As time went on, the Dutch conquerors accused the natives of stealing coffee from the crops, and forced the indigenous people to explain the process they had discovered. The desperate local farmers, noticing the precious coffee beans left in the civet’s droppings, decided to clean them and use them for their own use like any other coffee bean. In addition, they prohibited farmers from using coffee fruit for personal use. The Dutch implemented a strict system known as ‘cultuurstelsel’ (cultivation system) whereby they exploited and exported all local produce, including coffee. In the 16th and 17th centuries, what is now Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands. Of particular interest is the history of kopi luwak, and how it became so famous around the world. They then remove the outer husk, wash it thoroughly, dry and roast the finished product. The natural fermentation that takes place gives coffee its unique taste.Īfter about 24 hours, the civet cat defecates on the beans, and collectors in Indonesia pick them up like gold beans. Also, the beans begin to sprout due to malting, which ultimately reduces the natural bitterness of the coffee. In its stomach, the enzymes secreted change the composition of the amino acids and affect the aroma of the coffee. It lives and breeds in primary virgin forests in various parts of Asia, and has the unique ability to pick out and consume only the ripest and most immaculate coffee fruits.ĭuring the digestion of the coffee fruit, the bark and pulp are removed, but the coffee beans cannot be digested by the civet’s system. The civet cat, is an adorable little mammal that resembles something between a cat, a ferret and a weasel. One of the only animal species that is not affected by the caffeine in the fruit is the asian palm civet cat or luwak as it is called in Indonesian. The same substance has been developed through evolution to a lower level in other plants such as that of cocoa and tea. The caffeine found in the plant is actually a toxic substance that the plant uses as a defense mechanism against herbivores. The fruit, contains two seeds (pits), known as coffee beans. The plant, produces a red edible fruit, often called the “coffee cherry”. The coffee tree actually originated in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, and was brought to South America, where it became the king of coffee production, as recently as the 17th century. To better understand the process of the unique production of kopi luwak, it is important to know some characteristics of the coffee fruit. There, like almost all hospitable Indonesian people, I was greeted with a big smile, invited to tour the place and explained the process of making the world’s most expensive coffee. In a combination of advice from locals and the internet, I decided that the best option to try kopi luwak coffee and learn about its history would be the kopi luwak mataram workshop and café just outside the city center.Īfter a lot of walking, in the traditional suburban neighborhoods of Yogyakarta, I arrived at the entrance of the kopi luwak mataram coffee craft shop. It was enough to convince me that this coffee was worth a try. I did a quick internet search on what’s special about this coffee, and quickly got my answer: The world’s most expensive coffee, where it’s made from wild cat poop in Indonesia. “Kopi luwak, kopi luwak” you hear in every corner of the city, and it inevitably catches your attention. Many times I heard hawkers shouting and selling a special type of coffee, unique to this part of the world. At this crossroads of cultures I wandered around and filled my stomach with delicacies and my soul with images for several days.
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