Priciest, rarest and oddest coffee bean

Coffee grows in dozens of countries around the world. Some varieties have earned a special reputation, often based on a combination of rarity, unusual circumstances and particularly good flavor. These coffees, from Jamaican Blue Mountain to Kona to Tanzanian Peaberry, command a premium price. But perhaps no coffee in the world is in such short supply, has such unique flavors and an interesting background as Kopi Luwak. And no coffee even comes close in price, Kopi Luwak sells for approximately US$75 per quarter pound making it the most expensive coffee in the world!

“Kopi” the Indonesian word for coffee along with “Luwak” is local name for Asian Palm Civet, an animal similar to a weasel. Luwak comes from the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi, in the Indonesian Archipelago. But it's not strictly the exotic location that makes these beans worth their weight in silver. It's how they're "processed."

Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee is coffee made from raw red coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). The animals gorge on the ripe berries, and excrete the partially-digested beans, which are then harvested for sale. The stomach acids and enzymatic action involved in this unique fermentation process produces the beans for the world’s rarest coffee beverage.

Unable to digest the coffee beans, the Luwak graciously deposits them on the jungle floor where they are eagerly collected by the locals. Initially, it was a way for the natives to get coffee without the hassle of climbing trees, and has since evolved into the world's priciest specialty coffee.

Japan buys the bulk of Kopi Luwak, but Mark Mountanos, the first in the United States to bring in this exotic bean, recently imported 110 pounds after a seven year search for a reliable and stable supplier. "It's the rarest beverage in the world," Mark Mountanos says, estimating a total annual crop of less than 500 pounds. This rare and exotic coffee can cost about US$5 per cup in the United States, and fetch as high as AU$50 (US$45) in Australia.

Source : www.ravensbrew.com

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