Filter Coffee Guide
Table of Contents
The Story And Legacy
Does coffee run in your veins? As you read this piece, you will breathe in the aroma of freshly ground filter coffee beans. So, are you ready to lose yourself in coffee?
Coffee isn’t just a drink, and coffee lovers take their coffee very seriously. They don’t just sip their coffee. They celebrate and savor it! A regular cup of coffee in the morning helps them rise from the dead and prepares them to face the world; it serves to act as a morning switch. You can often hear them say – “Please, don’t talk to me before my morning coffee.”
People who love coffee are super loyal to it. Coffee is their partner that keeps them alive, focused and productive throughout the day by keeping their energy levels heightened.
What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup!
Here’s a fun fact before we dive deeper into the history of filter coffee.
Did you know that coffee was cultivated long before tea in India?
Sounds unbelievable, right? Similarly, the history and emergence of coffee (and filter coffee) in India is glorious as well. So, read on to learn.
What Is Filter Coffee?
In India, one of the most popular ways to take your coffee serving is in the form of filter coffee. If made right, filter coffee is all you need to jolt you out of your morning slumber.
So what exactly is filter coffee? Filter coffee has a coarser ground and is brewed for a prolonged period of time and at lower temperatures. Briefly put, filter coffee powder is a balanced blend of coffee and chicory which offers a heavenly taste when made with high-quality filter coffee powders using the proper techniques.
The higher precision of the brewing process has made filter coffee a superior choice among aficionados. Filter coffee, brewed right, provides a beautifully delicate brew that offers a clean, sweet and exquisite taste. Subtler than other forms of coffee, a cup of filter coffee is similar to wine. In contrast, we can compare a shot of espresso to hard liquor
How To Make A Great Cup Of Filter Coffee
There is no one way to make a delightful cup of filter coffee – everyone has to find a balance that will suit their taste buds. So we experimented a lot and came up with an excellent instant filter coffee decoction in India that you can try for an authentic filter coffee experience.
Filter coffee, commonly known as South Indian filter coffee, is brewed using a metal brewer consisting of two cylindrical cups. One of the cups has piercings at the bottom that nests into the top of the ‘tumbler’ cup. This leaves sufficient room below to receive the coffee that has been brewed. The cup that is above consists of two removable components – a pressed disk that is pierced and with a central stem handle and a covering lid.
The pierced cup placed above is filled with freshly ground coffee filter coffee powder which is compressed with the pressed disk in a uniform pattern across the cup’s pierced bottom. The pressed disk remains at its position as the upper cup is nested into the top of the tumbler. Boiling milk or water is then slowly poured in. The lid on the top and the device are then left as it is. Gradually, the sweet nectar, i.e. the brewed coffee, drips into the bottom cup.
You can then add 1-2 tablespoons of the brew to a cup of boiling milk. Next, you can add the amount of sugar that is suitable for you (3 spoonfuls for me!). The next and the most exciting part is when the coffee is poured back and forth between an authentic “davra” cup with a wide metal mouth and saucer usually made of stainless steel. The activity is not only fascinating to watch but serves a purpose as well. It helps your steaming hot coffee cool down a bit and mix in all the ingredients effectively with the arc-like motions of your hand. You can then enjoy your coffee and slurp!
Do you know that jaggery was used as an ingredient to make filter coffee back in the day? Jaggery would make the drink even more flavorful; you can’t even imagine. Well, it is indeed true as back then, sugar was very expensive to purchase. Thus, jaggery was used as a substitute for the luxurious product – sugar.
The 21st-century kaapi has its own elegance. In your coffee shop, your eyes lay fixed on the barista, who holds a jug high up in their hand, while the coffee cup is down below (a distance of over three meters, can you believe it?). This shuffling of coffee takes place about three or four times like a waterfall. Filter coffee lovers are well aware of the significance of this activity as it is one of the primary reasons for the bubbles! Oh yes, the tiny air bubbles formed with this process make a cute mustache for you and make your coffee even more sumptuous to consume.
To lead the filter coffee culture ahead, degree coffee has now taken charge. So what is degree coffee? Have you ever heard of it?
We already know that the heart of filter coffee lies in South India. Degree coffee is a new and growing concept in the Southern parts of India. The rule to make degree coffee is to ensure that the milk being used is not diluted. In fact, large-scale dairy farms are so obsessed with this precision that they use lactometers to check for purity. People who did not have the right pieces of equipment i.e. lactometers would call it thermometers. Hence, the name ‘degree’ coffee came to light. Fascinating, right?
A cup of filter coffee has to be made with perfection at every step – including the ingredients. No wonder it makes its consumers fall in love with its grace and beauty.
