As you’re probably aware by now, some of us have some pretty strange hobbies, from collecting airplane sick bags to toy travelling (yes, it’s about as dull as you can imagine – no offense intended if you’re a fan of this activity!). Well, you knowledge of strange interests is about to get enriched with something related to the oh-so-common cup of joe of our mornings: some people seem to spend time and creative energy trying to discover or concoct the strangest coffees ever! Some of them are a tradition of a remote or exotic area in the world, while some are purely recent inventions, but what they all have in common is the element of strangeness itself. Perhaps some of the strange coffees on our list may not sound so exotic to some of you, depending on the area where you’re from, but I think all of you must admit it’s still a pretty weird list. Here goes.
1. The Bulletproof Coffee
The list of strange coffees must start with the most recent craze of the western world: the so-called Bulletproof Coffee. It’s basically a cup of the best quality organic coffee you can brew, mixed with two tablespoons of butter (which must be organic and from grass-fed cows, non-negotiable) and two tablespoons of MCT oil. The latter ingredient is a natural fat very rich in MCTs (medium chain triglycerids), like high-quality coconut oil or palm oil. Anyway, if you plan on making it you’re supposed to buy a bottle which specifically says “MCT oil”, and the total cost of brewing this coffee can run pretty high. Its fans claim that it’s almost a universal health remedy and that it can almost make you “bulletproof”, provided you drink it every morning.
2. The Swedish Egg Coffee
The Swedes make some of the strangest coffees, brewed with beaten egg in them. If you’re wondering why they do it, it was initially meant to filter away some of the bitterness and acidity which come with poorer blends of coffee, and then it became tradition and that was that. If you’re further wondering if you can still feel an egg aftertaste in the coffee when you sip it, the answer is yes, but it’s part of the charm. Instructions on how to brew your own can be found here.
3. The Wild Civet Excrement Coffee (Kopi Luwak)
No, you haven’t read it wrong: the locally called Kopi Luwak coffee is made from coffee beans which have been ingested by Asian wild civets (some animals resembling wild cats) and then excreted by them. The beans are then picked up from the, uhm, remains, and then dried, ground, and brewed normally. Although it may sound quite unappealing, this is not only one of the strangest coffees out there, but also the most expensive in the world. Coffee connoisseurs claim the taste is so much refined and improved by the wild cats’ digestive enzymes that it makes the drink unforgettable.
4. Bacon Coffee
The Bacon Coffee is a variety you can order if you happen to pass through Seattle. Seek it out from the Seattle’s Best coffee place, a subsidiary of Starbucks. Since bacon is such a loved ingredient throughout the Western world, I guess the bacon coffee was pretty unavoidable, right?
5. Durian Cappuccino
For those who don’t know, the durian fruit, native to Asia, is a delicious but very smelly (actually you could call it downright stinky) fruit. The reason you can’t find it in the Western supermarkets is because it doesn’t keep well when transported, but it’s a must try for any tourist visiting an Asian country. Besides being used raw or in various dishes, this smelly fruit contributes now to another one of the strangest coffees in the world. The Durian Cappuccino can be found in the Blugre coffee shop from Davao City in the Philippines. Don’t miss it if you visit and if you feel brave enough.