Filter Coffee Chicory Ratio: How Much Is Right?

The Kaapiswada family · 2026-10-23

The classic filter coffee chicory ratio is 80:20: eighty parts coffee to twenty parts chicory. Coffee leads the flavour, and the chicory adds a darker colour, more body and a gentle bittersweet edge, which is why 80:20 holds up so well against hot milk in a South Indian filter kaapi.

We are a family that grows Arabica on our own estate in the Mullayanagiri foothills of Chikmagalur, and 80:20 is the blend we drink at home. If you want to try it, see our Swadamalnad filter coffee, which is 80% Arabica and 20% chicory. Here is what the ratio really means and how to pick the one that suits your cup.

What the filter coffee chicory ratio means

The ratio describes how much of the powder in the pack is coffee and how much is roasted, ground chicory root. In 80:20, four of every five parts are coffee. If you are new to the ingredient, our guide on what chicory is in filter coffee explains it from scratch.

Look for the ratio on the front of the pack. A good label tells you the coffee type (for example Arabica) and the chicory share, so you know what you are buying.

What each ratio does in the cup

No chicory (100% coffee): a cleaner, lighter cup where the origin of the bean comes through. This is the style of Pureswada, our 100% Arabica powder.
80:20: a thick, dark decoction with a bittersweet finish. It is the everyday classic for milky filter kaapi.
Higher chicory shares: a darker, heavier decoction, but the coffee flavour steps back. Some people like that, and it is a matter of taste.

We keep chicory at one-fifth because we want the Arabica to stay the main flavour. A blend can only be as good as the coffee in it, which is why we use Arabica from our own estate (like Kaapiswada Swadamalnad: our 80:20 blend made with single-estate Arabica from our own family estate in Chikmagalur).

How to choose your ratio

You drink milky kaapi, the darshini way. Start with 80:20. The chicory body stands up to a lot of milk.
You like your coffee lighter and aromatic. Try 100% Arabica with no chicory. Our comparison of 80:20 vs 100% Arabica helps you decide.
You are not sure. Buy a small pack of each and taste them side by side with the same milk and the same filter.

Whichever you pick, brew it properly. Use enough powder, rest the disc lightly and use water just off the boil. Our guide to how much coffee powder to use gives a starting point.

Can I mix my own ratio at home?

You can, by stirring chicory powder into 100% coffee powder. It works, but it is easy to get uneven. Mix well, taste, and write down what you used so you can repeat it. For a ready 80:20 blend made in one place, many people simply buy it (like Kaapiswada Swadamalnad: 80% Arabica and 20% chicory, from the same estate).

If you want to try it, see our Swadamalnad filter coffee or look at all our coffees.

Questions people ask

What is the standard chicory ratio in filter coffee? 80:20 is the classic and the one people mean most often when they say "filter coffee with chicory". You will also see other ratios on packs, so read the label.

Is 80:20 the same as 80% coffee and 20% chicory? Yes. Eighty parts coffee and twenty parts chicory, by weight of the powder in the pack.

What does 80:20 coffee chicory mean? It means eighty parts coffee and twenty parts chicory in the powder. It is the blend behind a thick, dark decoction, and it is how Swadamalnad is made.

What is the best chicory ratio for filter coffee? For a thick, milky kaapi, most people settle on 80:20. For a lighter cup that tastes more of the coffee, choose less chicory or none, and compare in our chicory guide.

Does more chicory make the decoction stronger? It makes it darker and thicker, not necessarily more coffee-tasting. Strength also depends on how much powder you use and how you brew.

What is the coffee and chicory ratio in Swadamalnad? Swadamalnad is 80% Arabica coffee and 20% chicory, from our own estate in the Mullayanagiri foothills. Browse the Swadamalnad filter coffee page for the pack details.

Do I need chicory for good filter coffee? No. It is a style choice. Read filter coffee with or without chicory to see which suits you.

Still choosing? See our buyer's guide to South Indian filter coffee powder.