What Is Kopi Luwak Coffee?

Kopi Luwak Is The Most Expensive Coffee Available

In Vietnam, ca phe Chon as Kopi Luwak is called, translates, appropriately, as weasel coffee.

If you don't know what Kopi Luwak is, you are not alone. I stumbled across it recently in reference to Jack Nicholson and the movie The Bucket List in which Jack says, "Kopi Luwak is the world's most expensive coffee though for some it falls under the category of too good to be true."

The coffee Kopi Luwak really does not have much to do with Nicholson, of course, although I certainly believe that the references to these coffee beans in the movie heightened awareness in North America of one of the most expensive types of coffee in the world.

Click here to see Amazon's complete collection of Kopi Luwak coffee beans.
Image from Volcanica Gourmet Coffee.

Kopi Luwak Coffee Explained on Video

How Is Kopi Luwak Made?

Simply put, Kopi Luwak is made from coffee berries eaten by a creature called the Asian Palm Civet and processed through its digestive system. The enzymes in the stomach enter the beans altering them in a process, which makes them the most desired coffee bean in the world. The beans are then defecated and, apparently, retain their shape. The people of Indonesia and the Philippines gather them and they are washed, dried in the sun, roasted and brewed resulting in a coffee bean that is aromatic and smooth.

What Does Kopi Luwak Coffee Taste Like?

I am not a coffee drinker so I will never be able to answer that question from personal experience. However, all of my reading indicates that people find this coffee to be nutty, smooth and not bitter, and as the video says, a bit earthy...that part is not hard to understand once you realize where these coffee beans come from. Kopi Luwak is, of course, not to everyone's taste.

Is It Safe To Drink?

WHAT ABOUT BACTERIA?

So it tastes good but....what about bacteria? Is Kopi Luwak SAFE to drink? Researchers at the University of Guelph report that these beans are more contaminated than ordinary coffee beans but that the beans you buy are quite clean. They are very well washed and a lot of bacteria is dislodged in that process. What remains, they say, is insignificant.

In addition, Real Kopi Luwak says that IF the washing process misses any bacteria, the roasting and brewing will catch the rest.

Click here to buy Exotica Kopi Luwak coffee on Amazon.

Share A Cup of Kopi Luwak With Jack Nicholson

The most expensive coffee is, of course, served in tiny servings and you won't want to waste a drop...

"Kopi Luwak is the world's most expensive coffee though for some it falls under the category of too good to be true." - Jack Nicholson in The Bucket List

Whether or not Kopi Luwak coffee beans are on your bucket list, you might like to give them a try. They would also make a truly unique although not inexpensive gift for a coffee lover you know. Because these are amongst the most expensive coffee bean in the world, they are an expensive, luxury gift choice.

Were You Familiar With Kopi Luwak Coffee BEFORE You Visited This Page? Have You Ever Heard Of Kopi Luwak Coffee? Have you had a cup? What did you think?

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

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Please Note: This page was originally written in 2011 on another website.