We recently blogged about Kopi Luwak coffee, a rare and apparently sought after delicacy famous for being processed through the intestinal tract of a palm civet, an animal which looks a bit like a racoon. The civet eats the whole coffee berries, digests the sweet, pulpy outer layer and excretes the coffee beans themselves, which apparently emerge with a mellower, less acidic flavour. The beans are then thoroughly cleaned before being packaged for sale.
Very much in the same vein, we’d now like to introduce you to the Jacu bird. This native of South America looks a little like a pheasant, and has a penchant for picking the sweetest, ripest coffee berries, even flying between different coffee plantations to do so. This differentiates it from the palm civet, who loves coffee so much it’s happy to eat any quality of berry.
As the Jacu bird is so discerning in its appetites, when it excretes the coffee beans it leaves a pile of pre-sorted, top quality beans that are then just collected and cleaned ready for processing. Aficionados say that the coffee bean’s bizarre journey leaves no lingering flavour or aftertaste, and just results in a smooth, high quality brew.
If you’re feeling brave, the best way to try Jacu bird coffee is to order it online. It’s available for sale in small quantities, at prices that match its rarity value.
If you don’t fancy the thought of your coffee beans passing through some form of wildlife before they reach your cup, but you are a fan of great quality coffee, then why not take a look at our coffee bean range? We’ve hand picked the best varieties and blends from a range of countries, all at great wholesale prices – and no wildlife in sight.
For more information, please visit our coffee beans page.