A brew not for faint hearted

It’s a “processed” coffee like you’ve never tasted before.

Just thinking about it could keep you awake at night. But don’t pooh-pooh it until you’ve tried it.

Coffee connoisseurs have been invited to sample the world’s rarest and most expensive coffee — whose bean has been eaten and defecated by a wild Asian cat — as part of a special fundraiser in Cork this weekend.

Nosh+Coffee cafe in Ballincollig has secured a small quantity of the high quality and much sought-after Kopi Luwak brew — famous for its “production” process.

You might need to sit down with a strong cup of tea (or coffee) before the next bit.

Specialist Indonesian coffee producers feed ripe coffee cherry fruit to a wild civet palm cat, known as the luwak.

The animal digests the soft flesh and passes the beans through its digestive system. Juices and enzymes in its stomach seep into the beans before they pass through the intestines and are defecated. The process, which takes about a day-and-a-half, produces an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness. The beans are then collected, washed, sun-dried, and roasted to produce the Kopi Luwak blend, which experts says has a bouquet of caramel and cinnamon.

It sells for up to €50 a cup in speciality coffee shops in America.

Sampling it was featured in the Bucket List movie, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, as one of the “must dos” before you die.

Nosh+Coffee owner, John McNamara, said it was his daughter, Lilly, who sourced the batch during a recent visit to a coffee plantation in Indonesia.

She sent some home and John has now decided to make about 100 shots available to customers today and tomorrow to raise funds for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, and for Marymount Hospice.

“I tried it at home some weeks ago and it’s definitely smooth and my wife described it as velvety,” John said.

“I’d encourage anyone who loves coffee to try it — and we’ll have a certificate for people to prove they’ve tasted the world’s most expensive coffee.”

A one-shot espresso will set you back €15 and a two-shot Americano, latte, or cappuccino with Kopi Luwak will cost €25.

Proceeds will be split between the two charities.

The cafe in Ballincollig Shopping Centre is open today from 8am to 6pm and from 9am to 6pm tomorrow. You can also buy vouchers for a loved one to sample the brew.

“It’s first come first served — so when it’s gone, it’s gone,” said John.