What Is Luwak Coffee? Ayushmaan Sethi's Viral Video Sparks Buzz Around This 'Coffee Made From Animal Poop'
· Free Press Journal
A cup of coffee usually comes with conversations about flavour notes, roasting styles, or brewing methods. But recently, social media has been buzzing over a very different kind of coffee after actor Ayushmaan Sethi shared a video trying one of the world's most unusual beverages. Known as Luwak coffee, the drink has left the internet equal parts fascinated and puzzled because of the extraordinary way it is produced.
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Luwak CoffeeAyushmaan Sethi tries 'coffee made from poop'
The viral video features Ayushmaan Sethi, son of actors Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi, alongside his longtime partner, Samiksha Shetty. Titled "We tried coffee made from poop," the clip quickly grabbed attention for its unusual premise.
In the video, the couple explains that the coffee beans are first eaten by an animal called the Asian palm civet, locally known as the luwak. The animal consumes ripe coffee cherries, and while the fruit is digested, the beans remain largely intact. These beans are later excreted, collected, thoroughly cleaned, roasted, and finally brewed into coffee.
What Is This Black Coffee Slowly Taking Over Cafés? Meet The Viral Black Sesame LatteTo make the experiment even more entertaining, Ayushmaan also served the beverage to his father, Parmeet Sethi, without revealing how it was made. After taking a sip, Parmeet simply remarked that the coffee tasted good. Once the secret was revealed, the moment became one of the highlights of the video.
Watch the video below:
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So, what exactly is Luwak coffee?
Luwak coffee, also known as Kopi Luwak, traces its roots to Indonesia, particularly the islands of Java and Sumatra, regions famous for producing high-quality coffee beans.
The process begins when the Asian palm civet feeds on fully ripened coffee cherries. During digestion, enzymes inside the animal's digestive tract naturally ferment the beans without breaking them apart. After the beans pass through the civet's system, they are collected, washed multiple times, dried, roasted, and processed like conventional coffee.
Coffee enthusiasts believe this natural fermentation changes the bean's flavour profile, creating a smoother and less bitter cup compared to traditional coffee.
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One reason behind Luwak coffee's luxury status is its rarity. Since the beans have to undergo this unusual natural process before they are harvested, production remains limited.
According to Kopi Luwak's official website, this wild-collected coffee is particularly scarce and commands premium prices across the globe. Retail prices can range from around $100 per kilogram for farm-produced beans to well over $1,300 per kilogram for beans collected from wild civets, making it one of the costliest coffees in the world.
What does it taste like?
Despite its unconventional origin, many coffee lovers describe Luwak coffee as remarkably smooth. It is often characterised by a rich body with notes of chocolate, caramel, and earthy undertones. Some also find it less acidic than regular coffee, giving it a mellow finish.
Ayushmaan and Samiksha seemed pleasantly surprised after tasting it themselves, describing the drink as "really good" and "nice," proving that its unusual production method doesn't necessarily translate into an unusual taste.
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While Kopi Luwak has become a sought-after delicacy among coffee enthusiasts, it has also faced criticism over ethical concerns surrounding civet farming. Animal welfare groups have repeatedly raised questions about captive civets being kept in confined conditions to meet commercial demand.
As a result, many coffee experts recommend purchasing only ethically sourced, wild-collected Kopi Luwak from trusted producers.