Perhaps the most controversial of all types of coffee: someone treats it with laughter or contempt, someone pays thousands of dollars per kilogram. These are grains that have passed through the digestive tract of the animal civet, have been washed and then roasted. This natural processing makes the taste of Luwak coffee special. Well, we will tell you in detail about the process, taste features, prices, fakes and reviews of real customers. You might want to try this product.

These animals of the weasel family live mainly in Indonesia. Locals call them differently - there are the names "musang", "viverra", "Malay palm marten", "luwak or luwak". The animal is small, similar to a marten, it has dark gray fur and white stripes on the muzzle. Lives in tropical forests, next to which coffee plantations are usually located.

Civet is omnivorous, hunts mainly at night, eats small insects, rodents, birds, and also loves coffee cherries, selecting only the most ripe, juicy, sweet ones.

Grain processing

Other coffee cherries are harvested by humans, sometimes by hand, more often by mass mechanization. They are dried in the sun or washed in water to remove the husk and pulp, peeled, dried, fried. This is a long process.

The civet heals in about 24 hours. The animal chooses the best cherries, they are fermented in its stomach, cleaned of pulp and skin, and come out in the form of peeled beans. You just need to rinse them a little from the rest of the waste, and you can fry.

Luwak coffee is produced in small quantities - this is not the main part of the diet of animals, and due to this it is so valuable.

In the civet's stomach, the beans are stripped of some of their components by being treated with gastric juices. Dissolve malic and citric acids, some of the protein compounds.

The taste is sweeter, it has hints of nougat and cream, caramel and honey tones. There is less acid and bitterness, the body is dense and rounded, smooth, balanced. In the aftertaste - chocolate tones. There are no foreign tastes or smells, washing is really high quality. According to connoisseurs, this is a special drink that cannot be compared with ordinary, even expensive varieties of ordinary coffee. That's why they pay so much for it.

Counterfeits and variants

Civet in nature do not eat so many coffee cherries, so the product is small. But Luwak coffee is expensive, which means it is a chance to earn money for many farmers. Even special farms are being created where animals are kept in cages and fed with coffee cherries.

Musangs are by nature insatiable, and if in nature they spend time moving between trees, choosing the best fruits, in a cage they get kilograms of cherries of not always high quality, and are ready to eat them in large quantities, and, accordingly, produce Kopi Luwak coffee.

The disadvantage of farming is that the animal is under stress, moves little and does not have much opportunity to choose cherries.

It's certainly not exactly Luwak coffee, but such beans are also processed in the digestive tract of animals - this time - elephants. Farm owners are trying to make money anyway, and there will always be those who will be ready to try a unique, exclusive product that has no analogues. The beans sell for about $1,000 a kilo, and 30 kilos of cherries make just a kilo of finished coffee.

In the future, there may be other varieties of coffee processed by animals, so gourmets have something to look forward to.

In Indonesia, a copy of Luwak is sold almost along the roads near these farms. Nearby is an employee who tells brief information in several languages, however, not really trying - tourists will buy products anyway. You can try a cup on the spot and see how the civets live for about $10. For tourists who get a chance to immediately try almost the most expensive coffee in the world, this is not much. The problem is that since almost no one has ever tasted real Kopi Luwak, they don't even know its true taste, which means that any slightly sweet coffee will do.

If you are in Indonesia, for fun, you can try Luwak coffee where it is produced. In any case, it will be interesting.

If you want to buy Luwak coffee in a coffee shop or order online, be guided by the following factors:

• The company must be WSPA, Rainforest Alliance or UTZ Certified
• It should be indicated that these are beans from wild civets;
• The collection is made in the forests by local farmers.

This is an expensive product, so it's worth taking the time to clarify all the nuances of certification, some sites have a list of companies they work with. Otherwise, you will just get a fake.

Where can I buy?

If you love to travel, you can buy Luwak coffee in Indonesia - Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi. There are also farms in Bali, but they usually work directly with wholesalers and buyers, and do not sell to individual tourists. There is also Vietnamese Luwak coffee, but there it is processed by slightly different animals, and in general, this is a different product.

It is more profitable and easier to take it through the Internet, but at the same time find a company (more often these are cereal roasters) that have been certified according to any of the systems.

