AnythingGoesHere

Many bloggers like myself are addicted to coffee (oh come on, admit it, folks). However, most people do not know that two of the best-tasting (and expensive, if I may add) coffee in the world are produced in the Philippines. These are the “barako” coffee and the “cat pooh” (a.k.a. musang or alamid in the Philippines) coffee. For the latter, other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia also produce it but with different techniques. I still believe, the Philippine-made is the best (according to reviews coming from coffee connoisseurs).

 

For most of us Filipinos, a morning without coffee is the start of a bad day. It has become a part of our culture. Drinking coffee becomes extra special whenever we share it with our loved ones.

 

For some history, I stumbled upon this article from the website of The Filipino Coffee Store (www.gotbarako.com) which is based in San Francisco, California. It deals with the Barako Coffee & Its Story.

 

The Filipino Coffee Store proudly sells this great product. But most people would ask: What is this “Barako” coffee? What is the story behind it? Why haven’t I heard of it before?

 

Barako is a rare and exotic coffee grown primarily in the Philippines. “Barako” (also spelled “Baraco”) has become a generic name for all coffee from the province of Batangas, but real Barako is actually Philippine Liberica and is known for its particularly strong taste, powerful body, and a distinctly pungent aroma.

 

The beans are indigenous to the Philippines, though the trees can also be found in Vietnam and Indonesia. Of the four identified species of coffee (Robusta, Excelsa, Arabica and Liberica), Liberica has the largest cherries and therefore, bigger beans. Liberica is now predominantly grown in the province of Cavite.

 

However, this coffee is in danger of becoming extinct. The reason why this coffee has become rare stems from the plight of the once thriving Philippine coffee industry.

The Plight of the Philippine Coffee Industry

 

Ten years ago, the Philippines used to earn at least US$150 million a year in coffee exports. Now, the Philippines has become a net importer of coffee. It makes only around $500,000 a year from coffee, and only 10% of the yearly harvest is exported.

 

What happened? Many farmers cut their coffee trees, including Barako, and switched to other crops. The main reason for switching is farmers in the Philippines do not have control over coffee prices. Prices are influenced by large exporting countries such as Brazil. A coffee farmer cannot be guaranteed of a profit. Thus other profitable crops with more stable prices have become more attractive to raise. Other reasons include technology problems, lack of good roads, and the recent lifting on the ban on coffee imports.

 

In the last ten years, the Philippines lost about 80,000 hectares of coffee farms. Sixty to eighty thousand coffee families have continued to farm coffee, but their numbers are dwindling.

 

 

 

 

 

Saving the Barako and the Philippine Coffee Industry

 

The cause to help coffee families and making coffee a major Philippine export earner has been taken up by the Figaro Foundation. The Foundation, through its communication campaigns, has made more and more people aware of the plight of the Philippine coffee industry. As a result, many land holders have switched to coffee, or turned idle land into new coffee farms. In 2000, Barako became the focus of the Foundation’s efforts. Barako is an exotic coffee, and not as volatile to price swings in world coffee prices. It has a big demand from Filipinos. As a result, the nearly extinct Barako has become a favorite at local coffee shops, restaurants, and homes.

 

For the “Cat Pooh” coffee, the Life After Coffee website (www.lifeaftercoffee.com) has this to say:

 

All about this infamous coffee and the cat-like creature that makes it possible.

 

Years ago I heard a rumor of a rare coffee that was collected from the droppings of a wild animal. For quite a while, having nothing to substantiate this I had dismissed this as either an urban legend, or something so rare I was unlikely to ever have access to it.

 

Well thanks to the coffee explosion this rare and unusual blend is readily available, though still very expensive. My interest in this was rekindled when I noticed Armeno Coffee Roasters, my favorite source for fine coffee is now carrying Kopi Luwak Coffee.

 

So what exactly is it? The Indonesian word “kopi” translates directly to coffee. The word Luwak refers to a small wild animal native to Indonesia and Vietnam. In the Philippines, it is more commonly known as “musang” or “alamid”.

 

So you know what coffee is… what’s this luwak critter? Known as the luwak, luak, musang, toddy cat, civet, palm civet and civet-cat, many people believe it is a wild cat. While it is a mammal it is actually a cousin of the mongoose. Probably it’s closest North American counterpart is the skunk with which it shares the ability to excrete a noxious odor from scent glands near it’s anus. Blueplanetbiomes.com has some wonderful information on this animal.

 

The animal can range from four to eleven pounds and is largely nocturnal. While it is an omnivore, the luwak is particularly fond of perfectly ripe coffee cherries. Thanks to coffee farmers, the luwak has no troubles finding plenty of coffee.

 

Once eaten, the coffee cherries take the normal route through the animal’s digestive path. The amazing thing is while the fruit of the coffee is being digested, the bean is left largely unchanged, eventually passing in the animals droppings.

 

 

The droppings and their caffeine-laden content are collected by farmers. The coffee is then cleaned and the green, un-roasted bean shipped to roasters.

Why would you want to drink this shitty coffee? There are a lot of theories on why kopi luwak is different. Research has determined that coffee passed by a luwak has been changed chemically. Specifically the process seems to break down some of the bean’s proteins which are known to contribute to the bitterness of coffee.

 

So research from the University of Guelph in Canada, reported here, and further detailed in this article confirms the coffee’s chemical makeup is altered by it’s special little journey, I think it also important to consider the luwak’s own affinity for fine coffee.

 

When coffee, like other fruit, is harvested, not all the fruit will be perfectly ripe. Since the majority is ripe and it is to be combined for use, the end product comes out well; however, if you have an animal which naturally selecting only the ripest fruit you will end up with a product of unparalleled quality.

 

Is it safe? While many are understandably skeptical of eating anything that has already been through the gastro-intestinal track of another, research shows that due to the thorough washing, the luwak coffee may even have a lower bacteria level than other coffees. Certainly whatever the washing process misses the roasting process will make up for.

 

While I cannot say I have tried this rarest of all coffees, it is on my to-do list. Thankfully Armeno Coffee Roasters offers it in a four ounce sampler for a mere $30. Expect a detailed report here once the taste test is in.