Pictured above: Jamie Weaver
An independent Birmingham coffee shop will be serving the rarest
and most exotic coffee in the world this week - with a price tag
which will wake you up as much as the caffeine kick.
Urban Coffee Company on Church Street has acquired a batch of
Kopi Luwak, a coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which
have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet (or Luwak) and passed
through its digestive tract. A single cup will cost £8.95,
with 20p from each sale going to Project Waterfall as part of UK
Coffee Week, which runs from 4th to 10th April.
Jamie Weaver from Urban Coffee Company said: "The price of a cup
of Kopi Luwak is more what you'd expect to pay for a glass of
champagne in one of Birmingham's bars than your average cup of Joe,
but this really is no ordinary coffee. Only about 500 to 700kg per
year is produced and worldwide demand from coffee connoisseurs is
immense, which means we've had to work extremely hard to secure
some of this unique roast.
"The Luwak is a discerning little creature, only eating the
sweetest and ripest Arabica coffee berries. After swallowing the
berries they ferment in the digestive system where its stomach
enzymes break down proteins in the coffee. The inner beans are then
passed intact encased in their protective hulls, then collected,
thoroughly cleaned, dried and lightly roasted to preserve their
complex flavours. The result is a very aromatic and complex coffee,
with very little bitterness."
"We wanted to be able to offer an experience totally out of the
ordinary for UK Coffee Week, which is all about giving something
back to the countries which produce the coffee we enjoy every day.
Anyone who buys a cup of Kopi Luwak will not only get to enjoy a
gourmet gastronomic experience, but will also be supporting a great
cause."
Project Waterfall delivers development projects in
coffee-producing countries. The first project will provide clean
water to communities in the Mbulu District of Tanzania in
partnership with WaterAid.
As well as donating 20p per cup of Kopi Luwak sold, Urban Coffee
Company will be encouraging every customer who purchases any of its
other coffees to donate 5p to Project Waterfall.