Luwak coffee prices

The cost, of course, varies greatly depending on the self-confidence of the seller. Prices fluctuate, harvesting usually takes place from April to October. We do not urge you to take the most expensive one, but you should not save as much as possible or buy Luwak in a supermarket (even if you meet something with that name there). Try to focus on the average prices in the market.

On average, in coffee and tea shops in Russia, prices are as follows:

• For 100 g - 2200 - 4500 rubles;
• For 200 g - 4500 - 7800 rubles;
• For 500 g - about 15,000 rubles;
• For 1 kg - about 30,000 rubles.

The drink must be drunk clean, do not add milk or sugar - they will simply kill that very special soft taste.

Julia Vern 53 706 0

Coffee is a food product that is consumed in the form of a drink. Everywhere coffee is one of the most common and favorite drinks. Every day, each person's morning begins with a cup of hot aromatic coffee, it would even be difficult to imagine the beginning of a new day without it.

Coffee trees are grown in different countries, mainly in the tropical climate zone. These trees belong to the madder family and number about 60 different species.
The grains of this product include a large number of chemicals. The main components are:

• caffeine, about 1-2%;
• ester of caffeic and quinic acid - 5-8%;
• 1% citric acid;
• 6% carbohydrates;
• 5% mineral salts.

The production of ordinary coffee differs in different ways of roasting (at different temperatures), adding impurities (which gives this or that taste of the drink), or a variety of coffee tree.
The production of the most expensive varieties of black drink has a slightly different and interesting scheme. These methods of production also influence the cost of a valuable product. So, get acquainted - expensive varieties of coffee and their production.

The most expensive varieties are obtained from animal excrement

The leader among connoisseurs of a prestigious and elite drink is coffee extracted from excrement, Kopi Luwak. The drink under this name is number one in terms of price in the whole world.
Real gourmets characterize it as a drink of real kings. It has a taste of dark chocolate and a delicate aftertaste of caramel, including a little vanilla flavor. Kopi Luwak is truly expensive, a cup of coffee can cost up to $100. Naturally, this is the price in countries far from the place of production.

Kopi Luwak production technology.

Only truly true connoisseurs know how this drink is made. This recipe is quite simple, and it just affects the cost. It is made, or rather obtained, from animal droppings. These animals are Chinese badgers or musangs. They look like the cartoon character Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, only gray in color. These badgers feed on coffee fruits, and they choose the most ripe and largest berries, collecting them both from trees and on the ground.
The ripe berry of the coffee tree has a red color and a large size. Small green grains do not attract these animals, so they only enjoy the ripe product. Badgers can eat up to 1 kg of ripe fruits per day. Eaten, basically, is digested in the body of animals, and only 5% does not have time to be digested, and they go out whole.
Coffee beans, while in the body of an animal, are processed there by gastric juice and civet. After that, the excrement that came out of the animal is collected by a person. Fruits that have not had time to be digested are selected and cleaned. After a long cleaning, they go through a process of drying and cleaning, then again a process of washing and drying. Dried grains are lightly roasted at a certain temperature. The exact recipe for preparation and processing is unknown, its producers keep it a secret.

The grains are washed several times, cleaned and roasted

An interesting fact is that the grains are selected only for six months, the rest of the six months they do not have such a taste. The fact is that the enzyme that gives coffee fruits a unique taste is secreted in animals for six months, and not for the next six months. Therefore, it makes no sense to collect coffee produced by animals at this time. More valued grains from males, as they have a special pleasant aroma.
The collected grains go through a 15-stage sorting stage. And only grains without defects are packed and sold as a whole. The rest are ground and sold crushed. This coffee is produced in southeast Asia - in Indonesia.
In Ethiopia, they tried to develop the same coffee production as in Indonesia. There are also coffee trees and similar animals, which are called viverra (civet). When tasters tried and compared these drinks, the Ethiopian version fell far short of the product from Indonesia in terms of quality.

Chon coffee variety

The second expensive variety is produced in Vietnam and is called Chon. It has a slightly different taste than the product from Indonesia, not worse in any way, just a little bit unusual. This variety is called an analogue of Indonesian coffee. Arabica and Robusta varieties are mainly used, but Catimor and Chari varieties are also less common.

