Traditional South Indian filter coffee is a method and a blend, not a single bean. Hot water drips slowly through a metal filter to make a strong decoction, which is then cut with hot milk and sugar and pulled between tumbler and davara for froth.
Freshly roasted by Gray Cup, our roasting partner — ships across India.
The ratio decides the cup
Filter blends are described by Arabica:Robusta ratio:
- 80:20 / 90:10 — mostly Arabica: aromatic, smoother, mild bitterness.
- 70:30 — the classic "kaapi" balance: strong, full crema, more kick.
- With chicory (often 70:30 coffee:chicory) — adds body, a woody sweetness, stretches the coffee, and is the "authentic" South Indian taste for many people.
Chicory or no chicory
Chicory is a roasted root, not coffee. It has no caffeine, adds a dark syrupy body, and is traditional in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka filter coffee. If you want 100% coffee, look for "pure Arabica" or "no chicory" on the label.
Roast and grind
Filter coffee wants a medium to medium-dark roast and a fine-ish grind — finer than pour-over, coarser than espresso. Buy powder fresh and in small quantities; ground filter coffee stales fast.
Roasted vs green
The blends above are sold as freshly roasted, ready-to-brew powder or beans. Roasters building their own filter blend can source the Koraput Arabica base as green beans and add their own Robusta and chicory:
Prefer a ready roast-to-order filter blend? Gray Cup roasts Arabica/Robusta and Arabica/chicory filter blends from the same Koraput coffee.