I was leisurely scrolling through my Instagram feed when I noticed that I liked at least three pretty cups of coffee with a fancy rock sugar stirrer. “Interesting,” I thought. We ordered a couple of flavors to see what the fuss was all about.
About ChekHup
ChekHup is a Malaysian coffee brand since the 1900s, and they created a line of gourmet instant coffee, Microground Colombian Coffee, that comes along with a low-GI rock Sugar Stick.
Features
- No added artificial coffee flavoring
- Uses Colombian Coffee Beans
- Includes a low-GI rock sugar stick
(from Chek-Hup product description)
How to Prepare
- Mix 1 sachet with 180 ml hot water (95°C)
- Dissolve all of the powder with a tea spoon
- Adjust sweetness by stirring with the low-GI Signature Sugar Stick
Our Two Cents
We’re not experts, and neither are we pretending to be one, but here’s what we think:
Microground Colombian Cappuccino
We like that this uses real coffee, which packs the mix with a fuller flavor. We were able to appreciate that the slight bitterness comes with a roasted essence that we couldn’t find in our local instant coffee (that’s mostly overpowered by sweetness). It doesn’t have that, you know, artificial coffee taste–or if it does, not too much.
It’s up to you to control the level of sweetness which you can–quite literally–stir in with the rock sugar stick. But coming from someone who doesn’t put sugar and creamer on her coffee, the powder is good on its own. The foam was light but was a little too light for my liking.
Note: We couldn’t fully dissolve the powder with the sugar stick on our first try. Best to use a teaspoon first, and then stir in the sugar stick.
Microground Colombian Latte
At first taste, I wondered what the difference was compared to the cappuccino. I just couldn’t! After a couple more tries, we found the latte less foamy, creamier, and milder than the cappuccino.
Microground Colombian Mocha
This one had a light chocolate taste and had more “roasted coffee essence” compared to the other two creamy variations.
The Verdict
I taste-tested this with my dad and sister, with whom I usually enjoy a cup of cappuccino with during the good old pre-pandemic days. I thought it was nice to have experienced a fancy instant coffee at home. Of course, this won’t replace that of a fresh espresso and real foamed milk, but the convenience and that satisfaction of having some quick gourmet coffees in a sachet are enjoyable for those 15-minute coffee breaks.
We ordered ours all the way from Zamboanga! Fabbles Zamboanga carries a wide range of Malaysian products such as coffees, instant noodles, seasonings, and more.
Get these Chek-Hup Gourmet Microground Coffee here.
Mark x Abi 