Chon production technology

The main participants in the production of the product from Vietnam are Asian palm citens. They also eat coffee beans and love them very much. The technology is similar to Indonesian producers, grains are also collected from litter, cleaned, washed, fried. At the exit of whole beans from the body of the animal, about 5-7% is also obtained. It is believed that the beans that came out of these animals have medicinal properties. Until recently, people considered palm martens to be pests until they once tried to make a drink from their droppings. Now they have specially made enclosures where they keep these animals and at the same time feed them with coffee beans.
Drying of the beans, not separated from the excrement, is done in the sun, after which each grain is selected, washed and dried again. After that, they move on to the frying process. The temperature at which they are fried is not disclosed by the manufacturers.
The Vietnamese have learned very well how to combine several varieties of a product into one, and the quality does not fall, but only improves. This coffee variety includes the aroma of cocoa, hot chocolate, vanilla, caramel. In general, all the best and necessary to get a divine aftertaste. The cost of this variety ranges from 150 to 250 dollars per kilogram.

Chon variety is produced by Asian palm citens

Chon coffee recipe

There are two popular recipes for making this drink by the Vietnamese themselves.

1. Condensed milk is poured into the bottom of the cup and a special filter is placed on top. A spoonful of ground grains is poured into the filter, and pressed on top with a press. After that, I pour boiling water into the cup through the filter, and an excellent drink is obtained.
2. The second way is somewhat unusual. The procedure is the same as in the first case, only a long glass is taken instead of a cup, and ice is used instead of condensed milk. The drink is served cold as refreshing in hot weather.

The Vietnamese themselves consider their drink number one in the world and say that if you try at least one sip, you will never be able to refuse it.

Variety Black Ivory

Another common and expensive variety of drink is Black Ivory. Translated into Russian, it means "Black tusk". The cost of a kilogram of such grains is $ 1,000. It has its own special taste and aroma, somewhat similar to the previous two, but has an original aftertaste.

Black Ivory production

This drink is produced in Thailand. Elephants are the main producers. They are fed with ripe berries of Arabica coffee trees and receive almost finished coffee from feces. The beans that pass through the stomach of an elephant are processed by the stomach acid of this large animal. The acid is able to dissolve the protein of the coffee beans, which leads to the fact that the bitterness disappears from the finished product. Therefore, even the strongest Black Ivory coffee will never be bitter.

Curious:
The process of digestion of fruits by the stomach of an elephant takes about 30 hours. During this period of time, the grains are saturated with fruity aromas of sugar cane, bananas and everything that the animal is fed with.

To get a kilogram of undeformed grains from the elephant's stomach, he needs to feed 35 kg of ripe berries, while mixing them with other ingredients that are included in the elephant's diet. During eating, most of the grains are simply destroyed, another part is digested by the stomach, and only a small part comes out of the elephant without deformation.
Women take grains from elephant dung, they select whole grains, and then send them to dry. Drying is done in factories in Bangkok. In Thailand, 26 elephants are engaged in the production of black drink.
It is very difficult to buy a product of this brand, since it is sold only in some cities in Thailand.

Black Ivory is made with the help of elephants

Other High Value Coffees

These varieties of dark drink are inferior in price to all of the above, but are not inferior in taste.

• Coffee Yauco Selecto.
  This type of coffee is obtained in the Caribbean, from Arabica. Coffee trees are grown at an altitude of 100 meters above sea level, it is there that there is an excellent climate for their growth and a rich harvest.
  It is not passed through the organisms of animals, so coffee has a significantly lower cost - $ 50 per kilogram.
• Starbucks.
  This drink with this name appeared quite recently in 2004. Introduced in Rwanda by Starbucks. This drink has its own distinctive aroma and aftertaste. When drinking this coffee, there is a slight sourness with a different bouquet of spices. The cost of a kilogram of grains is 50-60 dollars.
• blue mountain.
  This type of coffee is produced in Walenford, Jamaica. A distinctive feature of the variety is the absence of bitterness and mild taste, which is very popular among the population of Japan. This variety is traditionally produced. Prices start at $100 per kilo and up.

Having considered the prices, production principles and characteristics of the tastes of each expensive coffee, the following can be noted that the most expensive varieties are the Kopi Luwak, Chon and Black Ivory brands. They have the same production principle, but different manufacturers. The production of a product by passing the grains through the stomach of an animal is very labor intensive. Both of these varieties of coffee are popular only among the rich and wealthy segments of the population.

