Home- brewed coffee like a pro

SURE, baristas seem to have it easy. They have all the fancy equipment they need. That’s the only way to guarantee great coffee, right?

Not true, said Malaysia Barista champ Keith Koay, 24, before sharing some pointers on making world- class coffee right in your own home.

Surprise, surprise, you don’t have to spend a bomb on a slick machine!

“Machines are the secondary element to good coffee,” said Koay. “It all boils (# punny) down to skill and good beans.”

“Coffee is essentially beans and water, so bad beans equal bad coffee,” he said matter- of- factly.

Good beans don’t have to be rocket science, either.

“It’s really just beans that are freshly-roasted and well- stored,” he said. “And most importantly, it has to be something that you like.”

You don’t have to splash out on a coffee maker, but there is a key piece of equipment you need to ensure you get great coffee – a grinder.

“Just like any other ingredient, freshness is important,” he said. “So freshly- ground beans would give you the best results. But electric grinders can be expensive. Invest in a manual grinder instead!”

For coffee addicts on a budget, Koay recommends filter coffee. Cheap and easy, it’s the best bang for your buck.

“It’s the cheapest option and requires the least hassle to make in the morning, but will still give you quality coffee,” he said, before giving it the ultimate pro stamp of approval: “It’s something I do myself whenever I’ve got work early in the morning!”