Is Kopi Luwak Only Found in Indonesia? A Guide to Identifying Authentic Indonesian Civet Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee's Guide to Identifying Authentic Indonesian Civet Coffee

Civet coffee is a general category of coffee and also a specialty of Indonesia. In Indonesian, civet coffee is called "Kopi Luwak." "Kopi" means coffee, while "Luwak" refers to a tree-dwelling wild animal commonly known as the civet cat, found on the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi.

This coffee is jokingly called "the most fragrant poop in history," and while the name may not be elegant, it's factual—the raw material is indeed the feces of the civet cat. Civets love to eat fleshy coffee cherries, but cannot digest the hard coffee seeds, which are then excreted. Indonesians discovered that coffee beans fermented in the civet's digestive system become exceptionally thick and aromatic. Thus, they carefully collect civet excrement, then through several processes including selection, sun-drying, deodorization, and roasting, they create the world's rarest and most unique coffee. Due to its limited production, it commands premium prices and is among the most expensive coffees globally.

There are two types of animals on the market that produce 'civet coffee'—the masked palm civet and the civet cat! So are the masked palm civet and civet cat the same species? The definitive answer is no—they are not the same animal. Although both belong to the Viverridae family, the masked palm civet only has scent glands, while the civet cat has both scent glands and a scent pouch.

How to Identify Genuine Civet Coffee?

Characteristics of civet coffee: The special flavor comes from two sources: (1) the distinctive natural scent of the civet cat itself, and (2) the digestive process consuming large amounts of sugar. The natural scent is quite unique and cannot be replicated. What is the taste impact of consuming sugar? With less sugar, the bitterness formed by caramelization during the roasting process is reduced. Having both special aroma and low bitterness makes many people find it delicious. Being delicious and rare makes it expensive. This is also why many people use masked palm civets to substitute for civet cats to produce what is claimed to be civet coffee. Their similar sizes make it easy to pass off one as the other.

Conclusion

Civet cats feed on coffee cherries as their main food during the bean maturation season. After complete digestion, sugar is consumed, and the beans in the feces lose their stickiness. The coffee beans do not stick together; once excreted and dried, they quickly disperse, appearing as scattered individual beans.

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