Coffee has never been cheap. History remembers the times when coffee beans were worth their weight in gold. And this is not an exaggeration.

The Europeans, having groped for the "gold mine", began from the middle of the 18th century to actively equip plantations with coffee trees all over the world, where only the climate allowed them to do it: in Colombia and Mexico, India and Indonesia.

Coffee became cheaper, but still brought huge profits to those in whose hands its production and marketing were. You can read about how and where coffee is grown in the world.

Even in our days there are varieties available due to their high cost only to units. This is no longer about coffee as such, but about the exclusivity of certain types of raw materials, unusual ways of obtaining and processing it, and the significant costs associated with this.

A list of all varieties of coffee with names and their characteristics can be found in the article.

An overview of the most expensive tea in the world can be found.

The most expensive litter coffee in the world

Most of the most expensive coffee varieties in the world are obtained by exploiting “our smaller brothers”. And the best assistants are not even worth wishing for.

The fact is that animals and birds are endowed by nature with amazing extrasensory perception, which tells them which coffee fruits are the most ripe and delicious, and which ones are best ignored.

In human helpers: lemur in Bali, monkeys in Indonesia, elephants in Thailand, bats in Costa Rica.

The most famous among these varieties is Indonesian coffee. called Kopi Luwak. The “partner” of a person in this case is the animal musang, or the Malayan palm marten, which lives in Southeast and South Asia.

Gourmets consider this type of coffee to be the drink of kings, although they know perfectly well what it is made from - excrement.

However, this is not entirely true. They are made, of course, from coffee beans, but only after they are eaten by a cute animal, they go on a journey through its digestive system and again find themselves outside to undergo the necessary “sanitary treatment” in skillful human hands.

Coffee beans are the favorite food of musangs. They will never eat "greens", they will choose the most ripe and delicious fruits. They will find them on a tree and under it - at least a kilogram in one day.

Scientists have found that out of all this amount of coffee beans, only 5 percent remain undigested, and they leave the body of the animal safe and sound.

However, being inside the animal, they manage to pass treatment with gastric juice and an odorous substance called "civet". Both that, and another goes to grains only on advantage.

They are thoroughly washed, dried, fried. Manufacturers guarantee 100% purity and safety of the finished product, although the details of the processing of raw materials are kept secret.

Those who have tried this coffee note a whole a bouquet of exquisite flavors - vanilla, dark chocolate and caramel.

Analogues of this drink, which are produced in Ethiopia, according to tasters, are significantly inferior in quality and cannot be considered a worthy replacement for the Indonesian Kopi Luwak.

The famous coffee from Indonesia is not cheap. On average, 25-35 thousand rubles. It costs one kilogram of roasted beans.

Chon from Vietnam

Chon coffee from Vietnam is made in much the same way as the Indonesian Kopi Luwak. Coffee beans are eaten by Asian palm martens.

It is believed that, having been in the body of this animal, the grains acquire healing properties, so a cup of Chon coffee is not only tasty, but also healthy.

The drink surprises aromas of hot chocolate, cocoa, vanilla and caramel. It has a persistent, very pleasant aftertaste.

Interestingly, the Vietnamese way of making coffee is significantly different from the generally accepted one. It is never boiled in Turkish.

Condensed milk is poured into the bottom of the mug, then a device called “fin” (metal filter) is installed. Ground grains are poured into it (grinding should be coarse), pressed with a press and boiling water is poured.

The drink is strong and rich. There is also a summer recipe in which I use ice instead of condensed milk, and a tall transparent glass instead of a coffee mug. Excellent drink in hot climates.

The price of Chon variety for one kilogram is 150-250 dollars. There are offers on the Internet to purchase a 500-gram package for 2,700 rubles.

This brand belongs to Thailand. The technological process of preparing elite coffee includes ... elephant feces.

If, having learned about this, someone exclaims: “Yes, never in my life will I try coffee that remembers what elephant droppings are,” you will have to agree with this.

Yes, never most people on the planet have not tried and will not try Black Ivory. And not because everyone is so squeamish.

The fact is that only 50 kilograms of these grains per year go on sale, and they are sold only in a few cities in Thailand. A drop in the sea. To get a kilogram of the finished product, an elephant must eat 35 kg of the best coffee beans.

