Australia - So much for Queensland not being cultured.... The state now boasts the nation's most expensive cup of coffee, and it comes courtesy of the digestive tract of a cat-like creature from the jungles of Indonesia.
The rare Kopi Luwak coffee brew will soon be on the menu at Herveys Range Heritage Tea Rooms, about 40 minutes west of Townsville – for $50 a cup.
The beans for the exclusive brew are retrieved from the droppings of the luwak, a cat-like member of the civet family which is found in Indonesia's Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. Luwaks like eating ripe coffee cherries, but are apparently particular about which ones they choose - seeking out only the most luscious.
The inner bean is not digested, meaning they can be retrieved from the luwak poo.
The beans are then washed and given only a light roast so as to not destroy the complex flavours which develop through the whole process – and then sold for up to $1250 per kg. Fans of the brew say the luwak's stomach enzymes break down proteins in the beans, making a smoother brew with no bitterness.
Dutch coffee connoisseur Bob Dam has described the coffee as having a fine chocolate aroma which "tastes delicious at the back of the throat".
Heritage Tea Rooms owner Allan Sharpe reckons the coffee beans are rarer than diamonds.
"We've spoken to our import company and to our knowledge we are the only cafe in Australia selling this coffee," he said. "I'm not kidding myself that we'll sell heaps but people come here for an experience and many don't mind paying for that – it is a beautiful coffee."
The Sharpes initially imported 4.5kg of Kopi Luwak, almost 2 per cent of this year's production. But for those who aren't willing to part with $50 for a cuppa, Mrs Sharpe says the cafe's standard $3.50 espresso is a fine alternative.
No comments:
Post a Comment