Early in the morning, a familiar scent draws you into the kitchen. A soft bubbling sound erupts as a liquid is poured into a cup. As you take a sip of the frothy beverage, it tastes like home. This is the memory which a simple cup of filter kaapi evokes for many.
The beverage which has become a global sensation today leaves behind history of timeworn traditions. It has seen innovation and experimentation. Yet, what lends the drink its legitimacy is the authenticity blended into it. For many across the world, a simple cup is enough to transport them back home.
History Of Filter Kaapi
Kaapi, a decoction made by brewing coffee in a traditional metal filter, has a long history of adaptation. It began with coffee beans arriving in India in the 17th century, brought by the Sufi saint Baba Budan, followed by large-scale cultivation led by the colonists. These plantations established coffee as a widely traded commodity. Yet consumption across the Indian colony remained limited to a few, and brewing methods stayed tied to European practices. Coffee was usually consumed black.
Over the years, the bean moved beyond the port and plantation, rooting itself firmly in South Indian households. As the Tamil Brahmins adopted the drink to appear ‘elite’, it became associated with communal gatherings. It began to be served as a gesture of hospitality and respect towards elders. The ritual of production itself became a community endeavour as men and women participated in the brewing process.
The common folk of the South developed a new brewing process by switching from cloth filters to a compact metal device, producing a rich decoction suited to daily life. Convenience gave rise to ingenuity. The decoction was no longer a standalone bitter liquid; instead, it was diluted and sweetened, and repeated pouring between vessels created froth as the coffee aerated.
Deprivation breathed new changes into the staple drink. As coffee reserves dwindled due to the First World War, prices rose. With prices skyrocketing, there was a demand to adapt. The texture and taste of the traditional kaapi became what we know it to be today with the introduction of Chicory into the blend. Chicory is a root which is roasted and blended with coffee beans to thicken the liquid. This adaptation survived beyond the shortage and became a distinct characteristic of the drink, adding a subtle woody, caramel flavour.
The Evolution Of Filter Kaapi
Filter coffee became woven into the very fabric of South Indian kitchens and lifestyle. The process capitalised on the climatic conditions of the region and made use of whatever was available. Its potential was realised more deeply however as it moved beyond domestic kitchens and became a part of the social lives of people. It was linked to the rise of intellectualism in several places, breeding conversation and discussion. The mid 20th century Indian run coffee houses facilitated the rise of filter coffee as a largely consumed beverage. As it travelled, it intertwined with local identities. Temporal and spatial considerations reflected themselves in flavour. Kumbakonam coffee came to be brewed in a way that the nutty notes of chicory were enhanced. Degree coffee resisted the use of water at all, using only cow’s milk to create a creamy cup.
The consumption of the filter coffee reached a much larger audience as it was integrated into artisanal desserts and cocktails. Modifications cannonballed since the experience of drinking coffee itself became an urban phenomenon. Cafés have increasingly experimented with taste, texture and ingredients. The culinary sphere has welcomed coffee as a base for desserts as well.
Micro-roasteries and experimentation are the hallmarks of the current third wave of coffee we are in. Spaces like Kahale- Filter Kaapi Bar in Bengaluru house traditional beverages alongside modern blends. Kahale, a heritage home turned café-bar-bakery, has curated a menu that is built around filter coffee, respecting the original taste while also adding new flavours. Their Vietnamese Iced Filter Kaapi puts a spin on the classic.
Nandan’s menu uses the ‘South Special’ decoction to produce varying drinks. These synthesise different flavour profiles, exemplified in the Peanut Chikki Filter Kaapi or Spiced Orange Vanilla Filter Kaapi. Spots such as Cafe Lota serve the Cold Kaapi, an iced cold-filtered coffee. This has absorbed the cult classic into the global iced coffee craze.
Coffee culture and dessert culture have also overlapped at establishments like Indu Ice cream. Indu’s tie up with Benne has resulted in the ‘Benne Fudge’ which serves brownies with filter coffee ice cream.
The popularity of the filter coffee soft serve, originating at Draavin Canteen, and kaapi affogatos cannot be ignored either. It has also been incorporated into cocktails at premium spaces like Nadoo. Indigenous traditions have been blended with global spirits to create flavours which are uniquely our own.
Revisiting Memories While Innovating
Filter coffee has traversed diverse terrains and seen much innovation. It has been adapted and readapted several times. Through the course of it all however what has stimulated this experimentation has been a close connection with the beverage. It is a comforting reminder of home, a catalyst for nostalgic recollection. For others, it serves as a tool to keep them entrenched in their culture. Even when you stray away from home and leave your culture behind to explore new avenues, the simple scent of a warm filter coffee is truly all you need to get back.
Yahvi Mariwal, co-founder of Nandan Coffee, notes how the familiar aroma comforted him in a new city. “In a new city, surrounded by the unfamiliar, brewing a South Indian filter coffee was immensely comforting and the coffee tasted so much like home”, he says.
Beyond commercialisation and profitability, the innovation that filter coffee has seen recently stems from nostalgia instead. Akhil Iyer, Benne’s founder, recalls waking up to the familiar scent of filter coffee every morning. It takes him back to his childhood. This is exactly the sentiment which he wishes to capture in the filter coffee served at Benne, Bangalore.
The feeling of familiarity is what has kept the culture of brewing alive. It represents a quiet dedication and deep loyalty towards culture. “Filter Coffee is nostalgia in a tumbler”, says Chef Harish Rao. HOSA’s decoction tries to stay true to Rao’s memories as he attempts to immerse his customers in comfort and culture with warm blends. Introduced to coffee by his mother, the essence of the coffee doesn’t come from the recipe for him. “It’s the ritual, the comfort, the hospitality and the memories attached to it”, he says.
The constant debates on its origin and the practice of reinventing it in different styles does not necessarily reflect an attempt to break away from tradition. Rather, it illustrates a deep relationship with the drink and an attempt to keep it alive in a variety of ways. The beverage which has kept people centered for ages has seen a revival and glamorisation. What keeps it relevant however is its authenticity and the memories attached to it.
Read more: These 4 Unique Coffee Experiences Allow You To Sip It In All Its Glory
