Basic settings
- Dose
- 60 g of coffee per litre of water, roughly 12 g for 200 ml
- Water temperature
- 92 to 94 °C — never boiling
- Water
- Lightly mineralised, 70 to 120 mg/l dry residue
- Grind
- Medium for filter, fine for espresso
- Grind at the last moment
- Essential — the aromatics are gone within fifteen minutes
- Rest after roasting
- 7 to 14 days before the first brew
Methods, from best to riskiest
Kopi Luwak has a naturally heavy body and low acidity. Methods that showcase texture suit it better than those chasing brightness.
Pour-over (V60, Chemex)
Our recommendation. Medium grind, a 30-second bloom with twice the coffee's weight in water, then circular pours. Total extraction 3 to 3½ minutes. This is the method that best reveals the cocoa notes.
French press
An excellent choice for body. Coarse grind, 4 minutes of steeping, then a slow plunge. Serve immediately: leaving the coffee on the grounds turns it bitter.
Espresso
Possible and impressive, but demanding. Fine grind, 18 g in for 36 g out, 27 to 30 seconds. The lack of acidity gives a dense crema and a very round, almost sweet espresso.
Ibrik / Turkish
Suits the syrupy texture well. Very fine grind, slow rise in temperature, three risings of foam without ever letting it boil.
Capsule or bean-to-cup machine
Not recommended. The bean is too valuable for an extraction you do not control, and built-in grinders heat the grounds.
Storage
Keep whole beans in their valve bag, resealed, somewhere dry, dark and at stable room temperature. Avoid the fridge: temperature swings cause condensation, and coffee absorbs surrounding smells with formidable efficiency.
The freezer is acceptable for long storage, provided you portion into airtight bags and never refreeze a portion once removed. In practice a 100 g bag is drunk within three to six weeks, so long storage rarely arises.
Brewing questions
Should I add milk or sugar?
Nothing forbids it, but the interest of Kopi Luwak lies in its natural sweetness and low bitterness. Taste it black first: most people who sugar their usual coffee do not feel the need here.
How much for a first tasting?
A 50 g bag gives four to five brews, enough to adjust your settings and form an opinion without a large commitment.
Can I grind a week's worth in advance?
Technically yes, but you will lose most of the volatile aromatics within hours. On a coffee at this price, it is the one saving that genuinely costs you.
My water is very hard, does it matter?
Yes. It masks the finer aromatics and leaves a mineral veil on the palate. A simple filter jug is enough to improve the result noticeably.