Among the coffee elite, “this” is the Holy Grail. “This” being the rarest and reported-to- be-most-expensive-coffee in the world. You’d think the CIA was haggling over a spy exchange, that’s how intense the business gets when it comes to this particular brand of java. Men have searched for it the world over: huddling in dark corners, whispering in the shadows. At times selling their souls. Prepared to pay to the highest bidder. But for what? There in lies the tale of Kopi Luwak coffee. Unlike anything you’ve ever tasted in the world of rare and imported coffee. 

Our tale begins in the far off coffee plantations of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia. Here, the locals grow coffee as if their lives depended on it. And perhaps their lives really do. Work is hard to come by in these parts, and those fortunate enough to find work on the plantations picking coffee beans can rightly brag about really having accomplished something in their lives – even if they are making less than a minimum wage. 

But not all of the region's renowned coffee crop grows on trees. The most famous coffee beans are still picked by hand – but the trip the beans take from cradle to grave is part urban legend and partly just plain weird. Want to make some big money? Time to track down a weasel-like critter known as the Palm Civet – also called the Luwak. 

The Luwak is a coffee grower’s nightmare: workers on the coffee plantation have a love-hate relationship with this little critter – which has expensive tastes – eating only the ripest coffee beans. Problem is, this long-time pest of Indonesian coffee plantations can’t digest the coffee bean it so fervently seeks out. So the Luwak does what animals tend to do – after rolling the beans around in its mouth and maybe trying to chew on them for awhile, the Luwak swallows the bean and several hours later passes the undigested coffee bean in its waste. 

Luwak does this all day long. 

Now the locals – who know the value of a coffee bean if ever there was one – patiently search out the Luwak’s bowel excretions and ever-so-gingerly extract the beans and lightly roast them. The effect of the Luwak’s digestive track on the coffee beans is said to slightly ferment the coffee beans. In fact, giving the coffee beans a slightly nutty taste. 

Call me crazy, but if I pull a coffee bean out of a turd and slightly roast it – for darn sure it’s not going to taste “nutty”. I’m thinking it’s probably going to taste like sh*t. And even then, I don’t think I’ll be drinking a cup. 

But that goes to show how much I know. Because coffee beans “produced” by the Luwak are sought out and known for their “distinctly original-tasting roasted coffee blend” and one that is highly sought after by coffee gourmets the world over.
But the last laugh goes to laborer sweating away on the plantation. Prices for this coffee blend often run more than $250.00 dollars per pound. And the laborer benefits as well. And it’s no wonder: it’s not only time-consuming to search out the Luwak’s animal waste, but also labor-intensive extracting the beans. And besides that, you smell like crap at the end of the day. For that kind of effort a person can be very well paid.

The Kopi Luwak blend is not something you can pick up on the streets. You won’t find it being offered as the “blend of the day” at your local coffee house. In fact, unless you’re traveling in the upper reaches of Sumatra, finding this rare blend of coffee is nearly impossible. Every now and then Kopi Luwak coffee is offered online, and even then by “special request” only.
And now you know why the Kopi Luwak blend it is called the world’s rarest coffee beverage. 

And one that truly lives up to its name as being “good to the last drop”…

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Some of us who are accustomed to drinking coffee in the morning normally look for our own coffee mugs. There is that feeling of completeness once our own coffee mugs are served with scalding hot coffee in preparation for the day's work. Other than the use of coffee or other beverages, some people are collecting different coffee mugs as part of their hobbies. Collectors use them in their kitchen or craft room to hold knives, bottle brushes, pens, pencils, colors, markers and other items.

Thanks to various entrepreneurs, coffee mugs can now be given as personalized gifts with the recipient's matching picture on it. There are also various designs to choose from ranging from your favorite comic characters to other customized designs. Hence, giving coffee mugs as gifts is a wise choice aside from being handy and one that will cost you less. These enterprising people even created large coffee mugs as big as soup bowls for other uses like soup, pasta, ice cream, noodles or cereal. There are no limits regarding its use and plus the fun in owning one.

For the more creative ones, coffee mugs are used as holder of plant cuttings or used to create new candles from melted old candles. Others dress it up in holiday themes to match an occasion.

Through the constant use of your coffee mugs, there is the tendency to have a soapy smell even if it is completely rinsed with water. The best solution to eliminate the soapy smell is to soak it overnight with vinegar then rinse it with hot water and baking soda to eliminate the smell of vinegar. In some instances, the use of sponge with baking soda is already sufficient to eliminate the soapy smell including the coffee stains.

In case you intend to dispose of your old coffee mugs, you can try giving them to charitable institutions for their use. Just be sure that they are still usable and there are no broken parts that can cause damage to the recipient. These charitable institutions accept them and they usually disinfect the mugs before using. These institutions merely rely on donations and it is not that much to donate but it will mean a lot to the needy people.

If you have that extra time and money, you can fill the mugs with comb and other toiletries bought from the flea market or stores offering sale items. Other items that can fill up the mug are candies, chocolates, tea bags, tissue, and other small items. Hence, in case that you plan to discard some of your old coffee mugs, you can include the charitable institutions as recipients the next time around.

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MEXICO CITY – The Mexican government says it has notified Starbucks Corp. that Mexico is owed intellectual property rights for a line of coffee mugs showing pre-Hispanic images.

Starbucks says it is working with Mexico to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. It says the mugs have been removed from its shop shelves pending the discussions.

