The most expensive coffee in the world

Canadian researcher Massimo Marcone wondered whether it is possible to reproduce the effect that makes Kopi Luwak the most expensive coffee in the world. The fact that the beans before roasting pass through the stomach carnivorous mammal. Kilogram of this coffee costs about $ 1 thousand.





Kopi Luwak is produced in Indonesia - less than 230 kg per year. And involved in this process civet (or civet), they eat beans and isolated from glands fragrant secret - civet. It is believed that the passage through the digestive system coffee civet Kopi Luwak gives a unique taste and aroma.



However, Marcone decided to try them again and went to Ethiopia, where there are coffee and civet. There he had to make coffee from beans that he personally collected in the feces of civet, drink it and to compare with the present Kopi Luwak. In both cases, he found that "digestive" impact animal breaks down proteins in the beans into smaller molecules, some proteins were leached from the beans completely, making it less bitter coffee.



It turned out that Kopi Luwak is not so easy to copy, because the Indonesian civet finish with proteins much better their African colleagues. It was also found that the slow passage through the bean bacteria and enzymes in the intestines of animals is like fermentation, there are even used the same agents - sour milk bacteria.



Marcone sure that could simulate the whole process without the participation of civets, but believes that it is not worth it: "Even if we do it, and even then not be able to boast that we have - the rarest and most expensive coffee in the world." Especially because the researcher, recognizing differences Kopi Luwak, does not think he's better than other coffees.













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