Kopi Luwak: Expensive Poop Coffee
- Julianna Covarrubias
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Kopi Luwak - The Byproduct of Asian Palm Civets
Did you know that one of the world’s most expensive coffees is fermented in poop? This cute fella to the left is an Asian Palm Civet, native to South and Southeast Asia. There are many kinds of civets, with other types in southern Europe and eastern and southern Africa. Palm Civets eat coffee fruits (also known as coffee cherries) and the beans are collected after being digested and, well, pooped out. Although the coffee beans within coffee cherries serve as a form of defense against animals, this tactic is futile against the mighty Civet.These curious creatures have an excellent nose for picking out the ripest coffee fruits, which contain coffee beans inside. While the fruit part is digested, the coffee beans within the fruit remain perfectly intact. Once defecated, the beans are cleaned and roasted to make some of the world’s most expensive coffee.
Why is this coffee so expensive?
Excellent question, especially considering the fact that we’re talking about defecated coffee beans. Despite this process, which may seem offputting, Kopi Luwak is highly sought after, and it is precisely because of the process that it is so expensive. The fascinating enzymatic process of the Civet occurs within their digestive system, allowing acids to interact with the beans in a way that results in smooth and less acidic beans. Additionally, chemical analysis of beans collected from Civet poop, when compared to beans within coffee fruits, has shown that fermentation within the Civet’s digestive system increases fat content and amps up aromatic compounds. Research has also shown that Civet beans have less protein, which can explain the lack of bitterness. Fat can play a big part in coffee’s aroma and taste, though it’s important to note that most of this research was done on unroasted coffee beans. This phenomenon, coupled with the collection process, has given coffee derived from these beans a price of up to $100 a cup or around $600 per pound! Kopi Luwak is said to have an incredibly unique taste, but I don’t think I’ll be able to afford to confirm or deny that anytime soon. One thing we can say though, is that this process is truly one of a kind.
Why is it called Kopi Luwak?
While sometimes referred to as poop coffee or cat poop coffee due to the Civet’s resemblance to a cat, it is most commonly known as ‘'Kopi Luwak'’ because in Indonesia, the word for ‘'coffee'’ is Kopi, and these animals are known as Luwaks. Indonesia is recognized as the original and best location for producing Kopi Luwak, and while this coffee can be brewed like any other coffee, it is recommended to avoid using sugar, milk, or cream as these additions can override the coffee’s unique flavor. Kopi Luwak is also regarded as a high quality coffee because of the Civet’s tendency to filter out unripe and faulty beans.
Controversy
The coffee is well-known not only for its unique method of production, but also for its controversial cultivation method. Many Civets are kept in captivity for the purpose of producing the commodity, and it is hard to determine whether the coffee is sourced ethically or not. Several plantations and farms raise Asian Palm Civets, sometimes in conditions that are deplorable and inhumane. The focus that such plantations place on solely the coffee fruits can also lead to a Civet’s unbalanced diet, therefore wrecking their digestive system. It’s important to be mindful about consumption practices when trying new things, especially if you’re contributing to further exploitation of the world around you. On a positive note, there are still certain places that ethically source Kopi Luwak, such as the Kaya Kopi farm located in the Pangalengan Highlands of West Java, Indonesia, which is transparent with their sourcing methods.
It is worth sharing this unique coffee-making process which I honestly first heard about in Netflix’s Beastars about a year ago. Once I heard the Civet in the show mention it, I googled it and learned more about the Kopi Luwak process, which baffled me at first. Nature truly is very interesting.
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