The World's Most Expensive Civet Coffee Beans: How to Brew a Perfect Cup of Kopi Luwak Coffee

Kopi luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world. It is produced mainly across the Indonesian archipelago; in North America it is usually known as civet coffee, and it also goes by "cat poop coffee." To brew the perfect cup by hand, drip or pour-over, water flows through the coffee grounds, letting the coffee drip down and extracting the oils as it passes.

At FrontStreet Coffee, brewing a perfect cup of premium kopi luwak means overlooking no detail. Pour-over is a method that showcases kopi luwak's unique flavors beautifully. Here are the steps to watch.

Steps:

Boiling Water

Bring the kettle to a boil over high heat. Use filtered water if you have it; mineral water also works. Water at approximately 96°C, a few degrees either way, is the standard benchmark. Under-heated water extracts inefficiently; overheated water pulls out bitterness.

If your beans need grinding, grind them now, just before brewing, for maximum freshness. Weigh the whole beans and grind to a medium-fine consistency. Do not grind too fine, for pour-over, aim for something like kosher salt.

Take the water off the heat and let it sit for a few seconds (40-60 seconds), or until the water stops bubbling.

Filter Paper

Before starting, pre-set the paper filter: fold it in half, then place it in the filter cone with the double-folded side against the funnel wall.

Rinse the filter with a small amount of water to preheat the apparatus, then discard that water, this removes any papery taste.

Add the grounds to the filter. Gently shake to level and settle them, but never pack them down. Use approximately 15-20 grams of ground coffee for a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15.

Pouring Water

Pour the water slowly over the grounds, starting from the center and spiraling outward in circles.

Stop when the grounds are saturated but before any coffee drips through. For better extraction, use just enough water to cover the grounds. Stir once or twice and wait 15 seconds.

Pour in a slow, even spiral, adding water every 10-15 seconds for even extraction.

Repeat until all the kopi luwak is brewed. After the final pour, wait approximately three minutes.

Remove and discard the filter paper, and enjoy a perfect cup of kopi luwak.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If kopi luwak's price gives you pause, FrontStreet Coffee suggests experiencing Indonesia's other treasures first. Indonesia's best growing regions are Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi, three islands behind three great coffee names: Java's Arabica, Sumatra's Mandheling with its moderate acidity and intensely heavy aroma, and Sulawesi's full, fragrant beans (Robusta makes up 90% of Indonesia's total production).

The definitive Sumatran is Mandheling, processed with the local wet-hulling method: hulled while semi-dry, the green beans dry fully exposed to the air, which gives the coffee its signature herbal and spice character. FrontStreet Coffee's wet-hulled Mandheling, from the Lake Toba area of the Lintong region, is roasted medium-dark for a low-acid, full-bodied cup with rich caramel, dark chocolate, and toast aromas and a long sweet finish, perfect for lovers of strong coffee. For the pinnacle, choose FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling: PWN is a trading company that buys only the finest Mandheling lots and grades them to strict standards of density, size, shape, and color, with one machine sorting plus hand sorting to remove defects and reduce earthy, grassy notes. Freshly roasted, it shows sandalwood, herbs, spice, roasted hazelnut, caramel, and dark chocolate, clean, mellow, and layered. Brew it with the pour-over steps above (96°C water, 15-20g dose, 1:15 ratio) and you will taste exactly why Sumatra's coffee is legendary.