What is
Kopi Luwak or
Luwak Coffee (a.k.a
Civet Coffee)? Maybe some of gourmet coffee lovers have known about this rare and exotic coffee. Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee is coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by Luwak (Asian Palm civet –
Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) then pass through its digestive tract. civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids . Passing through a civet’s intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world. A cup of Kopi Luwak or Luwak Coffee is about USD$ 50, so you can imagine the taste and why this coffee noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.
It is believed that the taste of Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee can give you a really rare taste you can’t found in other coffee. Even Coffee critic
Chris Rubin said, “The aroma is rich and strong, and the coffee is incredibly full bodied, almost syrupy. It’s thick with a hint of chocolate, and lingers on the tongue with a long, clean aftertaste.”
Kopi Luwak or Luwak Coffee is mainly produce in Sumatera, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian archipelago. But Sumatera’s Kopi Luwak is the most famous Kopi Luwak, it has the most different and rare taste.
What is Luwak?
Luwak or Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is kind of Palm Civet that lived in Indonesian archipelago. Coffee beans is luwak’s most favourite food. Most luwak coffee farmers believed, that luwak or civet only eats the best quality coffee beans. Long time ago, farmers doesn't like luwak because luwak always steal their crops, ear coffee beans. But, until they know the fact that luwak produce some kind of rare and tasty coffee, luwak is protected by farmers and sometimes farmers feed the luwak with coffee beans. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find luwak in their wild habbit, since luwak's meat is believed can cure some disease. So, their meats is hunt for sold.
Kopi Luwak Production Process
Kopi luwak or Civet Coffee harvest process is different from other coffees, Kopi luwak farmers let the coffee beans that dropped from the tree and then release the luwak and let it eats the coffee beans. Or if they have the luwak in a cage, farmers will give the luwak coffee beans and let it eats the coffee. So farmers wait for 7-8 hours until the coffee is digested by luwak. Why Kopi Luwak have the best taste among other coffees? Because it is believed that luwak or civet only eats the best quality coffee beans.
Traditional Coffee Farmers harvesting the coffee beans
fresh-reddish Coffee beans is given to luwak or civet
Coffee beans eaten by luwak or civet
Luwak’s droppings being collected by farmers
A Research by food scientist Massimo Marcone showed that the Luwak or civet’s endogenous digestive secretions seep into the beans. These secretions carry proteolytic enzymes which break down the beans’ proteins, yielding shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Since the flavor of coffee owes much to its proteins, there is a hypothesis that this shift in the numbers and kinds of proteins in beans after being swallowed by civets brings forth their unique flavor. The proteins are also involved in non-enzymatic Maillard browning reactions brought about later by roasting. Moreover, while inside a civet the beans begin to germinate by malting which also lowers their bitterness.
Maybe it’s seems disgusting that we drink a cup of coffee that harvest from animal’s dropping, but this coffee is safe and offering you a very good taste. It is safe because it’s well processed. After the coffee collected from luwak’s dropping, the coffee is still covered by a hard shell. Then, this hard-shell coffee is washed. after the washing, this coffee given sun drying, and roasted at high temperature.
