Would you try a cuppa?

Lyf&Spice went coffee-tasting. Yes, we had coffee, not poop! Coffee means different things to different people. For some, it’s their dose of morning freshness, for the others it’s a concoction of inspiration. For us, Kopi Luwak was an experience!

What is it?

We had always wanted to try Kopi Luwak. In simple terms, it is the coffee obtained from the poop of a cat. The Civet cat is fed high quality coffee beans. It can’t digest these beans, so poops it out. The beans that have been acted upon (fermented) by its digestive juices (protease enzymes) are then sorted from the poop and roasted. Depending on the type of coffee bean, the roasting could last for approximately two hours or longer.

Most people find it gross, but the coffee we had was really aromatic and fulfilling!

See for yourself… 

Kopi Luwak – a virtual tour

Flavour:

Amit (the quiet partner of Lyf&Spice) is a black coffee lover and swears by a cuppa hot coffee every morning! With just a slurp, he was at the counter buying a packet for himself, while I had a few sips and tossed the grain of palm sugar in my mouth. Every sip that passed through that sugary cube got sweeter and more palatable. Not only was it aromatic, but toasty and woody in taste as well; although the flavour note could be quite subjective.

Fun facts:

➡The most expensive coffee in the world
➡Cat: Asian Palm Civet
➡Coffee beans attained: partly digested or undigested cherries that the cat is fed

Where: Kopi Luwak Mataram at Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Thanks to our tour guide, Didik, for suggesting this space that had civet cats, coffee processing and roasting units under one roof, and coffee packets for sale. If you want to rent a car and driver at Jogja, Indonesia, please get in touch with him here.

Approximate cost: A small cup of coffee for tasting+ a small pack of luwak coffee powder (50g) costed MYR 70 / USD 17 (rounded off)

We were really washed out after a rather adventurous, hectic day and needed something to wake us up and gear up for the long drive back to the hotel. What better way than sipping on a cup of coffee that has an interesting story associated with it, right?

Now that you know it’s coffee from poop – would you dare to try it?

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**Disclaimer: Although there are a lot of concerns raised about having civet cats caged, rather than follow them in their natural, open habitat, to collect their undigested waste; this post is written purely for the sake of understanding the process and taste of kopi luwak, and in no way encourages the caging or harming of these animals.