| Author | Message | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 380 Registered: 8-2006 |
Here is another puzzle which is not google proof, but since there are only persons of integrity on this forum I don't worry. One of the most expensive coffees in the world is obtained by a rather funny procedure. How? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 760 Registered: 3-2006 |
Are we talking about the means of harvesting and/or cultivating the raw beans? Or should we focus more on the brewing stage? Does it matter where in the world this coffee is produced? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 393 Registered: 8-2006 |
Are we talking about the means of harvesting mostly this and/or cultivating and much less that the raw beans? Or should we focus more on the brewing stage? no Does it matter where in the world this coffee is produced? Yes, it might help to find out the place where this happens | ||
| Booklover (Booklover)
New member Username: Booklover Post Number: 105 Registered: 4-2007 |
north america? south america? africa? europe? australia? antartica? asia? specifics: peru? columbia? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 395 Registered: 8-2006 |
north america? south america? africa? europe? australia? antartica? asia? this specifics: peru? columbia? | ||
| Booklover (Booklover)
New member Username: Booklover Post Number: 109 Registered: 4-2007 |
Afghanistan? Armenia? Azerbaijan? Bahrain? Bangladesh? Bhutan? Brunei? Cambodia? China? Georgia? Hong Kong? India? Indonesia? Iran? Iraq? Israel? Japan? Jordan? Kazakstan? Korea, North? Korea, South? Kuwait? Kyrgyzstan? Laos? Lebanon? Malaysia? Maldives? Mongolia? Myanmar? Nepal? Oman? Pakistan? Philippines? Qatar? Russia? Saudi Arabia? Singapore? Sri Lanka? Syria? Taiwan? Tajikistan? Thailand? Turkey?Turkmenistan? United Arab Emirates? Uzbekistan? Vietnam? Yemen? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 400 Registered: 8-2006 |
Indonesia | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 417 Registered: 9-2003 |
is there an Indonesian custom involved? does it involve what equipment they use? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 404 Registered: 8-2006 |
is there an Indonesian custom involved? No, only the custom to obtain the coffee in this way. It is for some reason specific to this region. does it involve what equipment they use? no, you wouldn't call it equipment | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 420 Registered: 9-2003 |
would I have to know how coffee is usually harvested etc to ask questions on this? do they do it by hand? while others use machines? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 409 Registered: 8-2006 |
would I have to know how coffee is usually harvested etc to ask questions on this? there is no particular knowledge required do they do it by hand? yope while others use machines? no machines are used in the process you have to find out | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 1841 Registered: 1-2001 |
This will be an eye-opening puzzle for many who have not heard about this previously - super idea for a puzzle! | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 419 Registered: 8-2006 |
Thank you Ixoye, I thought that this story had already been used as a puzzle but I couldn't find it in the archive. | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 426 Registered: 9-2003 |
do they use some part of their body to do something to the coffee? stamp on it or something like they do with wine? do they use tools at all? if so do we need to know what tool? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 421 Registered: 8-2006 |
I suppose that 'they' stands for 'the people producing the coffee'. do they use some part of their body to do something to the coffee? no stamp on it or something like they do with wine? no do they use tools at all? noish if so do we need to know what tool? not a tool but... | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 1844 Registered: 1-2001 |
I will be interested to see if, in the course of this puzzle, anyone emerges who has tasted this type of coffee... | ||
| Emeraldink (Emeraldink)
New member Username: Emeraldink Post Number: 105 Registered: 4-2007 |
Are animals involved? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 425 Registered: 8-2006 |
Are animals involved? yes | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 441 Registered: 9-2003 |
urmm I sincerely hope not, but does it involve the animals eating the coffee? or any end waste the animals might produce? is it domestic animal? horse? cow? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 427 Registered: 8-2006 |
urmm I sincerely hope not, but does it involve the animals eating the coffee? yes or any end waste the animals might produce? yes, I'm afraid is it domestic animal? yope horse? no cow? no | ||
| Enjay (Enjay)
New member Username: Enjay Post Number: 291 Registered: 4-2007 |
Ah yes...I thought I knew this one and now I'm sure I do...I'm keeping quiet though! I agree with Ixoye724...great idea for a puzzle! | ||
| Emeraldink (Emeraldink)
New member Username: Emeraldink Post Number: 108 Registered: 4-2007 |
Birds are known to help spread the range of plants by eating their seeds, digesting hard outer shell, and then depositing whole, intact, but "naked" seed far away from its origins, ready for germination. So, is the domestic animal a bird? chicken? turkey? | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 446 Registered: 9-2003 |
are we talking about the seeds here though? I thought we working out the harvesting method..? if not those bird is it another farm animal? or something smaller does it have fur? hooves? claws? 4 legs? tail? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 429 Registered: 8-2006 |
Birds are known to help spread the range of plants by eating their seeds, digesting hard outer shell, and then depositing whole, intact, but "naked" seed far away from its origins, ready for germination. This is on the right track. So, is the domestic animal a bird? chicken? turkey? But the animal is not a bird. are we talking about the seeds here though? I thought we working out the harvesting method..? For coffee, as far as I know, you harvest the seed. if not those bird is it another farm animal? no or something smaller it is smaller than a cow does it have fur? yes hooves? no claws? yes 4 legs? yes tail? yes | ||
| ~damia~ (~damia~)
New member Username: ~damia~ Post Number: 458 Registered: 9-2003 |
is it a cat? dog? smaller than a cat? larger than a dog? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 432 Registered: 8-2006 |
is it a cat? dog? smaller than a cat? larger than a dog? It is a catlike animal (not from the cat family though). So what happens exactly and why is the coffe extraordinary? | ||
| Booklover (Booklover)
New member Username: Booklover Post Number: 140 Registered: 4-2007 |
ferret? weasel? chinchilla? guinea pig? | ||
