From Dung To Coffee Gold

Are you curious enough to try out a cup of civet cat coffee from beans taken from the animal’s dung? For many coffee aficionados, the answer is a resounding yes! For less adventurous people however, the mere thought of consuming anything that came in contact with poop is a revolting thought. But don’t dismiss it offhand until you’ve tried it, civet coffee devotees say.

Known as one of the world’s rarest and most expensive coffees, civet coffee is only produced in some parts of Asia. You may know it by another name, such as kopi luwak in Indonesia, and kape alamid in the Philippines. It is so called because the beans are come from the manure of the Asian Palm Civet, also referred to as the civet cat, which is a member of the mongoose family. The best coffee cherries are consumed by the civet cat, and the seeds are partially digested in its digestive tract before coming out whole in the animal’s poop. Since the civet cats tend to use the same locations to mark with their dung, the farmers have no trouble finding and gathering these coffee beans. The gathered beans go through processing, which involves a thorough washing, sun drying, and roasting. Afterward, they are roasted to perfection.

It is not unusual to find an assortment of Liberica, Exelsa, Robusta and Arabica coffee varieties in each batch of civet coffee, depending on what the animal ate. According to one study, the enzymes in the civet cat’s digestive tract enhance the flavors of the distinctive coffee varieties. Those who have tasted this coffee have praised it as smooth, sweet, slightly dark and chocolatey, with a unique aroma. Unlike other coffees, civet coffee is does not have that sharp, pungent aftertaste.

Approximately 2000 kilos or so are made of this tasty treat annually, as civet coffee is still harvested from the droppings of civet cats in the wild. Apparently, some efforts were made to raise the civet cats in a farm setting, but they did not produce as much, making the scheme non-viable. Thus, the supply will always remain low.

Civet coffee has found a devoted following among coffee aficionados in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and other parts of the world. Because it is only made in limited amounts, and production can be very labor intensive, civet coffee prices can go as high as 100 dollars for 100 grams, or about $30 per cup. If you are interested in trying out some civet coffee, you can find both ground or whole roasted beans in gourmet coffee shops, in some Asian markets, or in online stores. However, the greater demand and short supply of this hard to find food item has also led to an increase in imitation or adulterated civet coffee beans in the market today, so buyer beware!