Most Expensive Coffee – Kopi Luwak in Bali Pulina, Indonesia
It is amazing how a chance discovery of coffee seeds in animal poops led to the making of most expensive coffee in world! This exotic, expensive coffee is Kopi Luwak of Indonesia. Call it delight or disgust, this coffee tastes different as it is made from semi-digested coffee seeds found in faeces of Civets. What you spend for coffee in Starbucks is just a fraction of what costs for a cup of Kopi Luwak!
Origin of Kopi Luwak
During the Dutch rule in Indonesia, the locals were not allowed to use the coffee they harvested. They were deprived of their own produce and their drink. It was when the locals searched around for coffee seeds they discovered that poops of certain species of jungle cats had whole coffee seeds undigested or rather partially digested but in complete form.
Something better than nothing seemed the motto! Or better still: Necessity is the mother of invention! The locals collected these; they cleaned, washed, roasted and grounded these coffee seeds. And their drink turned to be far superior in taste than the conventional coffee seeds in use.
Coffee Plantation Tour in Bali Pulina
Visit to Bali Pulina in Ubud was worthwhile. We could taste unique varieties of coffee and tea. Most interesting part was the explanation on how they extract Kopi Luwak in Bali Pulina from coffee beans found in poops of civet. There is good number of civets roaming freely in the plantation. This is important because poops from force fed civets do not have the same result. The civets choose and eat the finest of the ripe coffee cherries.
In the mornings the plantation workers scan the plantation for the poops of civets. The quantity of coffee beans collected in this manner isn’t huge, while the demand for Kopi Lumak is huge. This is one of the main reasons why Kopi Luwak is so expensive. Because of the stigma attached to the coffee beans they take more care to wash the beans thoroughly. The process here after is almost similar to the conventional coffee beans.
Kopi Luwak in Bali Pulina
Here is a video where Kartika, our host in Bali Pulina, explains the entire process of making of Kopi Luwak in Bali Pulina
The Science of the Semi digested Coffee seeds
What actually enhances the flavor of the coffee?
Natural enzymes in the civet’s intestines change the protein structure of the coffee beans.  This makes the beans less acidic, removes some caffeine and therefore less bitter. Civet beans are also lower in total protein. Cumulatively this enhances the aroma, increases the smoothness in taste and lowers the bitterness of kopi luwak coffee.
How does it actually taste? Well, I suggest have a sip of Kopi Luwak and be the judge.
Civets, Most Welcome in Coffee Plantations
Civets were once the most detested animal of coffee plantations as they were considered as pests. Fortunately for them the scene has changed, locals protect them now for their precious poops which fetch them very high price. However, there are stories and news reports of how civets are held in captivity and force fed with all varieties of coffee berries.
The result is not very high quality Kopi Luwak seeds. I couldn’t find any such scene in Bali Pulina. They had a couple of civets in cages which are solely for satisfying the conditions for educational tour through their plantation.
Tea and Coffee tasting Kopi Luwak in Bali Pulina
Furthermore there are reports that normal coffee is sold off as Kopi Luwak to unsuspecting customers. One has to have good experience in tasting coffee which can enable them to distinguish real Kopi Luwak from the rest. So it is better to source them from authentic stores. Amazon sells them and if you are in Indonesia, you can have it at Bali Pulina.
More facts on Kopi Luwak
- Cost of a single cup of ‘Kopi Luwak coffee’ can be anywhere in the range $35 to $80. One pound bag of beans costs $100 to $600.
- In India this exotic coffee is available in Club Mahindra Madikeri Resort, Coorg in Karnataka.
- Cost of Kopi Luwak in India is Rs 8,000 per kg and is available at Rs 20,000-25,000 per kg overseas.
Read more…
Do you know when is International Coffee Day? Read here: Celebrating World Coffee Day
I’ve tried this coffee here in UK but never been to Indonesia where it’s made. I’m intrigued by the idea and good to learn more about the effect of civet digestion enzymes. I think my only worry is that some farms may not be applying good standards of animal welfare to the civets they use to produce this coffee, and I’d like to be able to buy more confidently about that.
I have heard about this coffee before however never got a chance to taste it… Next time i visit i Indonesia i am surely going there to get a taste of it… Great article indeed…
What a beautiful article, thank you!
This is so interesting! I’ve do not think I have heard of this coffee, but I am an avid coffee lover!
Genuinely feeling quite uncomfortable about this. I know you said that the civets can roam freely on the plantation but there are still ones in cages. It also encourages people (as you said) to keep them in captivity.
However, I do love that in writing this very honest article, you have allowed people to make up their own minds which is incredible and I can’t thank you enough for that. Always loving your articles ?
Wow! I did not know Indonesia had a coffee that was so precious, yet unique and quality tasting to coffee lovers. 🙂 Thanks for teaching me.
This is so interesting! I’ve heard so many people talk about this coffee. Thanks for the intro class on it!
Do all the Civets have that much space to move around? I ask because I have heard horrible things about how the civets are treated.
The tour looks amazing and really interesting but I am not drinking coffee made from seed pooped out by an animal. Then again, I don’t drink coffee anyway.
