Cat Poop Coffee (Kopi Luwak) – What Is It & Why’s It Popular?

Kopi Luwak also referred to as cat poop coffee is an actual thing. It’s the result of coffee beans that are eaten by a creature that appears like the cat. The beans are gathered from the poop of the animal and then washed ready to be processed and roasted.

Where is this practice originating from? What makes this particular kind of coffee so costly, even deemed to be a super premium by some? We’re here to dispel the confusion and debate Kopi Luwak’s popularity. Kopi Luwak, AKA cat Poop Coffee.

Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees worldwide and is a unique variety of coffee. It’s due to the fact that it is made of beans of coffee that go through the most unusual type of processing.

They “premium” espresso beans made by poop from an animal known as the Asian Palm Civet.

The civet picks out and consumes only the freshest coffee berries found in the wild. However, it’s unable to absorb the beans, so it excretes them in a pristine state. In the digestive system of the cat the beans are subject to an array of distinct conditions that are caused by the interaction of digestive enzymes. In the process, the beans undergo semi-processing and are later excreted.

The cat poop is removed, cleaned, and then roasted, ready for sale all over the world. Where does it come from?

According to the legend, Kopi Luwak is traced back to the time when coffee production in Indonesia first began in the early 1800s. Dutch colonizers set up coffee plantations across the country, as they brought coffee beans from Yemen.

The 19th century saw all the products from these farms was primarily export by the Dutch into Europe. In the end, those Indonesian farmers who cultivated coffee cherries were unable to brew beans from the harvest..Sucks you think?

Since these farmers were habitual with coffee consumption, they were forced to come up with new ways of getting the caffeine they craved. They spotted the coffee beans that were in the waste that was left behind by the Asian Palm civet and started to gather the beans to roast the beans.

As time passed as time passed, the cat poop-based coffee beans that were derived out of desperation were among the most sought-after coffee beans in the world.

The practice then expanded into other Asian countries such as that of Philippines and Vietnam in which there is growing trade in cat as well as coffee beans.

What is the process for Kopi Luwak being processed?

In the past, Civets would roam the forests at night and consume coffee berries as part their diet. Coffee growers would then collect the coffee beans out of their droppings.

Since Western the demand of Kopi Luwak has skyrocketed in recent years, smart businessmen have started making use of these night cats to profits.

Unfortunately, the majority of supplies for the cat poop coffee originates from the areas where Civets are breed and kept in captive. This is also a common practice across other Asian countries as well as the country of origin of Indonesia.
What is the reason Kopi Luwak Coffee Popular?

Kopi Luwak first came to West in 1991 by a man named Tony Wild, the then head of the coffee department at Taylors of Harrogate.

Tony bought a single kilo of Kopi Luwak, and informed the media of his find hoping that it would stir local attention. The coffee was quickly noticed from the British national media , and then globally following that.

It was certainly one method to make an uproar over cat poop berries, however, it wasn’t one he’d ever imagined.

There are several reasons that Kopi Luwak is prominent within the coffee world. But is it because of the appeal of a compelling story or is there a grain of truth in this cat poop cup?

It’s time to cut through the rubbish, as they say and detach the myths from factual facts about some of the most costly coffees available in the world.
A rare product by Wild Civets

As we’ve mentioned the kopi luwak bean is derived using the feces of an Asian palm civet. One of the main reasons for popularity is that the cat has a unique digestion method for the coffee that results in a distinctive taste and aroma due to the mixing digestive enzymes.

In addition, it is extremely rare and foraging for cat droppings might be acceptable to certain people after all. The high price and the exclusivity of a lot of high-paying customers make it the perfect “bling the coffee”.

There are a lot of specialty coffees around the world that are flavored with complexity do you think Kopi Luwak’s flavor enough to warrant the price?
Unprecedented and Prized Flavor Coffees

The proponents of this enigmatizing cat poop-based coffee claim that the cost is worth it because of its distinctive taste. Civet cat coffee is believed to be less bitter than typical coffee. It has a earthy taste with an effervescent body. The distinctive coffee processing is the key element in creating the distinctive civet flavor and aroma.

For those who are experienced in the field However, for experienced coffee lovers it’s a different story. A majority of the industry, including the Specialty Coffee Association, agree that Kopi Luwak just tastes bad.

The most important selling point of cat coffee poop is the fact that it’s not a good thing. The process of digestion by civets neutralizes and eliminates coffee beans’ acidity and the acidic compounds are vital to a coffee’s taste and sweetness.

Another aspect to be considered is the fact that there are very few, if any regulations regarding cultivating Kopi Luwak are in place across the world.
It is regarded as a luxury brew by some at around 80$ per Cup

And if Kopi Luwak isn’t a great tasting coffee but it’s still be considered one of the highest priced coffees?

A cup of cat poop from a coffee costs between 50-80 dollars in big cities like New York, while a one pound of beans costs between 100$ and 600$. This is a significant amount of money even for a tiny amount of coffee.

The rareness in this bean of coffee, its distinctive processing method and the tourist attraction surrounding it make it an expensive beverage.

Bali is known as the place to be for the Kopi Luwak tourist industry. Locals sell the beans, while some plantations located in the region offer tours that provide the most unique experience of cat Poop coffee.