Being in the giant's stomach, the "surviving" grains completely lose their bitterness, but are saturated with the aromas of everything that he ate with pleasure - bananas and other tropical fruits, sugar cane.

There is an elite Black Ivory - 75 thousand rubles. per kilogram roasted grains.

Terra Nera

Terra Nera is the most expensive coffee brand in existence.. The price per kilogram can exceed the amount of 20 thousand dollars.

Moreover, in this case, the buyer overpays not only for exotic "excrement", but also for chic packaging.

Coffee of this variety (by the way, it is produced even less than Black Ivory, only 45 kg during the year) is sold in just one London store in a bag of silver paper, which reliably preserves the aroma of the beans.

The package is protected from outside penetration by a special valve and tied with a ribbon with a gold tag. If the buyer wants, his name will be engraved on the tag.

Full participants in the coffee production process are palm civet (the closest relatives of musangs) living in the southeast of Peru.

Classic Arabica, having been in the stomach of these animals, acquires hazelnut and cocoa flavors and has, according to experienced tasters, a truly great taste.

Other types of coffee from animal feces and more

And briefly about some other expensive varieties. Coffee Bat(the name speaks for itself) is obtained in Costa Rica with the help of this animal.

The animal cannot swallow whole coffee beans, but bite with sharp teeth and suck out the juice - please! It turns out that the grains begin to dry right on the tree. The work begun by bats is being completed by the hot tropical sun.

These beans are harvested, processed and made into delicious coffee that is worth 30 thousand rubles. per kilogram.

Blue Mountain (translated as Blue Mountain) is obtained in Jamaica in the traditional way, without the participation of animals and birds. The quality of raw materials here is influenced by a combination of various natural factors: the growth of coffee trees at high altitudes, the wind blowing from the sea, the special composition of the soil.

Tasters note in this sort of coffee a harmonious combination of three tastes - bitterness, sweetness and sourness. And this variety surprises with the aroma of fresh nectarines.

Buying Blue Mountain is difficult - 85 percent of coffee is sent to Japan, where this drink is very popular. The cost of a kilogram of grains is 27 thousand rubles.

The jacou bird in Brazil is involved in the creation of a coffee variety called the jacou bird. For a very long time in the southeast of the country, the bird was considered a pest and exterminated.

This continued until one local farmer at the end of the last century realized to use bird droppings in the same way as in other countries they use the excrement of some animals.

Coffee, obtained on the basis of such unusual raw materials, surprises with its flavor notes: pineapple and coconut milk. A kilogram of grains is estimated at 28 thousand rubles.

Which of the listed varieties of coffee is tastier and more justifies the high price that is being asked for it, it is difficult to say.

Few people manage to try all the exotic species. In addition, there is always a great danger of acquiring a fake.

If a person has the opportunity to visit different parts of the world as a tourist or on business, coffee must be tasted there - it most closely matches the characteristics of the variety and is much cheaper.

Every real coffee lover, if not tried, then at least heard about the world-famous Indonesian luwak coffee. What epithets are not awarded to this coffee by manufacturers and sellers: "the most prestigious in the world", "elite", "premium class", "drink of the gods", its taste is "unusually soft", "caramel", "with a delicate aroma of vanilla and chocolate, and so on and so forth. Although we ourselves do not really like coffee and are not great connoisseurs of it, we still decided to find out better what this “animal coffee” is. Luwak is pronounced as “luwak” in the local language, but since the pronunciation of “luwak” is more familiar to most, we will not retrain anyone and will continue to call it “luwak coffee”. To write this post, we visited several Bali coffee plantations, as well as the annual Indonesian coffee festival in Ubud, where we tasted different varieties, compared ordinary coffee with luwak coffee, and also talked to local coffee masters. So, get acquainted, the main character in the chain of production of luwak coffee, a small animal with sad eyes - musang or palm civet (paradoxurus hermaphroditus)


The process of making this exquisite coffee is as follows: civets eat fresh coffee berries, which are processed in their stomachs and intestines due to special enzymes. Coffee beans, which naturally leave the digestive tract of animals, are dried in the sun, then thoroughly washed, after which they are dried again in the sun and only then roasted.
The best and most delicious coffee is produced by wild civet, which at night make their way to coffee plantations, where they feast on selected - juicy and ripe coffee berries, and as a thank you leave their waste products, which farmers then find under coffee bushes and carefully collect

