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The Secret behind Monkey Coffee Beans
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Monkey coffee beans are obtained after the coffee fruit is thrown away by monkeys after savouring their nectar. The acidity of the coffee is reduced by the saliva of the monkeys. It is produced by the rhesus monkeys and Formosan rock macaques after they chew the coffee beans and spit them in the ground instead of consuming them.
This coffee is a very rare type of coffee bean found in India and Taiwan. As this coffee is rarely found, it is an expensive affair to get a taste of it and enjoy it.
Let us discuss in a little detail about this rare monkey coffee.
Monkey Coffee Beans from India
Monkey coffee is mainly produced in Chikmagalur in India. The farms for producing this coffee are found in close proximity to the forest area and requires a lot of shade for it to grow properly. These monkey coffee beans are generally are formed with the help of Rhesus monkeys.
What is Monkey Coffee?
The monkey coffee bean is the seed that is found inside the coffee bean fruit or cherry. Monkeys select the sweetest and best coffee cherries that grow on coffee estates. After picking these coffee cherries they chew them in their own time.
After they are done with the fruit, they spit the leftover fruit along with the parchment surrounding it to the ground. The farmers rinse, wash, process and dry these seeds which have been chewed. They generally turn grey instead of green and once they are dried, coffee beans are roasted and become available in the market.
The myth behind Monkey Coffee
In the earlier times, the coffee beans chewed by monkeys were considered to be a natural waste and were hardly collected. It was only at the beginning of the 21st century that the chewed monkey coffee beans were collected by coffee producers and sold after being processed as a special one.
Benefits or Ill Effects of Monkey Coffee
Some of the health benefits include
- Protects from several cancers
- Prevents from stomach ailments due to low acidity content
- Helps in preventing dementia
- Protects and strengthens teeth
- Boost energy and improves mood
- Helps prevent migraine and headaches
There also certain points you need to keep in mind before investing in the monkey coffee beans.
- As it is rare, authentic coffee is hard to find
- Might get cheated on the price and you may not get the genuine product as it is not that easily available
How does Monkey Coffee Tastes?
Even though the method of brewing monkey coffee is very similar to brewing other coffees, the taste of monkey coffee is not the same as that of a regular coffee.
The flavour of the monkey coffee bean changes as the saliva of the monkeys helps in breaking down the enzymes in the coffee beans.
The taste of monkey coffee is more complex and sweeter than many coffees. It has a blend of many flavours such as citrus, nuts, chocolates and vanilla. Out of all these flavours, vanilla is more prominent.
Typically found in a light to medium roast, monkey coffee is very little traces of bitterness and a pleasant taste. Monkey bean coffee being a very rare and expensive coffee is usually preferred by people to be consumed on special occasions rather than being drunk on a regular basis.
The best way to savour monkey coffee is to have it without any additions like milk, creamer or sugar. It is best tasted like black coffee.
How Can You Purchase Monkey Coffee?
The production of monkey coffee mainly depends upon monkeys along with favourable climate conditions due to which there is a lot of inconsistency in its availability. It is very common for coffee producers to have a very limited amount of coffee available for the whole year. The number of coffee producers specializing in monkey coffee is very less in number.
- The retail price of monkey coffee is several hundred dollars for a pound and the price of a cup of brewed monkey coffee can go up to 10 dollars.
- It is very difficult to procure monkey coffee as it is scarce very difficult to find.
- It can be sold through high-end coffee retailers, coffee farmers or from the website of speciality coffee roasters.
- Monkey coffee beans are rare coffee beans that are grown in limited places like India and Taiwan and are a little pricy. This coffee is not much bitter and is best enjoyed as black coffee.
In order to retain its freshness, it is advisable to store monkey coffee carefully. It should be stored in an airtight container and kept in a place that is dry, dark and cool. The best locations for storing it are is away from the source of heat. Storing monkey coffee in the freezer or a refrigerator should be avoided as the beans can degrade because of the humidity and moisture in these places.
Sure, this coffee seems bizarre but hey, given the realms of coffee have made animal poop coffee popular, monkey coffee seems to be a fair deal. Too offbeat for you?
There is always the best milk coffee drinks and black coffee drinks available for you to savour.