Those with the taste and the coin for exotic finery have probably heard of Kopi Luwak, or Civet coffee. The most expensive java in the world, it's rare because its made by coffee beans eaten by cat- and mongoose-like mammals called civets, passing undigested through their system and coming out whole at the other end.
Is your mouth watering yet?
The provenance may be weird and yes, kinda gross, but the stuff is supposedly heaven on earth and has a price tag to match.
It's one thing to hear about such a delicacy, but it's quite another to taste it.
This weekend Bering's Hardware gave out free samples of the java (here's guessing patrons who drank first and asked questions later made some interesting faces), which regularly goes for $35 a cup.
Chris Schmidtz, Bering's chief operating officer, told the Chronicle "it was a unique opportunity to sell our customers something different — particularly during the fourth quarter when they're throwing holiday parties." Bering's will stock Bantai Civet Coffee, with a 4-ounce bag going for $85 and a special-order 1 lb. bag for $320.
