Specific to Indonesia,
Kopi Luwak is the world's most exclusive and expensive coffee. The reason behind its high price is how it is made. Notably, the name Kopi Luwak is not the name of the coffee but the method of production.
1. Black Ivory: $1,500 per pound. For some time, the Kopi Luwak cat poop coffee was the only type using animal feces to enhance the flavor.
True Kopi luwak coffee is widely considered as one the most expensive coffees in the world. Currently a cup of this specialty brew can cost anywhere from $35 to $100 per cup at an average coffee shop, if they stock this variety to sell on to their customers then the price is more like $100 to $800 per small bag.
Kopi Luwak is the world's most exclusive (and most expensive) coffee. The main factor of its high price is the uncommon method of production. It is produced from coffee beans which have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted. Yes, it sounds kind of gross, but not to worry!
Many people describe the taste of Kopi Luwak Coffee as nutty and as rich and delicious. There are some hints of caramel and chocolate in a brew of Kopi Luwak Coffee. When we first tasted Kopi Luwak Coffee, we were very surprised about the high quality of the taste.
Then, they can be ground up, combined with hot water and brewed just like any other type of coffee. But because the palm civet's body makes the beans less acidic, Kopi Luwak coffee will have a smooth, more mellow taste after it is brewed.
An average cup of 'kopi luwak' in Bali can set you back US$35 to US$80. The belief is that the digestive enzymes remove the acidity from the coffee beans, resulting in a smoother cup of joe.
Sure, if you're a top of the market product then you can definitely get away with charging a premium price. On one website selling to Australia I found Kopi Luwak ranging in price from $149 – $288 per 100g. Per ONE HUNDRED GRAMS. That's $1490 – $2800 a kilo.
“The reason why kopi luwak is so good is because the luwak only goes after the best and ripest coffee fruit,” Balik said. “The other reason is because, in the luwak stomach, fermentation happens, and the coffee beans get a different flavor.” After roasting, the beans are ground for 20 minutes with a mortar and pestle.
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.
The high price of the product is largely due to the large number of coffee cherries needed to produce the finished product: 33 kilograms (72 pounds) of raw coffee cherries results in one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of the finished product.
Because it's harder to plant and grow, Arabica is more expensive than Robusta. And some companies may even mix Robusta with their Arabica to save money (and serve you a crappy cup). Look for 100% Arabica coffee when scouring the grocery aisle.
Compared to the rest of the world, it's very hard to cultivate due to the gradients and access ways to the crops. There are no flat, large areas which allow for quick harvesting, instead the coffee is grown is small groups, wherever the terrain allows.
Coffee (roasted, Kopi Luwak/Civet and green coffee)
Roasted coffee is permitted into Australia for personal use if it is roasted, ground or processed into instant coffee (up to 10 kilograms).
Therefore, Luwak coffee is considered halal by Irsyad Al-Fatwa. Indonesian Ulema Council also issued the halal status of Luwak coffee. While the coffee comes from the civet's anus, it's considered safe and halal since coffee beans are correctly processed.
The Ruling of Civet Coffee
If they are washed and cleaned, they are then considered pure again. Subsequently, if they are ground and used to make coffee, the drink is halal and permissible to be drunk.
The specialty Vietnamese weasel coffee, which is made by collecting coffee beans eaten by wild civets, is sold at US$500 per kilogram. Most customers are Asian, especially those originating from Japan, China, and South Korea. Some specialty coffee shops sell cups of brewed kopi luwak for US$35–80.
Kopi luwak can help those with migraines and other headaches. Due to the vasoconstriction effects of caffeine, kopi luwak is an ideal choice for those suffering from migraines. Due to the low acidity, kopi luwak is still suitable for migraines accompanied with stomach pain - unlike typical coffee.
Is Kopi Luwak Really Worth Trying? Absolutely, and you really can't call yourself a true coffee connoisseur until you have tried it. The flavour itself is so much smoother and less bitter than regular coffee, plus Kopi Luwak coffee has a comparatively low caffeine content.
Kopi Luwak is characterized by a smooth flavor and low acidity, making for a very sweet and full brew. It doesn't smell anything like you'd expect, either. The aroma is far from unpleasant. It's also worth noting that every bean is processed to ensure that the final product is as clean as can be.
Kopi Luwak farmers from a plantation in Indonesia describe their cleaning process: “After collection, we wash the beans to remove the outer shell and then dry them in the Indonesian sun. After drying, we wash a second time to ensure all outer shells are removed. At this point we re-dry the beans again.
Devil Mountain Coffee boasts of being the strongest coffee in the world. The Black Label has 1,555 mg of caffeine per 12 oz cup, which is more than three times the FDA's recommended daily amount.