Sumatran coffee 2 - the 'cat poo' type (and it's OK!)

I've previously resisted the civet-poo kopi luak (luwak coffee), that's also the most expensive coffee in the world. It seemed like a bit of a joke, a bit unsavoury too, maybe. And there were the animal welfare aspects. The animals are often kept in tiny cages and forced to eat coffee.

So I was a bit hesitant when tour guide Rara offered to take me to the Rafflesia Luwak Coffee place near Bukittinggi, to sample the stuff.

"Ripe Coffee is Eaten By Civet Cat In Sumatera Jungles", it says on the packet. And indeed what happens, as explained by the delightful lady who runs the place, is that local farmers scour the jungles, collecting the droppings (right hand tray below right) from beneath the self-sown coffee trees which have escaped from the plantations. The civets eat the ripe berries, and their digestive juices supposedly produce a magically enhanced brew.

It's sorted and roasted (left hand tray), and it's all quite safe and hygienic. She also said there were no cages involved in this operation. And I believe her.

Needless to say I tried the stuff. And it was good! A very nice full, rounded, smooth coffee, with a hint of cinnamon. Actually the cinnamon was there because I added it. It's what you do, though the coffee was good without it too.

A 100g packet cost me $20, and there was no discounting to be had. That seemed expensive by Indonesian standards, but in fact it's probably about what you pay for a single cup of the stuff in some countries.