What Is Chicory in Filter Coffee?
The Kaapiswada family · 2026-10-15
What is chicory in filter coffee? Chicory is the dried, roasted and ground root of the chicory plant, mixed with ground coffee to give a darker, thicker decoction. It is not a coffee bean and it is not a flavouring. It is a separate ingredient that sits in the filter alongside the coffee, and it is a big part of why South Indian filter kaapi tastes the way it does.
We grow Arabica on our own family estate in the Mullayanagiri foothills of Chikmagalur, and we make filter coffee both with and without chicory. Customers ask us about it all the time, so here is a plain, honest answer.
What is chicory in filter coffee, exactly?
Chicory is a plant with blue flowers. The part used for coffee is the root. It is dried, roasted until it turns dark brown and then ground fine, so it looks very much like coffee powder and brews in the same way.
Two things are worth remembering:
- Chicory is not coffee. It comes from a different plant, so it never counts as "coffee" in a blend.
- Chicory root has no caffeine. In a blend, part of every spoon is chicory instead of coffee.
What chicory does to your decoction
You can see and taste the difference in the tumbler:
- Colour. The decoction comes out darker, close to black.
- Body. It feels thicker and heavier, so a small amount of decoction still colours a whole tumbler of milk.
- Taste. It adds a roasted, earthy, slightly bitter note that many families grew up with and call "real" filter kaapi.
- Staying power. Because of that body, the coffee does not vanish when you add hot, full-fat milk and sugar.
This is why chicory blends became the everyday filter coffee in so many South Indian homes. The cup is built for milk.
How much chicory is usual?
Blends are described as coffee to chicory, for example 80:20, 70:30 or 60:40. The first number is the share of coffee, the second the share of chicory. The more chicory, the darker and heavier the decoction, and the less coffee in each spoon.
We settled on 80:20 for our Swadamalnad. It keeps the thick, milk-friendly decoction people expect, while letting the Arabica stay the main voice in the cup. If you want to compare the two styles side by side, we explain the difference in filter coffee with or without chicory.
How to read a filter coffee pack
You should always know what is inside your coffee. When you pick up a pack, look for three things:
- The ratio. A blend should state its coffee-to-chicory ratio clearly, such as 80:20. If a pack just says "filter coffee" and gives no ratio, ask.
- The type of coffee. Does it say Arabica? Does it say where the coffee was grown?
- The origin. A single-estate pack tells you the coffee comes from one place, not a mix of many farms.
When you are choosing a blend, look for one that is clear on all three (like Kaapiswada Swadamalnad: an 80:20 blend made with single-estate Arabica from our own family estate in Chikmagalur).
Can you make filter coffee without chicory?
Yes, and plenty of people do. Pure coffee gives a lighter, cleaner decoction where the coffee's own character comes through. The trade-off is body, so you may want a little more powder or a little less milk. If that sounds like you, choose pure coffee (like Kaapiswada Pureswada: 100% single-estate Arabica from our own estate, no chicory). You can see it next to our blend on the coffee page.
Neither choice is wrong. It depends on how much milk you use and what taste you grew up with.
Questions people ask
Is chicory a coffee bean?
No. Chicory is a root from a different plant. It is dried, roasted and ground, but it is not related to the coffee bean.
Does chicory contain caffeine?
Chicory root itself has no caffeine. In a coffee-chicory blend, the caffeine comes only from the coffee part, so a spoon of an 80:20 blend has less coffee in it than a spoon of pure coffee.
Why do so many South Indian homes use chicory in filter coffee?
Many families simply grew up with the thick, dark, bittersweet taste it gives, and they still associate it with a proper cup of kaapi. It works especially well with plenty of hot milk.
How do I know how much chicory is in my filter coffee powder?
Check the pack for a ratio such as 80:20. If it does not say, ask the seller before you buy. A good pack states the ratio clearly, and a pure coffee pack should say it has no chicory.