After a sports journalist boasted that mayonnaise in coffee isn’t half bad, a variety of coffee habits around the world started to become apparent.
The further and wider you travel, the more interesting coffee habits seem to get. The spectrum of coffee diversity isn’t a place for judgement either, but rather one of curiosity.
From butter to elephant dung, here are some curious coffee habits from around the globe.
1. Charcoal Coffee
- Popular in: Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Known as Kopi Joss, this coffee is a speciality that embodies charcoal. Enjoying some coffee grinds, a bit of sugar and some hot water, flaming charcoal adds the finishing touch.
Why the charcoal?
Charcoal is known for curbing acidity! So if coffee usually doesn’t agree with your stomach, Kopi Joss might be worth a try.
2. Salty Coffee
- Popular in: Northern Scandinavia, Siberia, Turkey, Ethiopia
Adding salt to your coffee instead of sugar is common in certain countries. It’s a common habit to ease the bitterness of the brew.
3. Butter Coffee
- Popular in: Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
Kopi Gu Yu or coffee associated with butter is enjoyed by those who see a more rich taste of coffee. Often with Kopi Gu Yu, condensed milk marks the start, sitting at the bottom of the cup. Add some coffee and then a dollop of butter, (or a portion of a slab, dependent on your preference) and enjoy some buttered-coffee goodness.
4. Egg Coffee
- Popular in: Norway, Scandinavia and the USA’s Mid-West
Also known as “Church Basement Coffee” according to some, the good ole’ egg in a cuppa is supposed to combat the bitter and acidic nature of the beverage.
However, “It may not be the best tasting coffee you’ve ever tried, with reminiscent flavours of sloppy kisses from older, chain smoking aunts,” as HomeGrounds writes.
5. Feline droppings’ coffee
- Popular in: Indonesia
Kopi Luwak, also known as Civet Coffee, is one of the rarest coffee brews.
The cat-like luwak is a forest animal that enjoys coffee cherries, but can’t digest them. The cherries are then picked out of their droppings, and roasted in what is described as a ‘unique’ and ‘super fruity’ coffee experience.
6. Elephant dung coffee
- Popular in: Thailand (Thailand’s golden triangle)
This serving of coffee also goes by the name Black Ivory Coffee.
If elephants are fed Thai Arabica cherries along with their regular food, their dung can produce what is called a “chocolatey, cherry taste” as africageographic notes.
7. Pennies and moonshine coffee
- Popular in: Nordick culture
Dubbed Karsk or Russian coffee, this coffee rendition has been popular for over 300 years. Throw a penny in your coffee wishing well before filling the cup with one part coffee and two parts moonshine (or Vodka) and pour until you can see the penny again.
8. Cheesy coffee
- Popular in: Northern Scandinavia and Finland
Also known as Kaffeost, this coffee tasting uses ‘bread cheese’, or leipäjuusto to create a cheesy coffee essence that comes from Reindeermilk traditionally, as per The Cut.
9. Black Pepper coffee
- Popular in: Senegal, Africa
Café touba mixes a combination of black pepper and sugar, usually with a coffee that is rich and dark in flavouring. It’s said to create a deep earthy flavour, delicious for those lucky enough to consume it. Legend has it that it was actually developed by a religious leader who wanted to keep those in the Brotherhood stay awake through long prayer ceremonies.
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Picture: Pinterest