It is difficult to imagine in which inflamed brain the idea was originally born to pick out grains from excrement and eat them, but the fact remains that this happened, and they began to catch civet and put them in cages in order to put the production of luwak coffee on stream. Despite the assurances of farmers that the civet continues to be fed exclusively with selected berries, this is hard to believe, and judging by the hungry eyes of the animals, they are unlikely to be very picky
Each civet is fed about 1 kg of coffee berries per day, which yields only about 50 g of the desired grains. civets live not only on coffee rations - since they are predators by nature, animal food should also be present in their diet - as a rule, they are fed with chicken. During the day, luwaks are sleepy and lethargic and sleep most of the day, and their peak of activity comes at night, so the main feeding with coffee berries falls on the evening, and the chicken is given almost at night. The high cost of this coffee is explained by the fact that civets do not breed in captivity, so the only way to increase production is through wild animals. In addition, a special enzyme that affects coffee beans is produced in their bodies only 6 months a year, and the rest of the time they are kept “idle”. Many even release civets into the wild, and catch them again by the season - it turns out to be more profitable than feeding them for nothing for six months. The cost of luwak coffee on plantations is about 150,000 rupees ($15) per 100 g, with a wholesale purchase of about $100 per kilogram. In Europe, the price reaches $400 per 1 kilogram, and in retail, the price for coffee packaged in packs can reach $100 per 100 g. We asked to see the plantation, and we were given a tour of the territory
They showed the unfortunate civets slumbering in their cages. As a rule, they are quite aggressive, but during the daytime, some individuals turn out to be friendly, so that they can even be picked up. They are soft and fluffy to the touch, like cats, and their faces are very cute.
After the cages with animals, we looked at how the grains, which were not yet separated from the excrement, are dried on special pallets placed in the sun.
Then the already selected and washed grains are dried.
After that, completely prepared and dried grains await their turn for the next process.
Next, we watched the next stage of the transformation - the roasting of coffee beans.
So on the plantations you can see the whole process of turning coffee - from berries that grow on trees to the usual roasted beans or even ground coffee packaged in packs for sale.
We even put our hands to the roasting process - the boy stirring the grains honored us and handed us his ladle
After the tour, we were invited to a table.
And then to the tasting ceremony, where they offered to taste several varieties of tea, as well as regular coffee.
We leisurely sipped tea, enjoying the views of the rice terraces.
But Kopi Luwak was also offered to try, but for a fee - a cup of exclusive costs 50,000 rupees ($5). We tried it later, at the Food Festival in Ubud - if you drink it with the amount of sugar, as the Indonesians like to do, then you can not tell the difference. Without sugar, the taste of luwak coffee is slightly different - it is softer and less tart, but in our opinion, the price for it is wound up more for the brand than for the taste, although this is only our personal opinion, and we, again, are not coffee connoisseurs. In addition to civets, plantations often contain other animals, such as porcupines.
rabbits
Bees and wasps are bred - wasp honey, by the way, has a very specific taste
And also, in addition to coffee, spices and cocoa are grown on plantations.
In the shops at the plantation, you can buy packaged spices and other products with extracts of cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, nutmeg
Or try or smell not yet packaged, but freshly picked spices

How to find coffee plantations in Bali

Almost every real coffee gourmet has heard, and perhaps even tasted the famous Luwak coffee. This coffee has many names, the most popular are:

• "the most expensive"
• "elite"
• "premium"
• "animal drink"
• "drink of the Gods", etc.

Where and how is luwak coffee made?

This coffee is produced in the Philippines, Indonesia, southern India. The main "producer" of coffee is the animal luwak, it is also called as musang. This cute little animal simply cannot imagine “life” without mature Robusta coffee berries. When eating coffee berries, the pulp is digested, and the "untouched" grain comes out with feces. Further, all valuable cargo is collected and sent for thorough washing, and then for natural drying under the scorching sun. I would like to immediately note that the grains after all the manipulations do not have a foreign smell. There is a “special” enzyme in the stomach of musangs, thanks to which the inherent bitterness of Robusta disappears from coffee, and in return it acquires a light sour taste. Luwaks are predators by nature, therefore, in addition to fruits and vegetables, they are fed with chickens. In the daytime, they lead a sluggish lifestyle, the greatest activity occurs in the evening and at night.

