What makes the 'Cat poo' coffee (Kopi Luwak) flavour worth drinking?
I'm actually on the hunt for this coffee in Melbourne, being it's such a coffee-oriented city: Where can I buy a cup of 'cat poo' coffee (Kopi Luwak) in Melbourne?, but while discussing it in the travel.SE chat room, we were wondering what it is that makes it worth drinking?
From Wiki and other sources there's some talk about cherries with some beans cause certain enzymes to be produced, but they seem to insist that this wouldn't happen with the same ingredients in another beast? So is it the beans + food, or the animal itself, and what is the resultant flavour - more bitter / sweet than regular coffee, or what?
Best Answer
I've never drunk it (can't stand coffee myself), but the general theory is:
- A wet ferment. Some coffee producers have attempted to duplicate some of the processes with enzymes, as you've mentioned.
- More likely to be picked closer to peak ripeness. The animals have the advantage that they're picking berries to eat, and will pass over unripe ones to eat later -- unlike human processing which might just look to strip the whole bush.
In talking to one of my co-workers (also not a coffee drinker), and she said that she's had coffee right after it's been processed, and it was dramatically different from the stuff that was available in Europe or North America ... which leads me think that freshness might be a more important quality than some of the other aspects of the highly expensive coffee. (unless you're talking about psychological effects)
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Quick Answer about "What makes the 'Cat poo' coffee (Kopi Luwak) flavour worth drinking?"
Kopi Luwak is coffee made from beans that have been digested by a civet cat (i.e. "cat poop coffee"). Balinese farmers have touted for generations that this method produces the best-tasting coffee. But lots of kopi luwak is produced by civets held in disturbing, inhumane conditions.Why do people drink coffee from cat poop?
Kopi Luwak, also called civet cat coffee or cat poop coffee. The history of Kopi Luwak coffee starts way back in the 1700s when the Dutch first set up coffee plantations in Sumatra and Java. According to legend, the locals noticed that wild animals were eating the ripe coffee cherries and leaving the beans behind.Why is cat poop coffee so expensive?
It is produced from the coffee beans digested by civet cat. The feces of this cat are collected, processed and sold. It is highly priced because it is claimed to be more nutritious and high cost involved in sourcing the animal dropping, wastage during processing and quality certification.What is special about Kopi Luwak coffee?
Kopi luwak is made from coffee beans plucked from civets' feces. This is bad news for civets. It's the world's most expensive coffee, and it's made from poop. Or rather, it's made from coffee beans that are partially digested and then pooped out by the civet, a catlike creature.Is cat poop coffee good for health?
Basically, its the fermentation taking place in their digestive system that makes these coffee beans healthier. Massimo Marcone, a food scientist at the University of Guelph, Canada too confirms that the coffee is safe. During his research, he found that kopi luwak has lower bacterial counts than regular coffee.What Makes The Perfect Tour De France?
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Answer 2
As someone who has had the coffee, the main feature is that the coffee is far less bitter. As mentioned, when the beans are digested whole they go through a sort of fermentation while in the digestion tract. The Vietnamese coffee brand, Trung Nguyen, claims to have duplicated this process chemically, without the use of civets. I am not a super connoisseur of coffee but I would say to try that before you decide to dedicate some serious money towards it and see if it's worth it to you.
Answer 3
Kopi luwak is supposed to be smooth, earthy and less bitter compared to regular coffee. According to this blog the enzymes in the civet cat's stomach break down the protein in the coffee that is supposed to be responsible for the bitterness in the coffee. Though some coffee drinkers suggest that it tastes like instant coffee!!
Answer 4
Suffering
'Nothing'.
Personally, I wasn't really attracted by the description, but when I was offered some (on somebody else's dishes, and the alternative was instant), I gave it a try. My vote is squarely in the 'cachet' pile - that it's just something exotic and expensive for its own sake, or a 'placebo' kind of situation. The stuff I had was fine, but really didn't taste special. Would not pay extra for it.
But that's just IM-NS-HO. I realize this is a subjective answer, but if you've already read up about it a bit ... the Wikipedia page lists the supposed pros and cons, so you're here mostly for opinions, right? Or something beyond what's listed on Wiki?
Edit: Removed 'joke answer', because SE is no place for jokes. Also, it may have been offensive ... and not that funny.
Edit: Oh yeah - as for specific characteristics, my impression was that it was low in acidity, and a little 'thin'. At the time, I assumed that the latter was my fault / bad preparation - although I used the same method and apparatus for other coffees with good result, and tried a few times with the Luwak (or 'Luwak', as it may be)(trying to brew it a little stronger, etc). I believe both are characteristics noted elsewhere (eg, Wiki).
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Tim Douglas, Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto