What are the origins of Kopi Luwak? Sharing the story behind this coffee and essential pour-over brewing parameters

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Origin of FrontStreet Coffee's Civet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee is a rare Arabica specialty coffee bean, originating from the central mountainous region of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is an extremely rare and distinctive coffee.

The Story Behind FrontStreet Coffee's Civet Coffee

Starting from the 16th century, Arabica coffee was widely cultivated on Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Coffee from this region has gained international recognition for its superior quality and exceptional flavor. Sumatra Island is the homeland of civet coffee, also known as Civet coffee. When coffee cherries mature, they are eaten by an animal also called the Asian palm civet. The mature red coffee cherry-like berries are the civet's favorite food, and this coffee is locally known as Luwak in Indonesia. The civet is a picky eater, only seeking out mature and very sweet coffee cherries to consume.

The berries swallowed by the civet have their original protein structure broken down by unique enzymes secreted in its stomach, leading to digestion and fermentation that gives the coffee its distinctive flavor. The coffee beans are excreted while remaining intact, and after people collect them, they are thoroughly cleaned and lightly roasted to preserve the coffee's proper and unique taste.

Although FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee originates from Indonesia, the highest quality civet coffee beans come from the Aceh mountainous region in northern Sumatra.

Civet Coffee Growing Region

Sumatra is the world's largest producing region for civet coffee. The island's fertile volcanic ash soil and cool mountain climate create an ideal environment for growing FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee, which is widely acclaimed for its rich flavor and unusual acquisition method.

Product Details

Product Name: Kopi Luwak FrontStreet Coffee Indonesia Sumatra Civet Coffee

Origin: Indonesia

Grade: Premium

Description

For a coffee enthusiast, drinking a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is not a dream, but being able to drink a cup of "Kopi Luwak" (FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee) is truly a lifetime achievement without regrets. The rare "Kopi Luwak" has a global annual production of no more than 120 pounds. In North America and Europe, the retail price reaches over 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars per pound. If you just want to taste a cup, the first brew of "Kopi Luwak" costs NT$3,600, and even the second cup commands a high price of NT$2,500.

So what makes this rare coffee - "Kopi Luwak" - so special? In the mountains of Indonesia, there is a wild animal called Luwak (civet) that loves to eat plump, mature coffee berries. However, the hard seed inside (raw bean) cannot be digested and is excreted with feces. After cleaning, these become "Kopi Luwak" raw coffee beans! Therefore, many people also call it "civet poop coffee."

Indonesians discovered that coffee beans fermented through the civet's digestive system are particularly thick and fragrant, so they began collecting civet excrement, filtering out the coffee beans, and brewing them to drink. Due to the scarce production and unique fermentation process, the flavor is completely different from ordinary coffee. Traditionally, coffee berries are processed through washing or sun-drying methods to remove the skin, pulp, and parchment layers, finally extracting the coffee beans. However, Luwak uses a natural internal fermentation method to extract the coffee beans, thus creating a special flavor. Ordinary coffee loses its quality and aroma when brewed to the second infusion, but Kopi Luwak can be brewed to the third infusion, with each cup having a different taste. The only similarity is that it still retains the Luwak's aroma. This "civet poop" coffee, 10 times more expensive than Blue Mountain coffee, always has admirers despite its high price, making it the most sought-after and expensive coffee globally.

This batch of FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee is wild civet coffee. Wild civets forage for the ripest coffee themselves, unlike artificially raised civets. Due to poor captive environments and being fed only human-picked coffee cherries, this can easily lead to civets getting sick or even dying in the long term. Therefore, artificially raised civets can have their most important "digestive enzymes" killed by bad bacteria due to poor health, preventing the crucial enzymatic conversion with coffee and even producing toxins. Therefore, please try to avoid consuming civet coffee from artificially raised civets.

How to Brew FrontStreet Coffee's Civet Coffee

There are many methods流传 in the market. In fact, no matter how you brew it, as long as you find the taste good and acceptable, FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee is suitable for various brewing methods. However, considering that the most precious enzymes in FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee are not destroyed by high temperatures, Coffee Master most recommends low-temperature pour-over (not exceeding 85°C) or cold drip method. Of course, other methods can still allow you to taste the rich and varied flavors of FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee.

Pour-over Coffee Key Points:

Grind size approximately 2-2.5, brew at a 1:12-1:15 ratio, water temperature not exceeding 85°C (during freshness period). Please be sure to brew when fresh.

Cold Brew Coffee Key Points:

Grind size approximately 1.5-2, brew at a 1:10-1:15 ratio, brewing time approximately 3-4 hours. Use at least 30 grams of coffee grounds each time.

Tasting Method

Taste: Hold a small sip on your tongue, gently move your tongue, slowly swallow, and feel the changes of the coffee in your mouth.

Olfactory Method:

1. Dry Aroma: Place the ground coffee powder in a small container, bring your nose close to the edge and take a deep breath, hold for 3 seconds, then slowly exhale the air through your nose. Try several times to distinguish the different layers of changes in the coffee powder.

2. Wet Aroma: Slurp a small sip (somewhat like eating ramen, allowing the coffee to mix with air to release more aromatic particles), hold it in your mouth, then exhale the inhaled air through your nose (please be careful when performing this action to avoid choking).

Wonderful Uses of Coffee Grounds

Since FrontStreet Coffee's civet coffee contains many enzymes, it has firming effects on skin maintenance, so don't easily throw away the used coffee grounds!

Method: Mix the brewed coffee grounds with one egg yolk and a small amount of honey, stir well, and apply directly to the face for 10 minutes (do not apply for too long). You will immediately feel your facial skin become delicate and firm!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473