious coffee cherries and frequently show up at coffee plantations to snack on them. The civet’s digestion process breaks down the skin and pulp of the coffee cherry, leaving the beans undigested and thus undergoing this unique fermentation process within the civet’s digestive tract. The beans are then excreted in clumps, collected, washed, dried, pounded more to remove extra skins, sorted thoroughly and finally roasted.

From Beans to Dung: The Journey of Crafting Exquisite Coffee from Animal Droppings

In the wild, a civet will choose only the best coffee cherries to eat and thus produce kopi luwak with a high level of quality control. However, if you’re going to be producing civet cat poop coffee, it’s important that the civets have a good life and are not subjected to extreme stress.

Keeping civets in captivity to produce kopi luwak is not only an ethical problem, but it also negatively impacts the quality of the resulting coffee. In captivity, the civets are often fed a diet of coffee berries, which causes them to lose their natural fur, and they’re forced into contact with humans, which they naturally fear. This results in psychological distress and a variety of behavioral problems, including pacing and self-mutilation.