The world's most expensive
coffee is supposedly made from beans picked out of weasel
poo!
Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee is a rare and gourmet coffee from
Indonesia that is made from coffee beans that have passed
through the digestive system of the weasel-like creatures
known as Civets, and specifically the Indonesian Palm Civet.
The particular individuals that live around coffee plantations
eat the ripe beans and obviously excrete the undigestible
green bean. This is then "harvested" and processed.
The resulting coffee is said to be like no other. It supposedly
has a rich, heavy flavour with hints of caramel or chocolate.
The body is almost syrupy and it's very smooth, with a stronger
flavour and aroma than normal. And there are even claims that
it is an aphrodisiac!
Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world selling
at over A$100 per 500 grams. It is sold mainly in Japan and
the U.S.
Many people are sceptical of the veracity of the coffee, and
claim it is a scam and marketing excercise. The truth is probably
that there is a small amount genuinely available in Southern
China and Indonesia, but much of the product sold on the internet
is probably unverifiable.
Simple logic would tell you that to process the amount of
this stuff that is supposedly real would require veritable
ranches of creatures and 1000's of staff.
The amount of sh** that is broadcast about this coffee can
be typified by the Indonesian cafe owner who claimed in a
story by USA Today in January 2004 that he sells 100 tons
a month through 3 cafes. He is joking! He wouldn't sell 100
tons in his lifetime! Doesn't he realise how much coffee that
really is?
It is also a fact that Civets are suspected of spreading SARS
virus as well as Asian Bird Flu virus. Large numbers of Civets
have been destroyed in southern China for this reason.
Whilst the roasting process would destroy any germs, would
you really want to drink coffee that came out of poo from
a (possibly) virus carrying weasel from Indonesia?
We think it's not such a great marketing idea after all!
Interesting Footnote: Is this why perfume
is so expensive?
A relation of the Indonesian Civet has been
used in the past to harvest "sweat" from it's perineal
glands (near the anus) for use in perfumes. This product is
actually called "civet".
The animals are "farmed" and kept in cages, and
every few days the keepers scrape the "civet" out
of the anal sacs of their herd of animals.
It was reported by the WSPA (world society for protection
of animals in the U.K.), that several large perfume companies
have admitted to using civet in their products and that laboratory
tests detected the ingredient.
The WSPA says these companies have now substituted synthetic
civet for the natural version starting in 1998. |
