Kupi Khop Aceh, a Unique Way to Drink Coffee in an Upside-Down Glass

Kupi Khop – Drinking coffee has become an essential part of Aceh culture. The routine of drinking coffee has been present since hundreds of years ago, during the rule of the Aceh sultanate. Every community member enjoys a cup of coffee at the beginning and end of the day, regardless of gender or age.

The province has a very popular coffee bean, known throughout the world, called Gayo. However, Gayo isn’t the only one. There are quite a several famous Aceh coffee drinks served in a traditional way that is unique to the local community.

You can find such drinks in various coffeehouses and shops in the city. Though, each place offers different kinds of coffee beverages. If you love to taste traditional and authentic coffee in Aceh, you can take a sip of Kupi Khop.

What’s so Special about Kupi Khop Aceh?

Kupi Khop is a traditional coffee drink from Meulaboh, West Aceh. If we translate the name of the coffee, it means coffee upside-down or kopi tertelungkup in Indonesian. This coffee receives a lot of attention from coffee enthusiasts because of its unique way of serving. 

This coffee is made from a combination of robusta coffee grounds and sugar, sometimes with condensed milk. 

It’s served in an inverted or upside-down glass on a small plate. Yes, since you can’t drink the coffee normally, you will need to slurp the coffee through a straw until it leaves behind only the coffee grounds in the glass. Another way to enjoy the coffee is by sipping it directly from the plate. 

Yet, the coffee might spill onto your clothes. In addition, you have to be careful in lifting the coffee plate because the shaking from moving it might leak the coffee grounds into the plate. Although Indonesia culture is so diverse and each province has its distinct coffee drink, you won’t find this coffee in any other province besides Aceh.

The Origin of This Coffee Drink

The history of this Aceh culture came from the Meulaboh region. Many male residents of the region worked as fishermen. Before the job, they liked to drink coffee in an inverted glass because this serving could keep the coffee warm for a long time. You also can check for our Aceh green coffee bean product here.

Since the fishermen have to catch the fish at unpredictable times, they can’t finish the coffee in one go. Thus, they could still enjoy the warm coffee if they returned to the coffeehouse. Apart from keeping the coffee warm, the inverted glass could prevent any dirt or dust from entering the coffee and maintain the coffee acidity. That is how one of Aceh coffee drinks came to be known throughout the country!

Now, you can easily find this coffee drink in the coastal areas of West Aceh if you want to experience this particular Indonesia culture. Many coffeehouses sell this at a very affordable price, only IDR 5,000 to 8,000 per glass. 

If you want to add milk or condensed milk and ice to the coffee, you must pay IDR 10,000. While drinking coffee, you can enjoy the coastal areas’ surroundings and hear the sea’s calming waves.

Due to the uniqueness of Kupi Khop Aceh, the Aceh government recognized this coffee as a Warisan Budaya Takbenda (WBT) or intangible cultural heritage in 2019. This coffee isn’t just a traditional coffee drink but an asset to the province. Don’t forget to try this coffee if you ever want to go to Aceh Province!