Drinking the most expensive coffee in the world isn’t an everyday experience for most coffee drinkers. I never thought that the most expensive coffee comes from poop until I watched some videos online.
Besides knowing there is poop coffee, the priciest coffee is known as Kopi Luwak civet cat poop. Yes, if you don’t believe it, catshit coffee is one of the rarest and priciest you can get anywhere in the world.
To understand more about Kopi Luwak coffee, let’s see what it is and how much you can spend to get a cup.
What is civet cat coffee?
In simple terms, it’s a coffee from poops of Asian palm civet cats. Usually, the cat feeds on ripe Arabica coffee beans since they have sweet mucilage.
As the civet enjoys the sweetness in the cherries, they experience partial digestion in the stomach. The coffee bean parchment doesn’t allow physical digestion; thus, the beans are pooped while whole.
Unless the civet cats are caged, collecting the pooped coffee in the wild is cumbersome. This is one of the reasons why this coffee is costly.
Also, the production is in small quantities, which affects the Kopi Luwak supply and price.
Where does cat poop coffee come from?
The origin of civet cat coffee is Indonesia. It’s the largest producer of this coffee and also where it originated. However, other surrounding countries in South Asia like Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam call it Weasel poop coffee. The largest producer remains Indonesia.
Amazingly, the market forecast is at $10 billion by 2030. This indicates more people are willing to taste this poop coffee.
Apart from the market, how was civet coffee discovered? Coffee in Indonesia has a long history. The native coffee farmers in Indonesia discovered cat pooped coffee.
During the colonial era by Dutch, natives did not have the right to harvest and taste their coffee. However, they discovered that Civet cats ate and pooped the beans intact. They would collect and brew these coffee beans. That marked the birth of Civet cat poop coffee.
How is Kopi Luwak made? The biology behind the coffee production
The production of Kopi Luwak is different from regular coffee. Usually, Civet cats feed on ripe coffee cherries. Cats eat the best and ripest beans where they chew but don’t break the beans. They only break the pulp to get the sweet mucilage covering the beans.
When the cat swallows the beans, it is where fermentation takes place. At the same time, enzymes in the gut act on the coffee, which breaks down some chemicals. Civet cats can break tannins, making the coffee easy on teeth.
Apart from breaking down some chemicals, caffeine and acids are absorbed. This makes Kopi Luwak less acidic and naturally low in caffeine. However, the parchment is never broken, which ensures beans are excreted whole.
The beans are then collected, cleaned, dried, and roasted.
Since the whole process is slow and cumbersome, it is the reason why this is the world’s most expensive coffee. Kopi Luwak coffee prices can get up to $100 per cup and over $1000 per kilo.
What does cat poop coffee taste like?
Civet cat is made mostly from Arabica beans. Thus, the taste is usually excellent. The processing in the animal digestive system further enhances flavors. The flavors feel earthly, musty, caramel, and chocolate. The coffee also feels less acidic and has low caffeine, making it easy on the stomach.
Is Civet cat poop coffee ethical?
How ethical Civet cat coffee remains a thorny issue. Unlike the early days when pooped coffee was collected in the wild, these days, Civet cats are caged. Getting animals from their natural habitat and caging them is considered animal abuse. Therefore, unless the coffee is collected from the natural cat habitat, one from caged animals is not ethical.
Why is cat poop coffee so expensive?
Civet coffee is expensive, meaning not everyone can afford to drink it daily. One of the contributing factors is the complexity involved in its production. Besides, the work involved in the production leads to remarkably high prices.
Since it’s considered more nutritious and more palatable, demand also leads to an abnormally high process. The coffee can be up to 50 times more expensive than regular coffee.
Where to buy cat poop coffee?
To enjoy authentic cat poop coffee, you must purchase from reputable stores. Some, like Amazon and Walmart, and others sell coffee. There are other brands also that deal with Civet cat coffee. Checking sales reputation and certification is essential to avoid buying counterfeits or adulterer Kopi Luwak coffee.
Final words
Kopi Luwak Civet cat coffee is one of the best and most expensive coffee you can buy today. Despite being a poop coffee, it has incredible qualities and excellent taste. Although it’s a rare coffee, you can try it and enjoy the exceptional experience.
