Even in tough economic times, coffee aficionados will go that extra mile to get their caffeine high. Sol River Coffee House & Lounge, Orlando, Fla., offers customers the rare opportunity to experience Kopi Luwak, the most expensive coffee beans in the world.
Kopi Luwak coffee beans get their distinctive flavor through a very unusual process. They pass through the digestive system of a small mammal called the Asian Palm Civet, which is found on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. The civet eats red coffee cherries as part of its normal diet, and the enzymes in its stomach add to the coffee's flavor through fermentation. The animal digests the outer skin of the coffee cherries, while the undigested coffee beans are collected by natives and sold to dealers.
The decision to stock Kopi Luwak beans -- despite the slowdown of the U.S. economy -- represents a natural extension of Sol River's collection of top specialty and gourmet coffee featured in its Indie Coffee Studio. Kopi Luwak will be available to customers of Sol River by the pound for $180 or by the 8-oz. cup for $30.
"Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but this is one of the richest and most flavorful coffees in the world," said Adam Dudley, owner of Sol River. "Stocking Kopi Luwak in the Coffee Studio creates buzz. Many of our customers are coffee aficionados and experience seekers who are eager and willing to part with for a cup of something unique that only a select few have tasted."
So hurry on down!
