Vietnamese coffee is very diverse with several types, each of which has its own characteristic and flavor. With weasel coffee in Vietnam, the specialty lies not only in its taste but also in the production. It is also the reason why from a kind which was referred to as the dirtiest and only served by poor farmers, the weasel coffee becomes the most expensive and is hunted all over the world.
I - What exactly is weasel coffee in Vietnam?
Weasel coffee, also called Kopi Luwak in Indonesian, is actually weasel poop coffee. In the wild, weasels are very fond of the flesh of coffee berries. When eating, they leave out the outer shell, swallow the flesh and seeds inside. However, only the flesh of the coffee bean is digested, and the seed is indigestible, but when passing through the intestine of the weasel, it encounters enzymes and natural fermentation occurs.
Weasel coffee from Vietnam is truly unique - Source: Internet
The coffee bean released by the weasel after fermentation in its stomach is harder and crispier, with less protein after roasting. When made into a drink, it is less bitter, stronger, and exclusively delicious as compared to normal types. Enzymes in the digestive system of the weasel have broken down the fragrance structure of the coffee beans, making the Weasel coffee in Vietnam more aromatic, slightly chocolatey, a bit bitter but pleasant.
Weasel coffee was first discovered in the early 18th century in Indonesia when this nation was a Dutch colony. At that time, Bali (Indonesia) farmers were prohibited from harvesting coffee for personal needs. Consequently, the coffee beans fell out and were covered everywhere. Afterward, farmers realized that the weasels when eating this type of coffee couldn’t absorb them. If they took these seeds to process, they would create a much more appetizing drink than traditional coffees. Hence, the name Kopi Luwak originated in Indonesian in which Kopi means coffee while Luwak is an area on Java island, Indonesia, and also the name of a species of weasel inhabited there.
As soon as introduced in the West in 1990, weasel coffee instantly became popular and liked all over the world. The Vietnamese weasel coffee price is really high, approximately 20 million VND ($862) to 70 million VND ($3,017) per kilogram. So, why is it so expensive?
First, it is because the productivity of weasel coffee in the world is very low. On earth, the weasel is only found in some specific regions and only a few countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Ethiopia,... can manufacture this exclusive product. In addition, the amount of weasel coffee in Vietnam is also modest. The annual output of the famous Indonesia Kopi Luwak is just 200 - 300 kg.
Second, the coffee beans eaten by weasels are the best. The weasel is a choosy animal. It only savors the most delicious fruits of a coffee tree, which are ripe, juicy, not moth-eaten, and spotless. This demonstrates that weasel coffees are well selected by these wild experts.
And the last but not least reason is that weasel coffee from Vietnam’s flavor is so delicious that hardly any type can be compared. Weasel coffee is gentle, not fiercely bitter yet strong enough to surprise you. During and after tasting the drink, you will feel some sweetness lingering at the end of your throat.
Weasel coffee - Source: Caphechonhoatrang.vn
Sipping sugar-free, ice-free weasel coffee in Vietnam accompanied with a cup of mineral water is the most perfect way. In this way, you can contemplate every bit of its taste exactly. The scent-sensing nerves in your nose will be awakened by the ethereal, sweet, and diffused aroma.
In particular, the aroma of Vietnam weasel coffee is divided into many layers. The first scent is the smell of ripe fruit, the second is the combination of coffee, chocolate, and malt. This flavor will keep lingering even when you have finished your cup. It is this attachment that makes those who have once enjoyed weasel coffee can never forget.
Vietnamese weasel coffee is mainly produced in Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak province, Cau Dat farm in Dalat city, and a small number in Binh Phuoc province with an annual output of about 200kg. Weasel coffee from Vietnam is regarded as the most high-priced in the world.
>> It may interest you: An overview of Vietnamese coffee
II - #5 steps to make weasel coffee in Vietnam
1 - 1st step: Collecting beans
The production is hard and labor-costing from the very first step since the quantity is very scarce and coffee is not the only food of the weasel. In reality, the farmers must search for their shit dumps everywhere. Moreover, they need to implement as fast as possible because dung-containing coffee beans released by the weasel must be collected within 24 hours to avoid the temperature affecting the quality of the beans or being eaten by insects.
The process to manufacture weasel coffee in Vietnam is comparatively sophisticated - Source: theculturetrip.com
2 - 2nd step: Purifying
Then, the coffee beans are washed and flushed with running water to remove bacteria and impurities. This stage needs careful conducting in order that no waste, trait, and stink from the shit remains on the seed.
3 - 3rd step to make Vietnamese weasel coffee: Sun-drying
Having been washed, coffee beans will be dried under the sun until the moisture content fluctuates at 10 - 12%. After drying, coffee beans will have a bright color, and when roasted, the weasel coffee from Vietnam will be more delicious than machined-dried coffee.
4 - 4th step: Husk separating
The husk is the part that is not fully digested by the weasel's stomach and is excreted in crap, this shell helps the coffee beans not to be contaminated, isolated from the dirt.
5 - 5th step in making weasel coffee in Vietnam: Roasting
Amongst the stage, roasting is the most determinant one that can influence the quality, flavor, and taste of the output. The roasting procedure is quite similar to the technique applied to other coffee; however, the time must be moderate so as not to break the fragrance structure created by the weasel's stomach, preserving the original taste of the coffee.
As soon as the roasting finishes, the bean must be immediately cooled down and instantly vacuum packaged to keep its aroma intact.
III - Top famous Vietnam weasel coffee brands
Currently, there are two popular types traded in the Vietnam market which are weasel coffee and weasel flavored coffee. While the price of one kilogram of authentic weasel coffee in Vietnam is from millions VND to dozens of million VND, that of weasel flavored coffee is just a couple of thousand VND. The explanation is that weasel “flavored” coffee is the coffee mixed with additives, fragrance rather than processed by the intestine of the weasel and goes through a strict strain like mentioned above. Therefore, it just resembles the real one to some small extent.
Trung Nguyen weasel coffee - Source: britannica.com
If you want to savor the genuine Vietnamese weasel coffee, you can refer to the following names:
Trung Nguyen weasel coffee 250gr - Trung Nguyen Coffee
- Price: 17,000,000 VND/product ($732.8)
- Website: https://bancaphetrungnguyen.com
Weasel coffee in Vietnam produced in Binh Phuoc farm - Nguyen Chat Coffee
- Price: 800,000 - 6,000,000 VND/product($34.5 - 258.6)
- Website: https://caphenguyenchat.net
Legend Revived Rare Wild 250gr - Trung Nguyen Coffee
- Price: 9,400,000 VND/product ($405.2)
- Website: https://bancaphetrungnguyen.com
Weasel coffee from Vietnam produced in Dak Lak farm - Nguyen Chat Coffee
- Price: 6,000,000 - 18,000,000 VND/product ($258.6 - 775.9)
- Website: https://caphenguyenchat.net
People have one saying “ You get what you pay for” which perfectly fits with the case of weasel coffee. Considered a royal drink due to its exorbitant expenditure, little do people know how meticulous and complicated it is to generate a cup of tasty weasel coffee in Vietnam. Hope that after reading this article, you will treasure the value and the story behind this quintessential beverage of Vietnam.
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— Giang Pham
