How Kopi Luwak, world's most expensive coffee, is prepared

Kopi Luwak is the world most exclusive coffee. Let's find out how this premium coffee is prepared:

Kopi Luwak isn’t your regular brew but it is made from coffee beans eaten, digested, and excreted by civet cats. It is smooth, low-acidity flavor and rare production, and can cost over $100 ( INR 8,555) per cup.

World's most expensive coffee

Also known as civet coffee, Kopi Luwak is made using partially digested coffee cherries that have passed through the digestive system of an Asian palm civet. The fermentation during digestion alters the flavor, giving the coffee its rich and mellow taste.

What makes Kopi Luwak so unique?

Kopi Luwak originated in Indonesia and is also produced in parts of Vietnam and the Philippines. It's deeply rooted in local tradition, where civets roam coffee farms and naturally select the best cherries.

Where it comes from?

Civets instinctively choose only the ripest and sweetest coffee cherries. Their selection acts as a natural quality control, ensuring only premium beans are processed further.

Civet chooses the beans

Once eaten, the cherries pass through the civet’s digestive system. The enzymes in their stomachs break down proteins in the beans, reducing bitterness and enhancing the coffee’s smoothness and aroma.

Fermentation in the gut

After digestion, the civet excretes the beans, still covered in a layer of parchment. Farmers collect the droppings from the forest floor or farm trails.

Harvesting with care

The beans are thoroughly cleaned, sanitized, and sun-dried to remove impurities while preserving their unique fermented flavor. They're then roasted at controlled temperatures to bring out Kopi Luwak’s signature earthy, chocolaty, and smooth taste without bitterness.

Cleaning and drying

Kopi Luwak can be brewed using French press, drip, siphon, or espresso, with each sip reflecting its unique journey. Its rarity make it one of the world’s most expensive coffees, priced up to $100 per cup.

Brewing