I’ve actually always wondered how on earth pooped coffee beans became so desirable. Love that the locals one up the colonialists on this one. Also interesting to know what happens to the structure of the bean and why it’s a better drinking experience. I did get the chance to try this once and while it was delicious I’m going to save my pennies for the plane ticket to Indonesia instead!
I had never heard of coffee made with beans that had been digested by Civets. I never even heard of a civet until now. Thanks for letting me know about this its so interesting to see the different way people make coffee. It’s great the way the people turned something bad into something great! Such a cool story!
Wait a minute you said poop right? Eek. I would love to know who thought of looking through the animal poop or how the discovered it. Did some one step in it by accident and say “ahhh man…Wait is that? Yes it’s a coffee bean. $35 dollars for a cup??? Wow move over Starbucks.
Oh wow, that is definitely a surprising and unexpected way to discover expensive coffee. I’m also glad the Civets are no longer detested too! They actually look pretty cute
I’ve heard of this coffee! I wasn’t aware of its origins though re the local workers turning to these seeds because of such strict Dutch rule. So funny how the Civets have gone from pets to this region’s main income! Thanks for the tip on sourcing it from authentic stores – I’m actually not a coffee drinker, but I would definitely be up for a visit to Bali Pulina to taste Kopi Luwak . $35 – $80 is expensive, but it’s a very unique product, kind of one of those things that’s cool to say you’ve done once :D!
That is some expensive coffee. I don’t drink coffee or even like the smell, but this was really interesting. If I did drink coffee, I’m not sure I could get past knowing it’s actually poop.
Starbucks will be serving $35 cups of coffee before you know it.
Very interesting and informative.
I can’t even imagine a cup of coffee for $35, let alone $80! However, this stuff actually sounds pretty good, when you get past the idea of how it’s made. Then again, I love haggis. It’s always interesting how some of the most expensive items are the oddest.
Oh my god!I cannot believe what I am reading.I bought Kopi Luwak imported from Indonesia in Singapore and it was one of the most delicious coffees I have ever tasted in my entire life.I didn’t it was made from the poop of an insect.Even though it is expensive it is totally worth the price for the taste.
So that’s what makes this coffee so damn delicious, it’s because of natural enzymes from the Civet cat’s intestines. What an interesting thing to learn. I tried this coffee in Vietnam and to date, it is the best coffee I have ever had in my life. Even my friend who is a non-coffee drinker agreed when he got to taste it. It is expensive but I find that there are regions in Asia where it is cheap.
I’ve heard about this kind of coffee before. It is so maddening that there is coffee that cost that much. I might would try it once and make sure to drink the whole cup. Making sure not the waist a drop of it.
I am not sure if I will ever be able to taste that coffee! No other reason but I am not a big coffee drinker and frankly to think of the poop of the civets.. Ummm, it may be expensive and popular but I think I will pass 😛
Wow that is some truly expensive coffee!!! I am intrigued by it but honestly I don’t think I could bring myself to partake of a cup… 🙂
Wow I have never heard of this before, how crazy!? It’s so crazy I think I’d be tempted to try it haha. Thanks for the informative post.
At first glance, I wanted to scream yuck and scrape my tongue off. Thinking about drinking something that came out of feces just sounds nasty. But after further reading, the culture of the whole thing is very interesting. Thank you for providing a very informative post. I love reading weird facts like this.
When something is in rare supply, and there’s high demand, fakes enter the market. As you say, unless someone is into knowing the real taste, they wont know that they have been tricked. It’s good to know that its available in India at a resort. I recently did a post on my blog on how a small shop in Kumbakonam(TN) is supplying most of the degree coffee providers. They were mentioning that Indonesia has bigger coffee seeds owing to synthetic design. Not sure where the taste comes from. Is it really the civet digestion that adds the flavour or is it some synthetic process?
I had seen how this most expensive coffee is made from poop on a Travel Channel some time back. Could not believe it. But your post gave a good insight on it. Great post:)
Hey Indrani. Very informative post on how the Kopi Luwak is actually done. I thought the taste comes from going through the civet’s body, so would all the washing and cleaning not have an effect on the taste?
It’s really sad that those who produced the coffee themselves were deprived of it. But then as you rightly said, necessity is the mother of invention. And this invention of coffee from poop is one of a kind. Had never heard of a thing like this before. As you know I am contemplating on going to Bali this year, I will like to visit here.
I’ve heard so much about this most expensive coffee. After knowing how it’s made I’m not sure I could stomach it. I’m not much of a coffee drinker anyways so I’m sure all the properties that people have about would be lost on me.
such an interesting insight , never knew this . i thought that Kenyan/Ethiopian coffee was the most exotic and expensive , glad to know this now
This was a very interesting read! I never thought of coffee beans from animal feces. I do LOVE coffee, but I don’t think I would pay that much for it.
I have never heard of this before and it’s so crazy! I would never have thought this could be a thing. It’s it’s kind of awesome because you said they can’t even force feed the animals. I just hope that they’re not like kept in cages or anything. Definitely an interesting concept.
Yes, I know this but never tried. Nice article. I should plan a visit soon.
