'Animal' Coffee
Mar 30, 2008 | 11:37 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Never where I want to be most.
Programs: Amex Plat., EVA Diamond, *wood Gold, blah,blah,blah
Posts: 16
The animal that "prepares" the beans is the Palm Civet.http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publicatio...offeeluwak.cfm
Mar 31, 2008 | 1:46 am
#17
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney - Australia
Programs: BD, QF, QR/EY/GF & HH Gold/SPG, Hertz#1G
Posts: 11,079
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.
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.
Last edited by BiziBB; Mar 31, 2008 at 1:51 am
Apr 1, 2008 | 4:03 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: YYZ, ON
Programs: UA 1K (2MM)
Posts: 394
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? 
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.
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.
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.