From Ipoh to Tenom, a journey through Malaysian coffee

Malaysia's coffee culture extends far beyond the modern café scene. Long before trendy beverages like flat whites and pour-overs gained popularity, traditional kopitiams across the country served robust, dark-roasted coffee to workers, families, and regular patrons. Each region developed its own unique methods of roasting, brewing, and consuming local coffee beans.

Kopi O is the most widely recognized coffee order in Malaysia. The "O" comes from the Hokkien word for black, indicating coffee served without milk and typically sweetened with sugar. This traditional kopitiam brew features beans dark-roasted with sugar and margarine, resulting in a strong, caramelized, and slightly smoky flavor. Its roots lie in Hainanese immigrants who popularized coffee houses as social hubs where people could gather to eat, converse, and enjoy their coffee.

Ipoh white coffee, despite its name, actually comes from a lighter roast. These beans were traditionally roasted with margarine and brewed with condensed milk, producing a creamy, sweet beverage with a less smoky character compared to the darker kopi. Ipoh white coffee has its origins in the Hainanese community that settled in Ipoh during the Perak tin-mining boom. Famous establishments like Sin Yoon Loong, founded in 1937 by brothers Wong Poh Chew and Wong Poh Ting, have been synonymous with this beloved brew.

Kluang Rail Coffee, established in 1938 as a canteen at the Sarawak railway station, has been serving traditional Hainanese coffee for nearly nine decades. The coffeehouse has become an iconic symbol of Johor's town, known for its charcoal-grilled toast and kaya alongside the coffee. Meanwhile, Kluang Coffee Powder Factory, founded in 1966, is renowned for its Television Brand coffee, the logo of which reflects the significance of television ownership at the time.

Sarawak's coffee heritage dates back to the 19th century when an experimental estate was established in Matang near Kuching. While Arabica struggled in the local climate, Liberica proved more suitable. Known as kopi dayak, this coffee has deep roots among Sarawak's Iban community, who cultivated it as a cash crop. Today, smallholders still grow Liberica across the state, and modern cafés are introducing drinkers to this indigenous coffee variety, fostering appreciation for Sarawak's coffee legacy.

Tenom, nestled in Sabah's interior, is hailed as the state's "coffee capital." This region has cultivated coffee since the British North Borneo era, when plantations were developed and railway connections facilitated transportation of the crop. Tenom coffee is distinguished by its bold aroma and smoky flavor, achieved through traditional woodfire roasting.

Yit Foh, established in 1960, is one of the pioneering producers that maintains this roasting tradition. For many Sabahans, a cup of Tenom coffee remains an everyday comfort, savored at home or in traditional coffee shops.