Vietnamese Weasel Coffee - The Best Coffee in the world?

I was aware of the famous Kopi Luwak coffee, from Bali. But it wasn't until I visited Ho Chi Minh city in September that I came to know about the Weasel Coffee, which I was told was even better. Upon doing some little research I found out that actually Kopi Luwak, civet coffee or Weasel-coffee are different terms for the same kind of coffee. This type of coffee was first discovered in Bali, although it's also produced in the rest of the Indonesian archipelago, East Timor, Philippines and Vietnam. Although only in Vietnam it is known as Weasel coffee (actually the animal is called Asian Palm Civet).

How is this coffee produced?

Apparently the civet is an expert in detecting the best coffee beans.  It's digestive enzymes ferments the beans and breaks down the proteins. Once the civet shits them, somebody separates the undigested seeds from the feeces. These beans are well cleaned afterwards, and the result of this process is a rich coffee, with very reduced acidity, slightly smoky and with hints of chocolate. It is known in Vietnamese as phe chon. The enzymes of the weasel are responsible for reducing the acidity of the coffee beans, but not the taste, which becomes smother, and some say that a little less bitter.


For many this is considered the best and most sophisticated coffee in the world, although maybe only connoisseurs might really appreciate the difference. The fact is that in some Western countries, at the high-end restaurants that offer this type of coffee to customers, one cup may cost from USD 30 to USD 80.

The Vietnamese claim having discovered a way of improving the enzymatic fermentation of the coffee beans eaten by the civets. The result is that in 2010 Vietnamese Weasel coffee sold at 6 times more than the Kopi Luwak in the international market. However, you have all kinds of qualities, and you can bargain them in any market in Vietnam. I personally bout a kg. for USD 20, including the aluminum contraptions used as coffee filters to put on the cup (see photos).




The way they prepare it in Vietnam is like this: The put the grounded coffee inside an aluminum recipient, and that on top of a coffee cup. Once you pour boiling water on it, it drains through the holes into the cup. Some people like to add some condensed milk to the coffee, thus leaving it thick and sweet.