Coffee beans: cat poop or delicious secret?

The delicious secret of Kopi Luwak coffee beans

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, but there is a special kind of coffee bean that has aroused people's interest and curiosity - Kopi Luwak. Although the name doesn't sound very pleasant, it has an incredible taste and aroma. So, why is Kopi Luwak so delicious? Let's uncover the secret.

1. The origin of Kopi Luwak coffee beans

First, we need to understand how Kopi Luwak coffee beans are produced. This special coffee comes from a small animal called the palm civet in Asia and Africa. When these animals eat ripe and high-quality coffee cherries, their digestive systems are unable to digest the high amounts of nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates contained in them.

After a period of time, these undigested fruits are excreted through feces. During the excretion process, these coffee beans that have passed through the animal's digestive system will react with the enzymes in the animal's body, further changing the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans.

2. Special treatment of Kopi Luwak coffee beans

In order to make civet coffee beans, people need to find these precious coffee beans in the feces of palm civets. Then, the coffee beans extracted from the feces are cleaned and disinfected.

Next, the civet coffee beans need to go through a special processing method. First, the shell and honey skin are removed, and the outer skin is peeled off while retaining the pulp. Then it is fermented and allowed to ferment naturally for a period of time at an appropriate temperature to enhance the flavor.

The final step is drying and roasting. The fermented and cleaned civet coffee beans are spread out in the sun to dry until the moisture is appropriate, and then roasted at a low temperature and slow fire to preserve the aroma and taste of the beans.

3. The unique flavor of Kopi Luwak coffee beans

After the above processing, the civet coffee beans show their unique flavor. First of all, in terms of aroma, it exudes a deep and rich aroma of chocolate and nuts. This is because the enzymes in the animal body react with the nutrients in the coffee beans to produce new compounds.

Secondly, in terms of taste, cat feces coffee beans have a very smooth and dense taste. This is due to the role played by the pulp part on the coffee beans during the fermentation process, which makes it contain more natural pectin and the texture becomes softer.

4. Scarcity and price of Kopi Luwak coffee beans

Since the production of Kopi Luwak coffee depends on palm civets, and the entire processing process is relatively complicated and time-consuming, this special coffee variety is very scarce. According to statistics, only a few hundred kilograms of Kopi Luwak coffee beans can be produced each year worldwide.

This scarcity also makes the price of cat poop coffee beans very expensive. Generally speaking, its price is several times higher than that of ordinary coffee beans or even more. This is why many people are curious and interested in cat poop coffee and are willing to try it.

5. The controversy over Kopi Luwak

Although civet coffee beans have advantages in taste and aroma, they have also sparked some controversy. The first is the issue of animal welfare, because the production process relies on the feces excreted by palm civets to obtain this special flavor.

The second is the issue of hygiene. Cleaning and disinfecting the coffee beans after extracting them from the feces can reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, but potential health risks still exist.

in conclusion

All in all, despite the unpleasant name, civet coffee beans are highly sought after for their unique flavor and taste. The secret of its deliciousness lies in the enzymes in the digestive system of palm civets that react with the nutrients in the coffee beans to produce new compounds, giving it a deep and rich chocolate and nutty aroma and a smooth and dense taste. However, due to the complex production process and high scarcity, this special coffee variety is expensive and has caused some controversy over animal welfare and hygiene.