Say Hello to the Civet: The Maker of $600 Coffee
Yes, it’s true — this mammal, native to Africa and Asia, is responsible for pooping out the world’s most expensive coffee, called Kopi Luwak. Civets are fed coffee cherries, and during digestion the animal’s enzymes mix with the coffee beans before they, ahem, pass through, giving the beans a unique, bitter taste. See how it all happens…
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
The Cherries Are Chosen
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
A farmer in East Java, Indonesia, picks coffee cherries to feed the civets.
A Whole Team at Work: Hand-Picking the Cherries
The Civet Approaches….
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
…Gets Ready to Dig In…
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
…And Is Joined by Friends for Dinner
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
Gathering the Dung With Gloves…
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
In East Java, workers use gloves to clear the results of the feast.
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
That Ain’t Peanuts and Nougat.
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
Civet poop before it’s turned into the coffee.
A worker displays the distinct, cleaned-off beans.
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
Separating It and Washing It Off
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
Another Step in Production
The Civet - The Maker of Most Expensive Coffee
The Very Expensive End Result
Pictured: Coffee Alamid, one Philippine brand. Because a very limited supply is produced each year, civit coffee can cost up to $600 per pound.
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