In Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Sulawesi in Indonesia, Kopi Luwak is a traditional drink with strong local character. The raw material for this coffee comes from beans excreted by civets after they eat coffee cherries, and because it is so difficult to obtain and the processing is so labor-intensive, production is extremely low. Indonesian pavilion staff member Sheng Zhen explained that farmers raise civets in cages, and some merchants even lease entire islands to let them roam freely, but they cannot force the animals to eat or excrete, which makes the resulting coffee beans especially precious. Only about 500 pounds are produced worldwide each year, and after multiple strict hygienic steps such as sun-drying, roasting, and brewing, the finished coffee has a unique aroma and is naturally very expensive. A distillation method was also demonstrated on site: 12 grams of Kopi Luwak with 50 to 55 grams of water produces the richest result, and the remaining coffee grounds are smooth with no small holes. At the Expo Indonesian pavilion, a 4-ounce cup of Kopi Luwak sells for US$168, 20 grams costs 380 yuan, and a cup in Hong Kong also costs HK$220 to HK$298, showing just how expensive it is.
On the Indonesian islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Sulawesi, Kopi Luwak is a local specialty passed down through generations. Civets swallow ripe coffee cherries, which pass through their digestive system and are expelled, and people then extract those distinctive coffee beans from the droppings. The official name of this coffee is Kopi Luwak—Kopi means "coffee" in Indonesian, while Luwak refers to the wild civet of Indonesia.
According to Sheng Zhen, a staff member at the Indonesia Pavilion, in order to obtain the precious "Kopi Luwak beans," local farmers usually capture civets and keep them in cages, while some coffee merchants choose to lease an entire island for free-range raising, letting the animals live freely in natural sunlight and rain. "Civets eat and excrete on their own; people cannot force them to eat or defecate, so the coffee beans finally collected from the droppings are especially rare!" It is reported that only about 500 pounds of this rare coffee are produced each year. The raw materials are difficult to obtain, and the production process is also quite complicated, requiring strict hygienic handling, including sun-drying, roasting, brewing, and many other steps. However, the finished coffee gives off a unique aroma, so its selling price is very high.
The distillation process for Kopi Luwak was demonstrated on site: "Take 12 grams of Kopi Luwak, add 50 to 55 grams of water, and distill it; the coffee extracted this way has the richest flavor." The coffee grounds left after brewing Kopi Luwak are also different from ordinary coffee, with a smooth surface and no small holes, something ordinary coffee cannot achieve.
Do you know where the world's most expensive coffee comes from? The answer is Indonesia. Even more astonishing, the raw material for this coffee actually comes from cat feces! At the Indonesia Pavilion at the World Expo, visitors have the chance to taste this peculiar coffee.
Recently, the Indonesia Pavilion at the World Expo displayed the star product of the Indonesian Food Festival—Kopi Luwak, with a 4-ounce cup priced as high as US$168 (about 1,400 yuan). This coffee is rare because its raw material is taken from the excrement of wild Indonesian civets.
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
In the coffee shop at the Indonesia Pavilion, 20 grams of Kopi Luwak is priced at 380 yuan, far higher than other coffee varieties. According to pavilion staff, drinking a cup of Kopi Luwak in Hong Kong currently costs HK$220 to HK$298, and even so, many coffee lovers still rush to try it.
In the coffee shop at the Indonesia Pavilion, 20 grams of Kopi Luwak is priced at 380 yuan, far higher than other coffee varieties. According to pavilion staff, drinking a cup of Kopi Luwak in Hong Kong currently costs HK$220 to HK$298, and even so, many coffee lovers still rush to try it.
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The World's Most Expensive Coffee: Kopi Luwak
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
