Belly of the Beast

Some caffeine junkies are happy to just pour hot water on instant granules to get that much-needed quick buzz whereas others regard this as an abomination.

A connoisseur will go through a long and painful process to get the ideal cup of Joe. If they are willing to go the whole hog, the beans will be self-roasted before being ground by hand and lovingly pressed through an expensive machine which promises to deliver black gold.

However, one wonders how many of these purists will go to the lengths described by the German Coffee Association to get the ultimate cup of coffee.

One of the richest, most aromatic coffees comes from the Indonesian Kopi Luwak bean, according to the Hamburg-based institute. While acquiring this rare and precious ingredient may add a few hours -- and certainly a few more euros -- to your quest for the perfect brew, those wanting to have full control may balk at the Kopi Luwak's fermenting process.

You gotta have guts

To reach its full potential, the Kopi Luwak must ferment in the stomach of a certain type of skulking cat-like creature found in the jungles of Indonesia and Vietnam.

The luwak -- more a distant relation of the mongoose than the domestic cat -- is a largely nocturnal omnivore which loves nothing better than to feast on perfectly ripe coffee cherries. Thanks to its native habitat's proximity to the many coffee plantations of South East Asia, the luwak has no problem in getting to its favorite food.

The creature itself has been proven to be a bit of a coffee expert. It seems that the luwak is preternaturally disposed to selecting only the ripest fruit which, in turn, eventually leads to a coffee bean of unparalleled quality.

After eating the cherries, nature takes its course but, remarkably, while the cherry itself is broken down on its way through the luwak's digestive system, the bean remains undamaged. After excretion, the bean is then removed from the luwak's bodily waste, cleaned and packaged for global coffee snobs at prices most would ... well ... sniff at.

Hmmm...tasty

While the thought of eating anything which has already been in one end and out the other may put most people off, scientific studies have shown that the Kopi Luwak bean carries fewer bacteria than a normal coffee bean.

Also, during the process of digestion, the bean's proteins -- known to contribute to the bitterness -- are somehow broken down making it a much smoother coffee.

If having your own bean-producing beast is the next step in coffee snobbery then you can rest assured that no self-respecting expert will resort to force-feeding a domestic tabby. That would be the domain of the instant coffee brigade.

Whether hardcore coffee fans will start looking for luwaks in exotic animal stores in the hope of finding one with a belly full of beans remains to be seen.