FlyerTalk Forums - 'Animal' Coffee

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The animal that "prepares" the beans is the Palm Civet.http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publicatio...offeeluwak.cfm

The coffee is called Kopi Luwak.
Luwak is the local name for the Palm civet in Indonesia.

Call it Civet Coffee if you prefer!
It is also named Kape Alamid in the Philippines and weasel coffee in Vietnam. As you can see from the link, most of the info in Wikipedia is already in this thread.

What isn't in this thread is taste test reports.

That's your assignment, dear DiningBuzz reader... Use your trip through SE Asia or abroad as a reason to try what is supposed to be a great coffee.

You heard it first on FT. :)

- - - -
Further to that first link, the ability of the Luwak/civet to choose the ripest berries to eat is a good reason to choose 'wild' luwak beans rather than those farmed through luwak in cages.

The synthetically processed bean story there is interesting too.
Recommended reading, roasting and drinking. Maybe.

Assignment declined. I prefer decrapinated coffee.

Quote:

Originally Posted by troyb (Post 9490111)

I've got no problem with trying this as long as it won't cause me any health problems, but what I want to know is what possessed someone make coffee with semi-digested coffee beans? :confused:

I understand that a lot of odd (to many) foods have become delicacies over time due to necessity (i.e., lack of other food options), but this just seems so odd to me.

Some friends/colleagues and I sat around coming up with scenarios of how the first cup of Kopi Luwak was brewed. My theory was that it is like many foods from farmers that originally they picked, processed and sold the 'good' ones...not civeted. This would have probably left the worst beans and possibly just those left by the civet cats. After a lot of washing some poor farmer thought...I can just drink this instead of reducing my cash/income. The coffee merchant came by and smelled the brew and inquired. The farmer said sure, if you would like a cup. Hopefully he didn't say anything about the source and made a killing.

So I agree whole heartedly with the necessity view.

In terms of safety there was a study at University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) and the coffee was found to be safe. Although a fair amount of fraudulent/fake Kopi Luwak out there.

And finally I had the opportunity to try a cup of Kopi Luwak at the IC-HK Dec'06. It was good but I didn't think it was US$40 kind of good for a cup. I tried it both with cream+sugar and black. Although extremely smooth I didn't get bowled over by it. I personally found my first sip of hawaiian 100%peaberry much better.

I am looking to give it another try but just to confirm my first experience.

Cheers.