If you are making filter coffee at your home, there’s a diverse range of filter coffee powders that you can choose from. However, we strongly recommend you to try the House of Coffee coffee powders. Our customers regard it as the best filter coffee powder that you can add to your daily routine. The specialty of our coffee powders is that it is made from high-quality Arabica and Robusta beans that have been handpicked from Chickamangaluru and Coorg and various other regions.
Our filter coffee powder certainly offers a perfect blend of coffee and chicory. This ratio is a typical South Indian filter coffee blend that has been perfected over the years. This coffee powder carries a strong blend of coffee and offers a creamy and sweet finish with chocolatey flavors.
The History Of South Indian Filter Coffee
How did India start cultivating coffee? Let us look into details regarding the emergence of the coffee culture in India. It is a really fascinating story indeed.
In the seventeenth century, Baba Budan, an Indian saint, had smuggled a few coffee beans from Yemen to Mysore in India while heading for a pilgrimage to Mecca. He planted these beans in the Chandragiri Hills of the Chikmagalur district. Taking a green coffee seed away from Arabia was considered illegal. However, he hid them in his beard. Moreover, since he carried seven beans, it was regarded as a religious act.
After the blessing of Baba Budan, India was blessed with coffee as a crop, and we started cultivating it. Coffee production continued in India even after a century. However, it had a shaky beginning. This is because its spread was limited only to the Chandragiri Hills. In the nineteenth century, farmers learned more effective techniques of planting coffee and saw growth in their yields. Hence, they started exporting the excess cultivated crop. This crop was commercialized and exported to Europe via London. Eventually, coffee managed to release through the restricted areas and spread across the country. As coffee started becoming more accessible to consumers, the aura of coffee consumption spread like wildfire.
How Filter Coffee Made Its Way To South Of India
So how did filter coffee come into the picture in the world of coffee? One word to answer this question: Colonialism.
It originated long before you think it did. Even before coffee chains or cafes came alive in the urban parts of our country, filter coffee has been a staple beverage in the Southern parts of India in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.
The origin of filter coffee can be attributed to the French. In the early seventeenth century, during the colonial past of India, the French and Germans blended chicory and coffee as there was a shortage of coffee, which caused its prices to skyrocket. It is also rumored that they blended chicory with coffee due to its medicinal properties, reducing caffeine intake with every cup. With time, coffee became much easier to purchase, yet the blended filter coffee trend continued. People were hooked to its perfect blend of flavors that the French left behind.
During those days, the French colonial provinces were concentrated in the Southern parts of India, near the coastline. The capital of the French territory was Puducherry, commonly known as Pondicherry, which is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal and the three sides by Tamil Nadu. Slowly, as more people discovered it, filter coffee spread throughout the country and became a part of the kitchen cabinet in several homes. While its origins can be traced to the South of the country, it has been welcomed by all corners of India. The kaapi culture has even managed to enter and thrive in countries like Singapore and Malaysia.
There is no doubt that filter coffee is a part of South Indian culture, and the natives cannot imagine their lives without it. However, you should know that the beans are not considered unique because they come from South India, but because of much more important reasons. It is the combination of how the coffee beans are roasted and ground, brewed, and then served, which gives filter coffee its unique edge. These rituals carry their flavor, nostalgia, sentiments, and ethnicity with them.
Best Places To Try Filter Coffee
Anyone who enjoys kaapi will know where to find the best coffee in India. If you are a kaapi lover, we’re confident you’d have heard these names. But, if you are not or are new to the coffee kingdom, do take a slurpy sip at these places to have the most exhilarating coffee experience.
Let us look at a few places that will surely make you smile and remember the remarkable taste of authentic south Indian filter coffee.
1. Indian Coffee House
You should definitely try the coffee at Indian Coffee House, a popular restaurant chain across various cities in India. The coffee houses are located in most major metropolitan cities. A total of 400 coffee houses are spread across the country, with Kerala having 51 of those – the highest among all states!
Before independence, in 1940, the British started with the first outlet in Mumbai. In 1957, the Indian management then took over the restaurant chain by opening the first coffee house in Bangalore. With time, outlets were then opened in other parts of India due to its success, and supreme quality of coffee served.
In addition to enjoying a delicious cup of coffee at the Indian Coffee House, you will also get a touch of the prestigious Indian history. Everyone knows that sometimes it’s not only about the taste but also the atmosphere and aura.
2. Madras Coffee House
We have long established that South India acts like a cult in the coffee culture, so how can we not recommend a beloved local coffee chain? Yes, we are talking about Madras Coffee House – the coffee house that has managed to stand out in a city that is known for its brewed coffees.
