Luwak Coffee, the Most Expensive Coffee in the World
Daftar Isi
Ayah-Bunda, don’t claim yourself a coffee lover or a gourmet if you never drank luwak coffee. Yes, luwak coffee. Or kopi luwak in Indonesian. It’s not a kind of coffee made from luwak (palm civet a.k.a. Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). Just, the production process involves civets. This little mammal lives on the trees and eats the chosen coffee fruit. And it takes only a healthy civet to produce good quality coffee bean.
Luwak coffee is so popular because of its unique making. It seems like people has just discovered a kind of new beverage. But the truth, luwak coffee has been existed in Indonesia since Netherland colonial era.
Brief History of Luwak Coffee
It was started at the beginning of 18th century when Netherland opened the commercial plants gardening in Java and Sumatra. One of the plants is Arabica coffee from Yemen.
In cultuurstelsel era, the colonial government forbade workers to pick the coffee for personal consumption. However, the people wanted to try that fine coffee. Then, they found a kind of civet which loves to eat coffee, but they only digest the pulp. They let the epidermis and coffee bean out from their body through dung. People picked the coffee beans in civet feces, washed them, fried them without oil, crushed them and poured boiling water on them.
Nowadays, luwak coffee becomes controversial in Indonesia. Some followers of Islam (most of Indonesian people embrace this religion) doubt whether the coffee is kosher or not, because it is made altogether with civet feces.
Whereas, people say that the taste of luwak coffee is so delicious, smooth and memorable. Other describes it musty, earthy and exotic. It also has special fragrance that is different from other kind of coffee.
In Indonesia, some Luwak Cafés I know serve luwak coffee with the price about 82,500 IDR for a cup. No joking. You must know that luwak coffee bean is the most expensive coffee bean in the world! The price starts from 100 USD per 450 gram. And recently, Oprah Winfrey Show also featured this coffee. You see, how this coffee is luxurious.
If the price is so expensive, what can luwak coffee give us besides its extraordinary taste? Well, as we know, drinking coffee profits you some benefits. So does luwak coffee. It’s useful, at least, to:
In cultuurstelsel era, the colonial government forbade workers to pick the coffee for personal consumption. However, the people wanted to try that fine coffee. Then, they found a kind of civet which loves to eat coffee, but they only digest the pulp. They let the epidermis and coffee bean out from their body through dung. People picked the coffee beans in civet feces, washed them, fried them without oil, crushed them and poured boiling water on them.
Nowadays, luwak coffee becomes controversial in Indonesia. Some followers of Islam (most of Indonesian people embrace this religion) doubt whether the coffee is kosher or not, because it is made altogether with civet feces.
Whereas, people say that the taste of luwak coffee is so delicious, smooth and memorable. Other describes it musty, earthy and exotic. It also has special fragrance that is different from other kind of coffee.
Why is Luwak Coffee So Expensive
In Indonesia, some Luwak Cafés I know serve luwak coffee with the price about 82,500 IDR for a cup. No joking. You must know that luwak coffee bean is the most expensive coffee bean in the world! The price starts from 100 USD per 450 gram. And recently, Oprah Winfrey Show also featured this coffee. You see, how this coffee is luxurious.
- Increase your stamina and vitality
- Relax your body and mind after some activities
- Decrease muscle pain
- Decrease the risk of getting Alzheimer and balance the brain function
- Increase your body immune from disease attack as the effective natural antioxidant
- Detoxify your body through sweat and urine with diuretic and laxative effect
- Avoid you from stomachache and pulse beat
- Decrease headache or migraine
- Protect your teeth from bacteria which causes cavity with its anti-sticky and caffeine
- Avoid you from mouth cancer by a cup a day
- Avoid you from breast cancer by four glasses a day
- Protect your skin from cancer by two cups a day
- Avoid diabetes by 2-4 glasses a day
Still feel unpleasant about the fact that it comes from the feces? A research led by a professor in Canada said that luwak coffee contains less bacteria compared to regular coffee.
So, it’s all up to you to drink this luxurious coffee or not.