Legendee: The Legend of the Weasel

One of the world's most famous coffees, the Legendee is a unique enzymatically-treated coffee that releases flavours often bound in the beans and not released under ordinary processing.

The "Legend" has to do with stories about natives who drank a brew from washed coffee beans that had been partly digested by small furry animals that do not really have a counterpart in the Western world (a civet more than a "weasel"). The "real" civet coffee (called Kopi Luwak in Indonesia) is incredibly rich, mellow and chocolaty. This obviously low-volume, expensive coffee encouraged experiments by Trung Nguyen that were performed by a staff of European scientists who eventually found natural enzymes that duplicate this process and leaves the weasels (civets) to blissfully go their own way.

Trung Nguyen was the original pioneer of this process and it has not been duplicated by any other coffee maker. The process produces a coffee unlike any other in the world, with a wide range of rich flavours and virtually no bitterness.

When iced, it releases a flavour explosion that makes it, in many people's opinion, the world's best iced coffee. You will never look at a cup of donut shop iced coffee or Charbucks the same way again. Tourists to Vietnam often do not consider their visit complete until they have sat in a Trung Nguyen coffeehouse and tried the Legendee brewed by the single-cup filters.

Over the years, consumers of both Kopi Luwak coffees and Legendee, both Classic and new Gold, have consistently told us that Legendee achieves many of the same characteristics of true Kopi Luwak. Legendee is easily 100X more popular as a Kopi Luwak equivalent than any other brand's attempt to duplicate the process of Kopi Luwak. The reason is simple, it is the only process using research by a team of German scientists contracted by Trung Nguyen in 1996 to study the effect of the Civet on coffee and duplicate a natural enzyme soak process that would approximate the same effect. All other Kopi Luwak simlations rely on choosing beans with specific profiles and artificial or natural flavorings to attempt to duplicate Kopi Luwak.

The Legendee Gold is closest in profile to Kopi Luwak from Civets fed on an all-Arabica diet. The Classic Legendee is intended to match the profile of Kopi Luwak created from civets fed on multiple species of coffees, which usually include Arabica, Excelsa and Robusta. Thus, the Classic Legendee is a darker and bolder Kopi Luwak equivalent.

How to make a good cup of coffee

One of ways to make the deep flavor of Vietnamese coffee as well as weasel coffee is achiveved by using condensed milk as a creamer and sweetener, and a single-cup brewing process, which is a beloved ritual in Vietnam. Ground coffee is put in a special metal filter, which is put atop a cup filled with a generous amount of condensed milk.Boiling water is poured into the metal filter and allowed to slowly with a spoon, resulting in an incredibly rich, smooth, and wonderfully sweet concoction called café sua da. Most Vietnamese prefer this mixture served over a tall glass of ice, and there is hardly a better way to enjoy iced coffee. Vietnamese coffee is not for the faint of heart though, and usually much stronger than Western style coffee.

Step By Step Preparation

    1. Fill a tall glass with ice.

     2. Use authentic Vietnamese coffee, such as Trung Nguyen’s Legendee brand coffee  

3. Measure 20g of ground coffee into a small bowl.

4. Put 2 table spoons of condensed milk into a small tea or coffee cup.
5. Put the metal bottom filter + cup on top of the tea cup.
6. Fill the metal cup with ground coffee.

7. Insert the metal press to fit snugly on top of the coffee, but do not press down.
    Add 20ml of boiling water and let it drip through the filter.
8. Add 45ml of boiling water.
9. Put the lid on the metal cup and wait until all the water has passed through the filter, about 5 minutes.

10. Remove metal coffee filter from tea cup.
11. Stir coffee and condensed milk with a spoon until well mixed.
12. Pour coffee over ice and enjoy!

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch is made with weasel excement. Literally. The label explains that:

This imperial Oatmeal stout is brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civet cats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries. Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Worker collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The exceedingly rare Civet Coffee has a strong, distinctive taste and an even stronger aroma. The beer, label pictured&video, comes in at hefty 10.5% alcohol.

Is it SAFE TO DRINK?

Massimo Marcone who is the food scientist in the University of Guelph, Canada confirms that the coffee is safe and found that it even has lower bacterial counts than regular coffee.

The low bacteria count is likely due to the washing process performed by locals collecting the beans. The "cherry" or endocarp surrounding the bean is not completely digested by the weasel; it must be removed during processing. This probably leads to a more thorough washing process.

Reviews of weasel coffee

 

Here are some reviews of weasel coffee from customers:

Press Reviews…

"This unusual beverage is considered a delicacy."

---Front - Mar 2006

"Serve it at a dinner party - but don't tell your guests until they've necked it! It's totally safe."

---Sunday (News of the World Magazine) - Mar 2006

"They certainly spice up a dull dinner party."

---Woman's Own - Mar 2006

"Smooth, dark, rich and distinctly foreign. The partner of your dreams, perhaps?"

---Daily Candy - Jan 2006

"The resulting smooth, heady blend is perfectly safe to drink and a great talking point for any dinner party. Stephen Fry treats his guests to it and even bought a bag as a wedding gift for Prince Charles and Camilla, so you'll be in good company."

---Daily Mail - Apr 2005

"The coffee aroma is slightly gamey with notes of vanilla and chocolate."

