One of my first trips to Asia was to the special country of Indonesia. Visitors usually choose as their destination, the last paradise on earth, Bali, but Indonesia hides indescribable beauty and unique culture throughout. From chaotic Jakarta, I took the long train ride that would take me to traditional Yogyakarta, in the middle of the giant island of Java.
I quickly understood why Yogyakarta is considered the pinnacle of Indonesian culture. The town’s central market, stretching endlessly down Malioboro Street remains bustling with life 24 hours a day. Locals sell colorful traditional textiles, while the smells of food and spices dazzles you with every step. Don’t forget that Indonesia is the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world, so you can expect awesome food, loud voices, colors, bazaars, smells and unique hospitality. All, in a purely Asian setting with tricycles, carriages, nearby beaches and volcanoes as well as the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur.
At this crossroads of cultures I wandered around and filled my stomach with delicacies and my soul with images for several days. Many times I heard hawkers shouting and selling a special type of coffee, unique to this part of the world. “Kopi luwak, kopi luwak” you hear in every corner of the city, and it inevitably catches your attention. I did a quick internet search on what’s special about this coffee, and quickly got my answer: The world’s most expensive coffee, where it’s made from wild cat poop in Indonesia. It was enough to convince me that this coffee was worth a try. In a combination of advice from locals and the internet, I decided that the best option to try kopi luwak coffee and learn about its history would be the kopi luwak mataram workshop and café just outside the city center.
How is kopi luwak coffee made?
After a lot of walking, in the traditional suburban neighborhoods of Yogyakarta, I arrived at the entrance of the kopi luwak mataram coffee craft shop. There, like almost all hospitable Indonesian people, I was greeted with a big smile, invited to tour the place and explained the process of making the world’s most expensive coffee.
To better understand the process of the unique production of kopi luwak, it is important to know some characteristics of the coffee fruit. The coffee tree actually originated in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, and was brought to South America, where it became the king of coffee production, as recently as the 17th century. The plant, produces a red edible fruit, often called the “coffee cherry”. The fruit, contains two seeds (pits), known as coffee beans.
The caffeine found in the plant is actually a toxic substance that the plant uses as a defense mechanism against herbivores. The same substance has been developed through evolution to a lower level in other plants such as that of cocoa and tea.
One of the only animal species that is not affected by the caffeine in the fruit is the asian palm civet cat or luwak as it is called in Indonesian. The civet cat, is an adorable little mammal that resembles something between a cat, a ferret and a weasel. It lives and breeds in primary virgin forests in various parts of Asia, and has the unique ability to pick out and consume only the ripest and most immaculate coffee fruits.
During the digestion of the coffee fruit, the bark and pulp are removed, but the coffee beans cannot be digested by the civet’s system. In its stomach, the enzymes secreted change the composition of the amino acids and affect the aroma of the coffee. Also, the beans begin to sprout due to malting, which ultimately reduces the natural bitterness of the coffee. The natural fermentation that takes place gives coffee its unique taste.
After about 24 hours, the civet cat defecates on the beans, and collectors in Indonesia pick them up like gold beans. They then remove the outer husk, wash it thoroughly, dry and roast the finished product.
The history of kopi luwak.
Of particular interest is the history of kopi luwak, and how it became so famous around the world. In the 16th and 17th centuries, what is now Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands. The Dutch implemented a strict system known as ‘cultuurstelsel’ (cultivation system) whereby they exploited and exported all local produce, including coffee. In addition, they prohibited farmers from using coffee fruit for personal use. The desperate local farmers, noticing the precious coffee beans left in the civet’s droppings, decided to clean them and use them for their own use like any other coffee bean. As time went on, the Dutch conquerors accused the natives of stealing coffee from the crops, and forced the indigenous people to explain the process they had discovered. The special aroma and taste of coffee quickly led the Dutch to exploit this production as well, and to export this rare product at high prices. That’s the dark, unfortunately history of the initial production and distribution of kopi luwak.
What does kopi luwak coffee taste like?
In the workshop I had the opportunity to see all the stages of the bean from the moment it comes out of the civet to the final product. To my surprise, even the initial product from the cat’s stomach had a pleasant smell, and I will never forget the unique aroma of the final roasted coffee.
After the tour of the coffee processing workshop, it was time to finally taste the much talked about kopi luwak coffee. At the kopi luwak mataram café, the cost for a cup was much lower than anywhere in the western world, coming in at just 2.5 euros! It comes with cubes of coconut sugar, but to fully appreciate the taste I preferred to try it plain.
From the first sip, you realize the diversity of the coffee. The aroma is very fruity, and strongly reminiscent of chocolate and nut characteristics. The final taste, does not leave the mouth with the classic bitterness of coffee, but a soft aftertaste. The waitress, much to my delight, offered me a second cup of coffee when she saw that I quickly finished the first one. The kopi luwak coffee, at least to my tastes, seemed a bit lighter, combining different characteristics of jungle fruits. It was definitely unique, and worth trying so close to its natural habitat, and at such an accessible price.
The health benefits of kopi luwak.
While tasting the coffee, I had the pleasure of learning more information from the locals about the benefits of kopi luwak over regular coffee. The first and foremost feature is the lower amount of acids, which allows people with stomach problems and ulcers to drink coffee. Research by the University of Taiwan has shown the impressive result that daily use of this coffee reduces the risk of developing diabetes by 50%. In addition, kopi luwak has a higher content of antioxidants and helps prevent and fight neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Finally, there is research with evidence that kopi luwak reduces inflammation that is responsible for the development of cancer, especially in the mouth and colon. Locals talk about even more impressive features of coffee, but unfortunately the few scientific studies on this product have not confirmed them for now.
Fake products and cruel treatment of animals.
One of the main problems surrounding the modern reputation of kopi luwak coffee is the poor treatment of animals. The palm civet cat, is a wild animal that lives freely in virgin forests. Increasing demand, and the difficulty of collecting excrements in the wild, has led local populations to imprison these special animals and mistreat them to increase production. They remain imprisoned in large numbers in small cages, enduring a poor diet and high mortality rates. Unfortunately, the trade in civets for the production of kopi luwak poses a significant threat to wild populations. It is extremely important to have proper control and protection of the species before it is too late.
An additional problem in the coffee market is the existence of many fake products. Producers, wanting to take advantage of the high price and demand, have overloaded the market with coffee that does not follow the specific process. According to government publications, 80% of the kopi luwak coffee on the market is fake.
To avoid animal exploitation and defective products, you should always prefer locally produced delicacies. That’s the beauty of travel, you can taste flavors in their natural environment without requiring consumption in your own location, increasing environmental problems and exacerbating human and animal rights. In my opinion, it is worth trying kopi luwak if you are in a region where you can be sure of its safe production, such as Indonesia and Yogyakarta.
