Kopi luwak or civet coffee has many names and varieties, but there are primarily just two main brewing techniques in use today. You can either brew kopi luwak at home using a French press or brew it via the classic pour-over method. We will discuss the pour-over method next, as it is more suited for brewing kopi luwak at home.
Equipment and Ingredients
Before we get into discussing the steps, preparation is essential. There is a big possibility that you already have some, if not all of the necessary equipment listed next. Just in case you don’t, ensure that you have arranged for it before starting the brew.
Kopi Luwak Coffee Grind
Kopi luwak was originally an Indonesian delicacy and some of the finest fermented beans still come from that region. So, the first thing you need to buy are high-quality kopi luwak beans.
Coffee Dripper (Pour-Over Coffee Maker)
Coffee drippers, aka pour-over coffee makers have a lot of variety to them. There are so many different types of drippers available these days that the choice may seem confusing. Keep things simple and choose a classic two-piece coffee dripper made from porcelain or ceramic.
Coffee Grinder (Burr Blade)
To grind fermented kopi luwak beans, you should use a burr blade coffee grinder. If you buy pre-ground kopi luwak, there is a high chance that your kopi will not be as fresh. Since the beans have already gone through a stage of digestion to become kopi luwak, this is an important consideration for all fermented coffee beans.
Coffee Scale
Whether you are brewing beer or coffee, perfection can only be achieved when you zealously maintain the proportions across all stages of the process. That can only be possible if you have a coffee scale handy to measure everything accurately.
Gooseneck Kettle
It would not be called the pour-over technique if you did not have to pour hot water over coffee grounds in slow concentric motions! The gooseneck kettle is what allows you to do so with precise control.
Thermometer
Nowadays, gooseneck kettles often come with a thermometer installed right on top of the lid itself. In case your kettle does not have one, you should buy a coffee thermometer separately.
Coffee Filters
If you have run out of coffee filters that originally came with your pour-over coffee maker, get some. In case your dripper did not come with a filter, make sure that any filter you buy will fit your coffee dripper.
Now that we have everything we need, let’s start brewing!
Step 1: Grinding the Beans
Use your burr blade coffee grinder to mill the kopi luwak beans into a medium fine grind. The grind should be similar in consistency to regular table salt. People outside the US may disagree with 8oz being the standard size, but that’s what we are going to go with for this post. For a US standard 8oz cup of coffee, you should be grinding about 20 grams of kopi luwak beans.
Step 2: Set Up the Dripper
Install filters onto your coffee dripper if needed, and then set up the pieces on top of your coffee mug. The coffee cup/mug should be big enough to hold at least 9–10oz of water.
Step 3: Measuring and Heating the Water
Fill the kettle with 16–18oz of water to make one cup of kopi luwak. Heat it to a temperature just below boiling point.
Step 4: Preheat the Dripper
Pour a small amount of the heated water slowly onto the topmost piece of your dripper. The water should heat up and wet the filter(s) completely before trickling down into the coffee cup. Empty the cup before proceeding to step 5.
Step 5: Adding Kopi Luwak
Take the 20 grams of kopi luwak that you ground in step 1 and add it to the dripper. Do not compress the grind, but you can shake it a bit if necessary.
Step 6: Prepare the Scale
Carefully place the entire apparatus on top of your coffee scale and wait for a few seconds. Tune it to zero and you are ready to pour.
Step 7: Blooming
Use small, slow concentric motions to pour 1.8oz or 50ml of heated water on the entire coffee grounds over 2.5 to 3 minutes. Set a timer on your phone’s clock app before starting. The coffee may bubble and fizz a bit (blooming), which is indicative of the natural degassing process.
Step 8: Finale
Wait for one minute, start another timer for three minutes, and restart pouring hot water in slow concentric motions over the ground beans. It’s okay for the process to take a few seconds more or less than three minutes but keep an eye on the coffee scale. Once the weight reaches 8oz or 227ml, you have just finished brewing a perfect cup of kopi luwak.
If you are fond of heavy-bodied coffee, you will need to brew your coffee with a French press. Given that kopi luwak beans are very rich by default, the pour-over technique comes more recommended for home brewing.
