MELAKA - The widely available traditionally processed coffee beans in the market and easy to grind and brew using a home coffee machine give coffee lovers a wide choice to replicate cafe-quality drinks at home.
Hence, it is hardly surprising that many coffee lovers are willing to spend more to buy a home coffee machine so that they can enjoy their drinks according to their tastes.
For Liana Sahabudin, 34, apart from being more economical, she chooses coarse textured coffee powder that is traditionally processed as it gives different satisfaction in enjoying the drink either cold or hot.
"Since having the machine at home, I find that traditionally processed coffee in particular has a fresher smell while the taste is a bit bitter but very refreshing.
"Apart from the selection of coffee beans such as Arabica, Robusta or Liberika which have differences in terms of quality and smell, the size of whether the coffee is ground fine or coarse and the way it is processed also affects the coffee produced," she told Bernama.
Liana said she chooses traditionally processed coffee and brews it at home so that she can decide for herself the type and taste of coffee she wants.
The existence of traditional coffee producers also made it easier for her to obtain high-quality ground coffee supplies from various countries and even acknowledged the existence of a trend of the drink's fans switching to traditionally ground coffee, she said.
Azril Hakim Ghazali, 40, also said that owning his coffee maker is not a symbol of luxury but rather a fulfilment of the satisfaction of enjoying a cup of coffee.
Working as a draughtsman in a private company, Azril Hakim said his interest in brewing his coffee using a pop-up machine started during the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to the COVID-19 pandemic when it was difficult for him to go out to enjoy his favourite drink.
"That time was really bad because I couldn't go to my favourite shop to buy coffee and all cafes were closed due to the MCO.
"Then I bought a coffee machine and learned about coffee beans, how to brew and everything about the machine from YouTube, social media and friends who are equally fond of coffee.
"For the past two years, I started switching to traditionally processed coffee after a friend who lives in Indonesia introduced it to me,” he said.
Azril Hakim said that his friends now prefer to come to his house because they can relax while drinking an unlimited supply of coffee.
"It is true that coffee machines are expensive and that it is not easy to get traditional coffee because not all places sell it or produce it.
"It's a worthwhile investment to satisfy my love for coffee and because of me too my friends now switch to traditionally processed coffee because they like its stronger aroma and unique taste compared with commercial coffee,” he said.
Meanwhile, the second-generation producer of the Eastern Coffee Powder factory in Pulau Gadong, Tanjong Kling, Joanne Yap, 53, who still uses the traditional method of processing coffee beans admits that it is not easy to produce high-quality coffee products and compete with high-tech companies.
"However, for the past 55 years, our company has always made sure to choose high-quality Arabica and Robusta coffee beans imported from Indonesia as the main core of the product, while important processes such as roasting, grinding and packaging the coffee are carried out to a set standard,” she said. - BERNAMA