Whether I’m traveling abroad or exploring my home state, I find something comforting about revisiting a place. Familiar landmarks, like Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World, the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum in Rome can evoke a wave of nostalgia. They bring back vivid memories of past visits. Of course, changes are inevitable—sometimes enhancing the experience, other times altering it in unexpected ways. Regardless, returning always offers the opportunity for new memories, especially when revisiting an international destination.
Istanbul as seen when cruising the Bosporus.
In 2016, I had my first encounter with Istanbul, a city rich in history and culture. Now officially spelled “Türkiye” instead of “Turkey,” the country continues to evolve. Recently, I returned to Istanbul and revisited three historical monuments, each offering a fresh perspective. Among them, the Hagia Sophia stood out with its profound transformation.
While touring and photographing the lush rice terraces in Bali, I saw a nearby coffee plantation. I decided to stop to learn more about Bali’s controversial kopi luwak coffee.
A Cup of Kopi Luwak Coffee Served to me in Bali
I first heard about this outlandish java from one of my favorite movies, the 2007 film The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Nicholson plays an obnoxious billionaire who only drinks the exotic brand. He carries his stock of kopi luwak everywhere he goes and even takes a portable brewing station to ensure a fresh cup of kopi luwak wherever and whenever he wants it. Nicholson’s character calls it the “rarest coffee in the world,” indeed, it is the most expensive brew in the world. So, what makes it so extraordinary?
What is Kopi Luwak coffee?
Coffee Cherries Growing on a Coffee Plantation in Bali.
Kopi Luwak is a famous (and somewhat disreputable) Indonesian coffee that has been digested by an animal called an Asian palm civet. The civet, a cat-like creature, roams the forests of Bali at night, eating ripe coffee cherries. But only the outer pulp is digested while the coffee beans pass through the animal’s digestive tract intact. After being expelled, the beans are collected, thoroughly washed, and meticulously processed to remove any remaining impurities. This process, coupled with the enzymes and fermentation during digestion, contributes to the coffee’s unique flavor and smoothness.
The History of Civet Coffee
A Civet in a Cage on the Coffee Plantation
The history of civet cat coffee or cat poop coffee goes back to the 1700s when the Dutch first set up coffee plantations in Sumatra and Java. According to legend, the locals noticed wild animals were eating the ripe coffee cherries (the stone fruits that grow in bunches on the coffee plant). They digest the cherries and excrete the beans. At the time, the plantation workers were prohibited from harvesting coffee beans for themselves, so they started brewing their drinks from these discarded beans.
Why Would You Drink Kopi Luwak?
Coffee connoisseurs seek it because wild animals will only eat the best, ripest cherries, so you don’t end up with inferior, unripe beans. The enzymes in the civet’s digestive system alter the coffee beans, producing a smoother cup of coffee.
How Does the Process Work?
Coffee Beans Excreted by Civets to Make Luwak Coffee.
The cherries get entirely stripped of their fruity exterior while passing through a civet’s stomach, giving them an extensive washing process. The workers then peel off any remaining skin, and the beans are ready for drying and later roasting. Without any fruit pulp left on the bean, mold doesn’t grow, resulting in a better cup of coffee.
Washed and Cleaned Coffee Beans now Ready for Roasting.
Taste Testing
When I toured the plantation, more of a family compound, I saw a few civets in cages. The guide explained that they were only there so we could see the animals.
Next, we stopped to see examples of the beans at various stages of the process. Then, we sat down to taste various locally grown tea and coffee blends. The guide collected an additional fee from those tasting luwak.
Tasting a Variety of Coffee Blends
Naturally, I decided to take a taste test while I was there. I admit I was skeptical, but the coffee was one of the smoothest, low acid, and most flavorful cups I have ever tried. I liked it, but did NOT buy any to bring home.
Brewing Luwak Coffee at the Coffee Plantation in Bal
What’s the Problem with Civet Coffee?
The problem with kopi luwak coffee is that it’s rarely actually wild. As you can imagine, a plantation that relies on free-range civets would be unpredictable. Finding and collecting the excreted beans in the forest becomes a labor-intensive task and therefore is cost prohibitive for a business.
As a result, the most common production involves removing civets from the wild and keeping them in tiny cages on coffee plantations – in other words, an unethical form of animal abuse. Many coffee plantations don’t comply with animal welfare standards for hygiene, shelter, and mobility. The civets may also be force-fed the cherries. If the civets are kept on restrictive coffee-only diets, that may lead to malnutrition and other health problems.
A Civet in a Wire Cage
The Dark Side of Coffee
The consumer must also be wary as much of the coffees sold as kopi luwak isn’t authentic. With incredibly high prices for this specialty product, expect sellers to cash in by labeling unauthentic merchandise. I saw a 3.52-ounce pack of kopi luwak selling for $116.99 on Amazon. That amounts to a whopping $530 per pound.
November 4, 2022, marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, the largest and most significant archeological find of the 20th century, perhaps of all time. The story of its unearthing reads like fiction, not fact, including a “mummy’s curse.”
