It is considered the most expensive coffee in the world at around $2,000 per kilo and the most exotic. What you might not imagine is how the world’s most expensive coffee is made. Its name is derived from the Indonesian kopi, which means coffee, and luwak, the name of an animal also known as the civet. What makes coffee special is that it is made from coffee beans extracted from animal manure. It is this process that gives Kopi Luwak its unique flavor. Although it is somewhat different from coffee production, it is not harmful to health. According to Italian researcher Massimo Marcone, the results of his work tests showed that the drink is completely safe.
History of Kopi Luwak
The history of Kopi Luwak is not definitively recorded, but its origins are thought to date back around 200 years, when Dutch settlers began growing coffee on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi (today the Indonesia). The (Luwak) civets lived on these islands and started eating plants. To avoid wastage, coffee growers have started collecting intact beans from animal manure. At some point, someone decided to try this seemingly nasty variety and discovered what is now considered the best coffee in the world.
How is Kopi Luwak produced?
It is this very limited production of coffee (less than 250 kg per year) which is at the origin of its rarity, its high price and its unequaled flavour, guaranteed to connoisseurs. More acidic and bitter than regular coffee, Kopi Luwak is a clever blend of chocolate and grape juice, describes Italian researcher Massimo Proerd.
The production process is as follows: the coffee beans are processed by the digestive system and then extracted from the excrement of civet cats, a mammal present in Indonesia. The animal eats only the sweetest, ripest and reddest coffee berries, which are digested by its body. Once the grains are digested, they are excreted in the feces. The researchers explain that when the grains pass through an animal’s digestive system and harmless to humans.