I love this story and I have heard them many times. Whatsmore, I have even tasted the coffee a couple of time. I found it was so strong that I had to drink with palm sugar. 🙂 🙂
There is a Philippine version of that too it’s called Kapw Alamid. It’s a bit cheaper I guess but tastes the same.
Necessity may indeed by the mother of invention, but I’m not sure I’d enjoy drinking this particular coffee brew. Now a coffee plantation tour is something I would love! This tour in Bali Pulina looks like a lot of fun.
I’ve done this tour, too – just like every visitor on Bali. And yes, I do find it fascinating.
It was a bit disturbing when the guide held the poop in front of our faces and told us to smell it: ‘It doesn’t stink’. Well, I believed him without checking 😉
We did also try it – at a crazy price per cup . Since I drink coffee with lots of milk, such a refined coffee at that price would be a big waste on me.
This is so interesting! Plus, I loved your backstory about how, in the face of opposition from the Dutch, they went ahead and figured out a better way. Sneaky people. 😉 That’s great that they can also turn it into an educational trip, I would totally be there!
Yikes! I hope the people serving this coffee inform the customers the process of its production. Although most of the earth nutrients come from the recycled waste of some kind or the other, I am not sure if Poop sounds palatable in the first instant. On top of that, the kind of cost you pay for it is obscene. Humans can be quirky to the hilt.
Coffee made from coffee seeds in animal poops… what?! That’s really curious. It’s incredible the things that are created when nature and human necessity came together. I’m curious, so I had no problem in trying it out 😉
Kopi Luwak definitely has a unique taste and a fun experience. We actually went to this same Kopi Luwak stop in Bali a few years ago. I was bummed out to learn later that apparently these plantations that let tourists visit are cruel to the civets.
Thanks to you, I have learned about Luwak coffee which I had no idea about!! I was shook in the first para itself but in a good way. How by chance they invented coffee from poop is hilariously genius. I am sure to check out the place if I get to visit Indonesia but not so sure if I will taste it but I am a curious cat so we will let time decide. This was a fun factual post, loved it!
One of my vendors brought a box to me as a gift. It was interesting! I heard about it before so I was intrigued.
Necessity is the mother of invention! Indeed it is! (Great saying by the way!) And $35 to $80 for one cup of coffee?!? That’s nuts! Glad to hear that at the plantation you visited, the civets showed no signs of abuse. I’ve heard that at other places of ill-repute, civets are forced to feed to meet the growing demand for the world’s most expensive cup of coffee, which utterly breaks my heart. But endorsement from real travelers is why sharing our experiences with one another is of the utmost importance!
I did this same coffee experience when I was in Bali a little over two years ago! Isn’t it so beautiful?! I wasn’t a huge fan of the luwak coffee flavor-wise. I also really hate that they’ve caged them now. It’s not quite the same ethically that it used to be. :/
Seems pretty crazy that the locals had all of their hard earned coffee stripped away from them. But I suppose there is always a silver lining. Now it seems they are creating some of the best coffee in the world. Or at least the most expensive!
The story of Kopi Luwak origin very intinteresting. Good part is, if the civets are not not caged and force fed, it’s truly a lifesaver for civets. Though I am not a coffee lover, I like Kopi Luwak for this reason 🙂 Enjoyable read, Indrani 🙂
*origin is very interesting
Definitely exotic! Glad to know in detail about its making.
That’s so interesting. I don’t know how I feel about exploiting the animal but I would be in denial if I didn’t think it happened all over the world. Sad for them they need to be caged but I guess it’s interesting to learn more about why and their value. So crazy one cup of coffee can be so expensive!
Very interesting… I would like to try something like that ..
Bikram’s
It’s very interesting to read how and why the Luwak coffee came into existence. I have heard of Luwak coffee and was in Bali a few months ago but didn’t try it. However, I knew it came from poop, just not that people came up with the idea ages ago because they were not allowed to use the coffee seeds of their own harvest! Interesting read.
Frankly, when I visited this place my heart broke because of the way the caveats were treated. They didn’t look happy and were confined to cages. Kopi luwak is definitely one of the most expensive coffees in the world and plantations use it to attract tourists. But I don’t think I’ll recommend this to anyone. The caveats are force fed. It is good to know that you couldn’t find any bad scene in Bali Pulina. But I do have my reservations. Hope you understand where I am coming from.
How else can a educational tour be conducted Archana, if they can’t show even 2 civets?
I have always been interested trying this type of coffee…I am a bit of a coffee fanatic after all. I guess id spend up to 50 bucks to try it to see how diff it really tastes.
Good to read about it ,I have heard so much about this . Thank you for share
It’s good to read about it.o have heard so much and video is awesome to know about it
Wow, who knew poop could make declicacies? It is kinda weird. But maybe it isn’t? I mean, we eat honey spit, too. So…
Wow great to read. Thanks for the video.
I did this once! It was back in 2014 but it was such an awesome experience!! And love the video!
Oh, so that’s true, eh?
I’d heard about it and was a bit skeptical. Now I believe it. 🙂
Thank you Indrani. 🙂