| Crazypalpig (Crazypalpig)
New member Username: Crazypalpig Post Number: 1001 Registered: 8-2006 |
Stoat?Whoa, where did I post my number 1000?? Over 1000 now!!! | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 434 Registered: 8-2006 |
ferret? weasel? chinchilla? guinea pig? Stoat? You needn't find out the exact species. I think that this animal is only know for it's connection to coffee. | ||
| Booklover (Booklover)
New member Username: Booklover Post Number: 149 Registered: 4-2007 |
ok, I am a little confused, and hope I am not way off... so we have a domestic animal that eats seeds used for coffee and then poops them out. The people collect this "refuse," correct? Regarding the "refuse": do they plant it, grow coffee plants and harvest these beans for the coffee? Do they use the "refuse" simply for fertilizer for the coffee bushes? I hope not this, but are they using the "refuse" as the coffee itself? I could imagine the drinkers saying, "mmmm rich aroma!" Makes me kind of glad I don't drink coffee! | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 822 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is it perhaps that the furry critter eats the coffee beans but doesn't fully digest them? So there would be some beans passed through its intestines, which would then be collected (and hopefully washed) and brewed as normal? Or is there another stage in the process? I assume this imparts a special flavour as it passes through the animal? | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 437 Registered: 8-2006 |
ok, I am a little confused, and hope I am not way off... so we have a domestic animal that eats seeds used for coffee and then poops them out. The people collect this "refuse," correct? yes (FYI: it is only 'yope' a domestic animal but that is not really important) Regarding the "refuse": do they plant it, grow coffee plants and harvest these beans for the coffee? no Do they use the "refuse" simply for fertilizer for the coffee bushes? no I hope not this, but are they using the "refuse" as the coffee itself? yes I could imagine the drinkers saying, "mmmm rich aroma!" Makes me kind of glad I don't drink coffee! Well I do drink coffee but as far as I know I have never tried this one (which makes me kind of glad). Is it perhaps that the furry critter eats the coffee beans but doesn't fully digest them? yes So there would be some beans passed through its intestines, which would then be collected (and hopefully washed) and brewed as normal? yes Or is there another stage in the process? no I assume this imparts a special flavour as it passes through the animal? yes This round of questions got you very close. One question remains: Why is this coffee said to be excellent (people pay $10 for a cup)? You already found one aspect of the explanation: the beans are partially digested. But there is another reason. | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 829 Registered: 3-2006 |
Well, I assume that the beastie excretes the pellets on the ground, yes? ... and I suppose that it must be quite difficult for the collectors to find them: is this it? Or do the collectors demand a premium for scooping up animal ordure? Or does our furry friend actually eat something else, besides the coffee, that imparts the fine flavour? Such as a herb or spice? Does it simply cost more to scrape the residues off the coffee beans? Or is it just snob value? Or is there a fermentation process at work as well? Is the coffee alcoholic or something like that? (If so, I want some.) | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 438 Registered: 8-2006 |
Well, I assume that the beastie excretes the pellets on the ground, yes? yes, I think so ... and I suppose that it must be quite difficult for the collectors to find them: is this it? Yes, this is one of the issues making the coffee expensive. Or do the collectors demand a premium for scooping up animal ordure? No, I don't think so Or does our furry friend actually eat something else, besides the coffee, that imparts the fine flavour? Such as a herb or spice? No, I don't think so Does it simply cost more to scrape the residues off the coffee beans? This is another issue making the coffee expensive. Or is it just snob value? No, I don't think so Or is there a fermentation process at work as well? I would rather call it digestion (as already found out) than fermentation. Is the coffee alcoholic or something like that? (If so, I want some.) No, I'm afraid you will have to add whiskey or something. In fact I am looking for a circumstance taking place before the digestion that makes the coffee so good. Any ideas? Otherwise I will spoyl soon as this one is pretty much solved. | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 441 Registered: 8-2006 |
------------ SPOILER ------------ The Wikipedia entry: The Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), also known as the Common Palm Civet or the Toddy Cat, is a cat-sized mammal in the family Viverridae native to south-east Asia and southern China. (...) Kopi Luwak is coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten by the animal, partially digested, and harvested from its feces. I had another link that is not valid any more but here is a third one: (...) Guests of an East Java plantation will almost certainly be offered Kopi Luwak for breakfast. The secret of this delicious blend of coffee, usually explained only after the guest has drained his mug to the last drop, lies in the bean selection, which is performed by a luak, a species of civet cat endemic to Java. The luak will eat only the choicest, most perfectly matured beans which it then excretes, partially digested, a few hours later. Plantation workers then retrieve the beans from the ground, ready for immediate roasting. The fact that the civet eats only the ripest coffee cherries was the thing I wanted you to find out in the end but anyway. Thank you for playing and commending this puzzle! Has anyone on the forum ever tried Kopi Luwak? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 879 Registered: 3-2006 |
Ah, I see: it's a very choosy beastie. I should have guessed, as the owner of a VERY picky cat. I've been dying to Google this all week, not least because I only half believed it. I certainly intend to try it. You can buy it online, apparently: www.animalcoffee.com :-) | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 1874 Registered: 1-2001 |
So now, or course, someone can easily see why you'd pay $10 a cup for this coffee (not that everyone would be interested, given the harvesting method). The more that I see Starbucks raising their prices for a cup of coffee, the more I wonder about their harvesting... | ||
| Tobasi (Tobasi)
New member Username: Tobasi Post Number: 444 Registered: 8-2006 |
Thanks for the link with the photos, Woodworm. Different from what I thought, the excrements don't look disgusting. Please let us know your opinion if you should really try the coffee. |
