Indonesia has some surprising food products and after travelling to Semarang in Central Java I discovered a new one.
Ikas mother gave us some packets of coffee from her shop and Ika said it was very good quality. Okay I thought, no big deal. Here in Bali I read an article in the Bali Advertiser about Kopi Luwak, the same coffee she had given us.
A luwak is an animal called a palm civet, native to Java and Sumatra. The cat-like creature partly resembles a monkey and has a brown coat and a white belly. It climbs into the branches of the coffee trees and selects ripened beans. After the undigested beans pass through the animal they possess a unique flavour when brewed. The intestinal juices of the Luwak partly ferment and marinate the beans. When a Javanese person tells you their coffee tastes like ass, they are not kidding.
The Luwak is said to be constantly buzzed caused by the fermenting palm leaves it prefers to eat.
I know there are other coffees around the world that reach high prices due to their uniqueness and quality like Kenyan or Kona coffee from Hawaii. Kopi Luwak is actually rarer than any of these others because of the small amounts that can be produced. Zultani Ade, who is the head of marketing for the Indonesian Coffee Exporters Association says that only 1,000kgs a year are produced.
The packet I have is 125g and contains a mixture of Arabica beans and ‘kopi lawak natural flavours’. I would like to get hold of a bag of the pure stuff. I haven’t cracked into the bag yet but its said to have a deep, nutty taste. There is a company in Holland named Gadget House that sells 57 gram packets of pure Kopi Luwak for around 40 Euros.
Not everyone believes the story of Kopi Luwak though and many foreign companies call the Indonesian Coffee Exporters Association to ask if there is actually such a coffee and is there a supply of it. Most of the pure Kopi Luwak is sold overseas and is not readily available in Indonesia, of course maybe Ikas relatives have a connection, who knows.
The Indonesian Tourist Board suggests that ‘the secret of this delicious blend of coffee is usually explained only after the guest has drained his mug.’ Yes, I am sure there is a little clue as to where it came from.
Maybe I can start swallowing coffee beans and try selling the results for 40 Euros a packet.
{ 11 comments }
Yeah, good idea Nick. You could call it ‘Nickbits’ coffee or ‘Coffee Bitnick’!.
Mind you, it sounds like a shit of an idea!
Nice one Bazza!!!
Don’t think I will touch that drink!
Try serving some up at your next BBQ!!!!
It is great to see your name back in the comments box Tracey. I miss reading the cheeky comments between you and Barrie about Nick’s stories. There is three reasons I come to this site, the love of Bali, Nick’s great articles and the input of Barrie and Tracey. What a great site this is.
Happy New Year to you all! Congratulations to Nick and Ilka with the wonderful news.
Almost two years ago I came home from Bali with Baby Belly. My husband and I enjoy every minute of being parents.
Enjoy!!
It is great to see your name back in the comments box Tracey. I miss reading the cheeky comments between you and Barrie about Nick’s stories. There is three reasons I come to this site, the love of Bali, Nick’s great articles and the input of Barrie and Tracey. What a great site this is.
Happy New Year to you all! Congratulations to Nick and Ilka with the wonderful news.
Almost two years ago I came home from Bali with Baby Belly. My husband and I enjoy every minute of being parents.
Enjoy!!
Heh Nick in November there was a man & private boat/ship arrested & held by customs for some “gun-running”. I think that the story was that he had to get rid of a crew member from his boat & the disgruntled guy tattled to authorities about his hidden weapons (for self defense). He was still in jail in Benoa when we left Bali at the end of November. Did he ever get out? Did he get his boat back? You know we get little real world news here in the USA. You are our tie to paradise.
I am glad to be people’s link to Bali, its not a hard thing to do.
I don’t have any definate news of the boat captain except the last I heard he went to jail.
Thanks Jodie…
My only dose of Bali Belly resulted in our gorgeous 6yr old daughter!!!
Maybe I need to get back over there with Gede & see if it works still!?
Tracey
It’s worth a try and also a good excuse to go back beautiful Bali!!!
Tracey
It’s worth a try and also a good excuse to go back to beautiful Bali!!!
Good story Nick. Yes, Kopi Luwak is indeed fact…but fact you need to handle with kidd gloves! I have had some involvement with Kopi Luwak through the research of Prof Marcone. The Prof is based at Guelph Uni in Canada and is the worlds foremost expert in Civet-ology. He was recently here in Indonesia filming a documentary on Kopi Luwak (you can check out the story on my website if you have time). The Professor has devised a test that can identify whether Kopi Luwak is the real deal…or not. Of course for upward of $600kg there are many fakes in the market place.
“Kopi Luwak” in most Indonesian villages refers to very ripe coffee, NOT coffee that has passed through the G.I tract of a Luwak. Villagers call it that because it would have been the cherry that the Luwak would have eaten if the villagers had not got there first! Sad to say, but Luwaks are often killed by villagers as they can eat young chickens and choice fruits. They are not well loved creatures.
If anyone is ever in this part of Indonesia, drop me aline. We have a village nearby that does have real Kopi Luwak and we keep masked palm civet (Luwak) as a pet. Visitors are always welcome.
If you want the true Kopi Luwak from Bali contact Bali Orchid Garden where you can purchase their exclusive pure form collected and processed in Bali and sold in bean or ground form- or try a cup at the gardens.
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