Coffee in Malaysia – Liberica, Kopi O and White Coffee

In 1875 , African Liberica coffee was introduced to Malaysia.
Cultivation areas are mainly Kelantan, Kedah, Trengganu, Sellangore, Malacca and Sabah (Borneo).
Even if Robusta and Arabica coffee is cultivated in Malaysia, 95 % is Liberica .
Only 1-2 % of the world’s coffee production is Liberica!
The number of cafes in Malaysia has risen rapidly as coffee is very popular.
Thus, the country is more likely to cover its own needs than to export coffee.
Nevertheless, Malaysia needs to improve coffee cultivation methods and processing techniques in order to be able to market coffee specialties.

The beans get their typical herb-burnt flavour due to the butter roasting like in the Kun-Keen coffee roasting shop in Georgetown.
The process originates from the island of Hainan in China.
and has been introduced to make lower quality beans such as cheap Robusta from Indonesia drinkable.
In the oldest and most prestigious roasting, sugar is first caramelised, then the beans are roasted at 600 °C for 45 min., together with butter and some sesame.
Out comes blackish, bubbling liquid resembling lava, which gets cooled, chopped into brick-sized chunks and run through 3 different mills.
Here is also a video about it.
In the coffee houses like the “Old Town Coffee” Kopi is brewed in a kind of sock. Served with snacks in British colonial tradition.
Pure Kopi is deep black and has a lot of body, with a consistency similar to the espresso.
It tastes bitter, slightly burned, sweet and after a huge dose of caffeine.
Ice-cold with some milk and sugar, Kopi and its versions like Kopi O are very delicious refreshments, which look yummi as well.
Here also a short overview of the Kopi versions, such as Kopi Susu Panas (1:1 coffee and condensed milk), Kopi O, Kopi Gau, Kopi O Kosong and Kopi Si Kosong.

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This coffee roasting differs a bit from Kopi O
Here, the coffee beans are roasted only in palm oil margarine.
The coffee is served with condensed milk after boiling – that’s why its called “White Coffee”.