![]() ![]() The rhesus monkeys and Formosan rock macaques who help “process” the beans do not ingest them. Monkey coffee is a rare type of coffee bean from India and Taiwan Though it’s sometimes called monkey poop coffee, the name “monkey spit coffee” would be more appropriate. Or rather, it’s made from coffee beans that are partially digested and then pooped out by the civet, a catlike creature. It’s the world’s most expensive coffee, and it’s made from poop. Kopi luwak is made from coffee beans plucked from civets’ feces This is bad news for civets. This Civet coffee is known for its fruity and floral tones and mildly earthy flavor as well as a distinct aroma. The special thing about civet coffee is the fermentation process that occurs in the digestive tract of the civet, which gives civet coffee a uniquely desirable taste and aroma and cuts its caffeine content in half when compared to any other cup of joe. Why is civet coffee different from other coffee? To make this coffee, the civets are typically snatched from their homes and life in the wild to be imprisoned alone in tiny, barren cages. Kopi luwak is made from the beans of coffee berries that have been eaten and excreted-yes, you read that right! -by the asian palm civet. ![]() The flavour of kopi luwak is mainly defined in terms of earthy and musty with hints of caramel and chocolate and some people throw around the word “jungle” as if it were a flavour descriptor. Natural enzymes in civet’s stomach enhances the bean flavour and that’s why this coffee is unique,” he said. Each pound of the finished product can cost as much as £300.“Civet cat eats flesh of the coffee cherries and not the bean. They may also be ground by hand locally before being shipped to coffee lovers around the world. Once washed, the beans are typically roasted to kill any bacteria that might still remain. The repeated washes ensure outer shells are removed and the beans are died after every wash. Then, they are dried and washed a second time. Beans are generally washed by removing the outer shell first. Since fecal contamination can result in food borne illness, cleaning the beans is demanding. Once coffee beans are collected, the cleaning process is equally laborious. ![]() While this process is certainly less arduous than searching for droppings in the wild, it is still costly. This fermentation is what gives the beans added flavour. It takes a couple of days for the beans to go through the animal’s digestive system, where they ferment. They are fed ripe coffee berries, although the beans inside are not completely digested. Some luwak coffee is also produced on farms where civets (also known as luwaks) are kept in captivity. Collecting enough coffee beans to produce kopi luwak coffee is certainly a labour of love! As you can imagine, the search takes a lot of time and effort as the process cannot be automated. Generally, only five to six beans are found with each dropping. Harvesting beans for kopi luwak coffee is traditionally done manually, with farmers usually looking for beans in the early morning. Farmers look for the partially digested beans left behind in the animal's droppings. Ripe coffee berries are ingested by Asian palm civets, which are found in Southeast Asia. Production takes a lot of time and energy, with farmers often looking on land and in forests for suitable beans. The high price of kopi luwak coffee is largely due to the traditional ways it is produced.
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