The mugs show images of the Aztec calendar stone and the Pyramid of the Moon from the pre-Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan, near Mexico City.

The government archaeological agency said Wednesday it will decide by next week whether Starbucks should pay any fees.

A company statement says the supplier of the mugs felt it made good faith efforts to offer payment and obtain permits.

Ceramic coffee mugs are a known choice for a hot beverage container. People usually use them to hold their favorite coffee, chocolate or tea. You, however, can hold victory in your hands with a stylish customized ceramic mug. Once you have your own set, you’re one step up the ladder of marketing success.

They were first produced by the British, Germans and Americans sometime during the 15th to’th century. These mugs are made mainly by ceramic, a non-metallic solid material which may be crystalline in structure. During the historical days they also had pottery, jars and taverns made of ceramic which could be recognized as the ancestors of the contemporary ceramic mug. Today, they come in a wide assortment of colors, designs, and sizes to pick from.

Personalizing a ceramic coffee mug can definitely award you big advertising points. They may be used at work, home, school and almost anywhere else you can think of. People of all ages and gender have a gain for it. You may hand it away during your trade shows or product launching days. They may also be distributed to clients and guests as gifts or tokens of appreciation. You can even use it as an motivation or reward to top performing staff. This way you are able to encourage them to work even better.

As if that’s not sufficient, here are more benefits of logo printed coffee mugs: 1. Sturdy and Durable – Because they are made of hard, solid material you can be certain of a dependable product. Your customers are going to love using it in their every day lives. 2. Colors, Forms and Sizes – Imprinted coffee mugs come in assorted trendy styles that will surely match your company logo. You may also select from an assortment of sizes that would fit your marketing needs. 3. Branding Space – Customized ceramic coffee mugs have a generous quantity of printing space for your corporate logo or symbol or even for your catchy slogans and company messages.

Before you get all thrilled and rush to the stores, read ahead first for some tips on how to procure promotional ceramic coffee mugs: 1. Material Selected – Inspect the quality of the material used in making the mug. Is it dishwasher friendly? Will your customers or clients be able to use it without any hassle? 2. Extent of the Mug – You have to decide on what standard size you would like to have for your promotional coffee mug. Make sure it’s not too little or too big for your intended recipients. You might want to decide on a specific shape as well. 3. Extra Features – Some ceramic coffee mugs are built with rubber coating or stainless steel liner that give extra functions on the mug. Inspect if the style you chose has these additional perks. You could be getting more value at no supplemental cost. 4. Spend Sensibly – Don’t go over your budget but never compromise quality as well. Take your time in picking the brand or form that works for you. Remember that you are making a marketing investment. Try your best to make the most sensible decision.

Serena Doni Stalin is a tradeshow giveaways consultant on custom coffee cups & logo travel mug. Look for topics by Serena Doni Stalin on how you can promote your brand.

Posted on 11 November '09, under Business.

Ceramic coffee mugs are a known choice for a hot beverage container. People usually use them to hold their favorite coffee, chocolate or tea. You, however, can hold victory in your hands with a stylish customized ceramic mug. Once you have your own set, you’re one step up the ladder of marketing success.

They were first produced by the British, Germans and Americans sometime during the 15th to’th century. These mugs are made mainly by ceramic, a non-metallic solid material which may be crystalline in structure. During the historical days they also had pottery, jars and taverns made of ceramic which could be recognized as the ancestors of the contemporary ceramic mug. Today, they come in a wide assortment of colors, designs, and sizes to pick from.

Personalizing a ceramic coffee mug can definitely award you big advertising points. They may be used at work, home, school and almost anywhere else you can think of. People of all ages and gender have a gain for it. You may hand it away during your trade shows or product launching days. They may also be distributed to clients and guests as gifts or tokens of appreciation. You can even use it as an motivation or reward to top performing staff. This way you are able to encourage them to work even better.

As if that’s not sufficient, here are more benefits of logo printed coffee mugs: 1. Sturdy and Durable – Because they are made of hard, solid material you can be certain of a dependable product. Your customers are going to love using it in their every day lives. 2. Colors, Forms and Sizes – Imprinted coffee mugs come in assorted trendy styles that will surely match your company logo. You may also select from an assortment of sizes that would fit your marketing needs. 3. Branding Space – Customized ceramic coffee mugs have a generous quantity of printing space for your corporate logo or symbol or even for your catchy slogans and company messages.

Before you get all thrilled and rush to the stores, read ahead first for some tips on how to procure promotional ceramic coffee mugs: 1. Material Selected – Inspect the quality of the material used in making the mug. Is it dishwasher friendly? Will your customers or clients be able to use it without any hassle? 2. Extent of the Mug – You have to decide on what standard size you would like to have for your promotional coffee mug. Make sure it’s not too little or too big for your intended recipients. You might want to decide on a specific shape as well. 3. Extra Features – Some ceramic coffee mugs are built with rubber coating or stainless steel liner that give extra functions on the mug. Inspect if the style you chose has these additional perks. You could be getting more value at no supplemental cost. 4. Spend Sensibly – Don’t go over your budget but never compromise quality as well. Take your time in picking the brand or form that works for you. Remember that you are making a marketing investment. Try your best to make the most sensible decision.

Serena Doni Stalin is a tradeshow giveaways consultant on custom coffee cups & logo travel mug. Look for topics by Serena Doni Stalin on how you can promote your brand.

Posted on 11 November '09, under Business.