You guessed it correctly, we are talking about Chennai, and the chain that we are talking about here is Madras Coffee House. Established in 2010, Madras Coffee House has more than 85 outlets in the country already. Unlike the legacy models of sit-in cafes, this chain has all its outlets with no seating attached. They have made it clear that their sole focus is to bring about the true ethnicity and flavor in every cup of coffee that they serve.
Go and taste the authentic flavor of Madras in a cup if you have one nearby today!
3. Vidyarthi Bhavan
Another South Indian chain that has managed to get on this list of the best filter coffee houses in India is the iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan situated in Bangalore. The restaurant is so popular that customers have to wait for hours and even share tables during peak times. This craze itself cheers for the restaurant.
The place started in 1943 as a small eatery for students, hence the name. The ambiance is traditional, which vouches for the authenticity of taste and flavors. Despite intense competition, the restaurant has thrived for more than 75 years.
On your next trip to Bangalore, don’t miss out on an order of masala dosa and filter coffee at Vidyarthi Bhavan.
4. Ram Ashraya Restaurant
Coming to Western India and its heart – Mumbai, the best South Indian filter coffee can be found at Ram Ashraya restaurant, located in Matunga. It is known as foodie’s heaven, and one may face an hour-long wait on weekends – but it is definitely worth the wait.
You can also enjoy a traditional South Indian breakfast at Rama Ashraya that people long for. The restaurant opens at 5:30 AM and brings the feel of South India to Mumbai.
5. Saravana Bhavan
The last coffee house we would like to recommend is Saravana Bhavan, the largest South Indian restaurant chain globally. It was founded in 1981 in Chennai and expanded its reach in other parts of India, spreading its wings to make a mark globally as well.
This restaurant chain can be found in various countries such as UAE, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UK, South Africa, Germany, and many more. So if you are abroad and homesick, a visit to this restaurant and an order of filter coffee with a crispy Dosa will give you the feel of home. You can enjoy their original recipes along with filter coffee even far away from home.
Best Filter Coffee Powders And Coffee Powders In India
India is a hub for coffee; a report stated that over 53% of the population in India drank coffee on a regular basis. Bru instant coffee powder is one of the most easily recognized names across Indian households. However, as a true coffee connoisseur, we highly recommend trying out these coffee powders.
1. House Of Coffee – Filter Fables
Offering the perfect blend of coffee and chicory, the filter fables blend of Indian filter coffee powder is ideal for your everyday cup of filter kaapi! Please take a look at our other offerings of coffee powders in India.
2. Pristine
The Deccan gold premium filter coffee powder is made from a mixture of coffee and chicory. It’s an artisan coffee, which is made from a blend of Robusta and Arabica. The coffee beans are picked from the hills and valleys of Kudremukh up to the banks of the river Bhadra.
3. Seven Beans
The Urubage South Indian filter coffee powder is a blended product too. The beans used are grown, roasted, and packed in Chikmagalur. This product is a dark roast and is suitable for people who prefer a strong coffee.
4. Colombian brew
The Colombian Brew Arabica Espresso can be used to prepare espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, Moka pot, or South Indian filter coffee. The brand name is inspired by Franceso Romero, who is a 16th-century Columbian priest who started the coffee revolution in Columbia.
There are other brands, too, such as Hatti Kaapi, who sell chicory blended coffee powder and Mysuru Filter coffee powder. Despite so many brands of instant coffee powders, we have been able to identify the best for you.
It is necessary to avoid getting lost in the noise and compromising on quality and taste. Thus, keeping all things in mind, our talented coffee experts developed the best filter coffee powders that can be easily ordered from Amazon.
Our coffee powders are of exceptional and unquestionable quality and have outstanding taste. It makes every cup of coffee you drink count, as the aroma and taste make your coffee experience phenomenal with every sip you take.
If you haven’t tried our best filter coffee powder yet, then you’re missing out. A product that we recommend is Filter Fables from the House of Coffee. This robust blend is best suited for filter coffee lovers who like their coffee to be a bit intense. Kaapi drinkers are smitten with this blend’s dark chocolate aftertaste.
If you’re someone who wants a quick, on-the-go filter coffee Decoction, then our Instant Filter Coffee is the product you need. Grab a pack or two for yourself and your loved ones today!
India is the sixth-largest producer of coffee beans globally. Various types of coffee are grown across forests in our nation. The local coffee industry is snowballing and will only grow further, which means you can expect more unique flavors and blends from players like House Of Coffee. There are numerous types of coffee powders and blends available for purchase, so find the right fit for yourself. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your perfect version.
“Good ideas start with brainstorming, great ideas start with coffee”