Manufacturing process

The production of luwak coffee is a very difficult and expensive process. Grains are collected in 2 ways:

Luwak coffee, which is produced in the wild and not on a farm, is much more valuable, but it is almost impossible to buy it.

1. Animals are allowed on the plantation, after which the feces left by them are collected.
2. The second option - the animals are caught and placed on the farm.

Surprisingly, the enzyme in their stomachs is only able to be produced for 6 months of the year. It turns out that palm martens (another name for these little animals) are fed with coffee beans for only six months, and the rest of their diet consists of vegetables and fruits. But in most cases, experienced farmers catch martens only for a season, and then release them. This is due to the fact that it is not profitable to keep the animals for the remaining time. Musangs breed exclusively in the wild. Every day, each animal eats about 1 kg of berries, the desired grains at the output are small and amount to only 50 grams. This is the reason why kopi luwak coffee is so expensive. Another highlight in production is the roasting process in a variety of ways. A very popular method of roasting grains in sweet syrup. The finished drink from such grains has a luxurious taste and aroma.

Legend of Luwak

There is a story about how people discovered the amazing qualities of this coffee. In one farming family, grief happened, cute animals named tsivengs (palm martens) ate the entire crop, which was intended for sale. The farmer's family suffered greatly and did not know how to make ends meet, until one of them discovered undigested coffee grains left by zivengs in the feces. Out of desperation, the family had to collect the feces left on the plantations and process them. The collected beans were thoroughly washed and subjected to high-temperature roasting, after which they were taken to the market and sold as regular coffee. To the surprise of many, including the family itself, queues lined up for coffee, as it turned out, the drink had a simply divine taste and aroma.

The cost of pleasure Kopi Luwak

The price of coffee varies greatly, on plantations the cost of 100 grams is 16-20 dollars. In the case of buying in bulk, the price varies within $ 110 per 1 kg. In Europe, prices are much higher, for example, 1 kg of luwak coffee costs $ 400, and in the packaged version, the cost of 100 grams of coffee can reach "mad amounts" - $ 120. The packaging shows the main producer of coffee - musang. But in such packs, the content of true Luwak coffee is no more than 5%, but the cost is very reasonable $ 6 per 0.5 kg. Often people try to fake luwak coffee because of its high cost and high demand. They take ordinary coffee beans and carry out a special fermentation procedure similar to the process of digesting coffee berries in the stomach of a musang. But it is worth assuring you that the taste varies greatly.

Video: Coffee Luwak (Luwak): the most expensive and delicious coffee in the world

Beware of fake

The most important thing to understand is that Kopi Luwak coffee is not available to everyone. Coffee production is carried out manually and in small batches, which certainly affects the price. If in your store or anywhere else you come across Luwak coffee costing less than 2900 rubles per 100 grams, then you should be extremely careful. It is necessary to ask the coffee seller to look at the original documents confirming the quality of the product.

Taste and preparation

The prepared drink has a wonderful rich aroma that is not like regular coffee. The aroma may vary depending on the diet of the animal. Kopi Luwak gourmets note that coffee obtained in the wild is different from the farm version. In the aroma and taste there are notes of chocolate, caramel and many other shades. The drink has a rather long pleasant aftertaste, which cannot be said about ordinary coffee. This aftertaste is achieved due to the lack of acidity and bitterness. Espresso lovers should be aware that the drink is very thick and rich.

Experts note that the procedure for preparing Luwak coffee is similar to regular coffee. It can be brewed in a Turkish coffee maker, drip coffee maker, or in a French press. Asia and Europe call the process of cooking in the Turk - "Oriental". In Vietnam, coffee is prepared differently: they take metal glasses on which a sieve and a press are installed, then boiling water is poured into the coffee. After that, the drink is infused for some time and in small portions is dug through a sieve. Without the addition of sugar, the drink is softer and not as tart. You can drink the drink with anything, usually a few ice cubes are added to it. In hot countries, they like to drink Luwak in combination with a mug of green tea.

Coffee is packaged in innovative packages of 250, 500 and 1000 grams. Each pack is equipped with a degassing valve. Coffee is produced in 2 types - ground, in beans. There are also beautiful original gift sets in jars.