---Time Out London - Oct 2003

Visitors Reviews…

This is normally called Kopi Luwak, it is without doubt the most delicious coffee in the world, and no harm comes to the Asian Palm Civet, it is also the most expensive coffee in the world so buy it here it’s cheaper!!

---Stu Smith, Crook, England - Nov 2009

What about the poor weasels!? That must be absolutely horrendous for them how you would like it if it was you!

---Jade, Bovingdon - Nov 2009

Firebox says: This Coffee is first eaten by Weasels which then regurgitate it, no one knows why they do this but it is then collected by locals in remote forest areas and then cleaned and roasted. It's a natural process for the weasels and 5% from the sale of each bag goes toward the preservation of wildlife in Northern Vietnam - it's a win/win situation all round!

Ok, I know the name makes one a little "icky", but do try this. When you open the bag, what hits you immediately is the aroma - it’s as if you have opened a bar of expensive chocolate. Smells smooth and rich. I poured some beans into my grinder, topped up my moka and stuck it on the cooker as normal. As it "putzzed", the smell was wonderful, as soft as I expected. Oh did I tell you, I had gathered a few friends as testers’ ha-ha. Anyway, when you drink it - it is as smooth and velvety as it smells. If you like mochas or smooth coffees, this would be another worthy selection on your shelf. Also, may I suggest even sweetening it with a little condensed milk in the traditional Vietnamese Cafe style?

---Phelix da Kat - July 2006

Please let us know how it tastes. I am so curious. Did you see the movie The Bucket List? That is where I first heard about a coffee like this.

---Lisa - Jan 2009

Oh shit! I can’t believe you have this - I have been dying to try this crap....LOL - seriously I would love a cup!

---Doggybloggy - Jan 2009

Drinking something that I know was once in something else’s digestive system...That where I must draw the line. Well bottoms up! Can’t wait to read the review

---Cassie - Jan 2009

I always drink weasel coffee at a Vietnamese place near oxford circus. Although I usually prefer espresso, I always opt for this drip-coffee here because I like its intense aroma of chocolate/hazelnut. Very addictive. I wish I knew where to buy it here!

---Thepassionatecook – Jan 2009

What makes Weasel coffee special?

Research has determined that coffee passed by the weasel 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.

Research from University of Guelph, Canada showed that the coffee beans are lower in total protein, indicating that during digestion, proteins are being broken down and are also leached out of the beans. Since proteins are what make coffee bitter during the roasting process, the lower levels of proteins decrease the bitterness of the coffee. The internal fermentation by digestive enzymes also adds a unique flavour to the beans.

Price and quantity relation

The price of weasel coffee is very expensive, it is about $3000 per kilogram. It is expensive because weasel coffee is unique, in which the coffee beans are digest by the weasel. The weasel is eating good and ripe coffee beans, so that a good weasel coffee can be made. Thus, the making of this weasel coffee is very difficult.

Weasel coffee is the most luxurious drink that perfect to be served for dinner. The coffee has high degree of caffeine and has a stronger and smoother taste than any other ordinary coffee.

Discover weasel coffee

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnamese have a specialty coffee similar to Kopi Luwak called weasel coffee made from coffee berries which have been defecated by local weasels. The drink, which originates from Dac Lac Province, is made from plump Arabica beans that have high caffeine content and possess a potent scent derived from the grey weasel’s digestive system. With two stripes on its back, the Mija weasel is well-known among the Ede ethnic community, who consider it the ideal weasel for processing coffee. Local coffee growers said that a premium brew of weasel coffee can be created by a male Mjia eating Arabica beans in November, the harvest time for coffee plantations in Dac Lac, which also happens to be the weasel’s mating time. Farmers say that the amino acids in the weasel’s digestive systems mix with the coffee beans, creating an essential change to the beans, which are ultimately discharged and collected. Mjia weasels are believed to be especially fond of four-to-five-year-old coffee plants that produce round and succulent beans.

How is Weasel Coffee Made?

Weasel coffee also known as Civet Coffee is coffee made from coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet. The civets eat the berries and the beans passes through their digestive system. During the process, only the outer parts of the cherries are digested, the inner part remains intact. The digestive process takes about one and a half days and the beans are defecated in clumps, having kept their shape and still covered with some of the fleshy berry's inner layers as shown. They are gathered, thoroughly washed, sun dried and given only a light roast so as to keep the many intertwined flavors and lack of bitterness yielded inside.

What is weasel coffee or Kopi Luwak?

Weasel coffee or Kopi Luwak translates as "Civet Coffee" and is created in several regions of the world where the Palm Civet or similar species resides. Palm Civets are primarily "frugivores" (fruit eaters) and were once considered a pest by coffee farmers, because the furry little beasts would feed at night on only the ripest coffee cherry fruits. They would swallow the coffee fruit and bean in its entirety, dissolve the fruit away from the bean, and pass the beans onto the ground by morning. At some point some frustrated farmer decided to wash the beans and roast them, and was amazed to discover the best coffee he had ever had. Now, many years later, the Civet is literally treated more like the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg than a pest, for obvious reasons, since Kopi Luwak coffee can fetch from $180 to $600 per pound and is the world's most expensive coffee.