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Thread: Kopi Luwak

  1. #1
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    Kopi Luwak

    Coffee that has passed through the intestinal tract of a cat



    Kopi Luwak

    No coffee in the world is in such short supply, has such unique flavors and an interesting background as Kopi Luwak. And no coffee even comes close in price: Kopi Luwak sells for $75 per quarter pound.

    Kopi (the Indonesian word for coffee) Luwak comes from the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi (formerly Celebes), which are part of the Indonesian Archepelago's 13,677 islands (only 6,000 of which are inhabited). But it's not strictly the exotic location that makes these beans worth their weight in silver. It's how they're "processed."

    On these Indonesian islands, there's a small marsupial called the paradoxurus, a tree-dwelling animal that is part of the sibet family. Long regarded by the natives as pests, they climb among the coffee trees eating only the ripest, reddest coffee cherries. Who knows who first thought of it, or how or why, but what these animals eat they must also digest and eventually excrete.

    Locals gathered the beans, which come through the digestion process fairly intact, still wrapped in layers of the cherries' mucilage. The enzymes in the animals' stomachs, though, appear to add something unique to the coffee's flavor through fermentation.

    Japan buys the bulk of Kopi Luwak, but M.P. Mountanos is the first in the United States to bring in this exotic bean

    Richard Karno, former owner of The Novel Cafe in Santa Monica, California, got a flyer from Mountanos about Kopi Luwak and "thought it was a joke." But Karno was intrigued, found it it was for real, and ordered a pound for a tasting. Karno sent out releases to the local press inviting them to a cupping. When no one responded, he roasted it and held a cupping for himself and his employees.

    Karno is very enthusiastic, a convert to Kopi Luwak. "It's the best coffee I've ever tasted. It's really good, heavy with a caramel taste, heavy body. It smells musty and jungle-like green, but it roasts up real nice.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by name with held
    Richard Karno, former owner of The Novel Cafe in Santa Monica
    I wonder why he is the former owner.......

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    Hmm, another novel business idea!

    I wonder if one could train ducks and dogs to swallow coffee-beans...

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    Looking at the picture I suddenly get a hunger for a BabyRuth!!!

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    It sounds rank, but i guess i'll have to try it if i come across it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stroller View Post
    Hmm, another novel business idea!

    I wonder if one could train ducks and dogs to swallow coffee-beans...
    somehow i think dog shit coffee would really struggle to gain acceptance

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    It's a matter of avoiding negative word-associations - who would guess what "Kopi Luwak" stands for, picking up the nice pack in an exclusive deli?

    "Kopi Caninis de Maison Stroller"

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    Luwak is a one horse town in Sulawesi. So calling your brand after your house seems to be ok.

    How about "Kopi Kennel"

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    Don't we know someone in Indonesia who might like to try Kopi Luwak and give us a full review?

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    Luwak coffee

    Luwak coffee is made from coffee berries which have been excreted by luwaks - a kind of weasel - which live in the coffee plantations in indonesia. Basically you take the weasel droppings and roast them.
    This is the most expensive coffee in the world - the price in London is about 50 quid a cup. I was in Medan yesterday and thought i would give it a try at the very reasonable price of 6 pounds (75000 RP).
    Whilst it didnt exactly taste like shit, there was a distinct fermented taste to it. Quite a thin brew, it did not have the rich taste of, say, blue mountain, but i suppose it was quite smooth. The fermented taste is quite powerful though and stayed in my mouth all day and even now i am still burping up the flavour.
    Not worth 50 quid in my opinion.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blake7
    take the weasel droppings and roast them.
    Now there's a recipe that, in the history of culinary advancement that ; Mrs Beaton, La Rousse, Paul Bocuse, Margret Fulton, Jamie Oliver and Poh have all somehow over looked.

    Tried it once quite a few years ago and came to the conclusion that for Indonesian Java, Bali (Globe and Butterfly brand ) is by far better and much cheaper.

    What did you think of Medan B7 - still a bit of a chinese cowboy outpost or is it moving along??

  12. #12
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    Plenty of money rolling around in medan. Loads of ridiculously gaudy mansions which put the palace of versailles to shame.

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    Elephant dung coffee is nice.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Begbie
    uwak No coffee in the world is in such short supply
    I've got bags of the shit in my cupboard and no coffee making machine.

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    Medan is a 'orrible shithole, imho.

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    none of you guys have seen "The Bucket List"?

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