If you're a coffee drinker living in Singapore you probably have heard of the famous Kopi. Maybe you've heard variations of Kopi from Kopi O to Kopi Kosong to Kopi Ta Bao. Don't know the differences? Fret not! We'll let you in on everything you need to know about Kopi!

What is Kopi?

Kopi is the national drink of Singapore. Kopi (also known as Nanyang coffee) is prepared with condensed milk and sugar. 

A cup of kopi is generally 170 to 230 mL and a typical Singaporean can down 4 to 6 cups a day. Kopi can be prepared either hot or cold and it tastes bitter with little to no acidity.

How is Kopi Made?

Kopi is typically made with high-caffeine robusta beans and they are generally freshly roasted. The coffee beans are roasted with butter or margarine or lard, and sometimes sugar, to bring out a rich and dark flavour. The shells turn oily, aromatic and caramelised.
Once ground, the beans are brewed in a pot inside a small cloth bag, which is known as a ‘sock’. Once ready, the brew is poured into a cup along with canned dairy, sugar and water.

How To Order Kopi?

There are a variety of Kopi available for you to customise your experience:

• Kopi: The default cup of kopi is made with sweetened condensed milk. Remember to order ‘Kopi’ and not ‘coffee’, otherwise you’ll end up with nescafe!
• Kopi C: With unsweetened evaporated milk and sugar. A little less sweet, creamy, and caramel-like than standard kopi, perhaps more balanced for Western tastes and those without a sweet tooth.
• Kopi Kosong: Unsweetened black coffee 
• Kopi C Kosong: With evaporated milk, no sugar.
• Kopi O: No milk, with sugar. 
• Kopi O Kosong: No milk, no sugar.
• Kopi Ta Bao: To-go

To further customise your experience you can use the following terms:

• Gau - Strong
• Poh - Weak
• Ga Dai - More sweet
• Siu Dai - Less sweet 
• Peng - On ice 

Where to get Kopi?

Generally you can order Kopi from the hawker centre or at Kopitiams. With Covid restrictions and work from home we're sure it's difficult to get Kopi from such places. That's why at No Harm Done we have Compostable Nespresso compatible Kopi O capsules so you can enjoy the authentic experience from the comfort and safety of your home!

Well what are you waiting for? Treat yourself and your loved ones to some Kopi O and help the environment out at the same time! 

References 

• https://www.seriouseats.com/snapshots-from-singapore-a-guide-to-singaporean-coffee-kop-how-to-order-how-its-made 
• https://www.freshcup.com/singapore-kopi-culture/ 
• https://expatliving.sg/local-coffee-in-singapore-all-you-need-to-know-about-kopi/ 
• https://kopipool.com/what-is-kopi/ 
• https://www.freshcup.com/singapore-kopi-culture/