The Ultimate South Indian Filter Coffee Guide (Slow Espresso)

IMPORTANT!!! It’s been a few years since we posted this guide and have learnt a lot during this time and made some BIG improvements to this technique. Watch the UPDATED guide to brewing with this device here: • SOFI 72: South Indian ...
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This is the first, detailed, step-by-step recipe to brew a slow espresso with the hugely underrated South Indian Filter. As always, we recommend using high-quality, specialty coffee. With this simple brewer, you will now be able to consistently make yourself a delicious cup of cafe-style coffee every single day, in your very own home! This technique can absolutely be used to brew South Indian filter coffee (kaapi) the traditional way. The subtle differences are clearly illustrated in the video linked here (Traditional South Indian Filter Kaapi: • Traditional South Indi... ). This video was shot and edited entirely in-house.
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Music: Composed, mixed and mastered in-house. Lo-fi beat showcasing several coffee sounds recorded during our morning coffee ritual.

[@aramse]

WATCH THE UPDATED GUIDE HERE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOUo3tsrbSlebM. It’s been a few years since we posted this guide and have learnt a lot during this time and made some BIG improvements to this technique. Updates: 1. At 7:13 use a WDT tool instead of the chopstick mentioned. It does a much better job of distribution. Watch our video 'The Art Of Manual Espresso' to know more about WDT. Clarifications: 1. Why throw away the tamper? This is actually a combination of a technique one of our grandmothers (who hated the plunger) used combined with a modern scientific approach that's very common with specialty coffee. There are multiple reasons why the "plunger" does more damage than good. - It's very poorly machined so the water flows over it unevenly onto the bed of coffee leading to uneven extraction. - It's curved (again not a precision curve) so it compacts the sides more than the centre causing water to again flow and extract unevenly. - For a tool like this to do anything positive it needs to be precision milled like tampers are for espresso. - The plunger is basically used as a crutch to allow one to pour more carelessly. - And lastly, the biggest issue is that at the end of every brew, almost 99% of the time, you'll see this plunger tilted to one side, digging a hold in the coffee bed and causing severe channeling. This is never a good sign. There is a lot of science that backs this method where you prepare the bed of coffee well and pour carefully to get an excellent, even, extraction. If you want a stronger concentrate you can control that by grinding finer. There's no need for the plunger. Good coffee brewed this way can actually be drunk neat (no dilution or milk) and will taste delicious. But don't take our word for it. Check out Jonathan Gagné's blog (coffeeadastra.com) to read more about the complexities of coffee brewing, especially percolation.

[@phugoid]

I'd choose a different name for this :D Since espresso got its name for something that could be brewed quickly, which also is why water is forced under pressure to get out the extraction quickly, your title is almost oxymoronic. Brought a smile, though, and lots of nostalgic memories :)

[@aramse]

@@phugoid haha the oxymoron was exactly what we were going for tbh. But like we mention in the video, the reason for calling it espresso is that the resulting coffee concentrate can be used much like espresso, as a base for milk based drinks. Technically speaking, it isn't true espresso unless it's brewed at 6-9bars of pressure, yet the moka pot is called a stove top espresso maker, the AeroPress has attachments like the fellow prismo that claim to make "espresso" and so on... So we took the same liberties with the South Indian filter :)

[@kaushik2248prayaga]

This is "making" love at its best. Thank you 3000 guys!!!

[@MessiAndA3]

I love how consistent this method is with a weighing scale. I use this instead of my moka pot now. Moka pots are whimsical.

[@mihirpotnis7933]

While I agree with that, moka pot can be used to make awesome espresso-esque coffee as well. Check out moka pot voodoo method by the wired gourmet. And yes I love this and moka pot both. Give different taste so I use both depending on my mood

[@mikeygomikey]

I love the encouragement to take a moment to meditate as per of the ritual. Too many times we can speed through our morning routine with foggy minds. I’m definitely encouraged to find some mindful moments now. Thanks!!

[@sakshisharma4551]

Loved it already and now love it even more

[@theprettydamned]

So glad you got a spot on James Hoffman's channel, or I'd not know this brewer exists! I'm definitely going to try to find one.

[@m.a.6478]

Great viedeo! I'm excited to learn about your way to prepare coffee, you explained it excellently. Now I need to find a south indian filter... (thanks James for bringing me here!)

[@arjungmurthy]

Love the videos guys! Nice to see someone on KZbin from India for coffee! Keep up the great work guys! Also love the quality of the production in the videos. Love to see more from you guys soon!

[@james.randorff]

I know what the next item making its way into my coffee gadgetry will be. Wow!

[@mesri3]

My God! An almost specific method for making filter coffee. Never thought I'd see the day.

[@mesri3]

By the way, what is the size of your coffee filter? Can the given ratios for coffee, water etc. be proportionately decreased or increased for smaller or bigger filters?

[@aramse]

​@@mesri3 hey, like we mention at 6:28 ours is a size 03 and measures 68mm in diameter. As for tweaking the recipe for a different sized brewer it will be roughly proportional and that would be a good starting point but it will require a bit of tweaking. The key to being able to use proportional ratios is the bed depth. 30g in a 68mm filter will be a shorter bed than in a smaller filter, so matching bed depth is a good way to be consistent across brewer sizes. I hope that helps.

[@jackdeslandes1515]

Amazing, I just recieved my brewer yesterday and thanks to your video have made an amazing cup of coffee! Quite possibly replacing the v60 on our next holiday!

[@nandishhegde9025]

I use the technique here with traditionally ground filter coffee powder and it's been amazing

[@TomHutchinson5]

Thank you for sharing. I'll have to head to my local Indian grocery to pick one up.

[@amritsingh9286]

The Meditation guide during brewing time is so cool.

[@harshitofood4367]

From evening out the bed with a chopstick to designing a standard kaapi filter and shipping it with a WDT😀, Exciting stuff! I am waiting to get my hands on the Sofi!

[@SambitBiswas]

Great video!

[@aramse]

Sambit Biswas Thanks a lot!

[@kkoppa]

Today I came to know what a south indian filter kapi is. I will make sure this tradition is carried on in my family

[@XVZam]

This kinda reminds me of a Vietnamese Phin filter. Very interesting brewer, I'll try to look for one here in the Philippines. Thanks for sharing this!

[@alkoxy]

So inspired by your video, I bought myself one of these little things and I must say, it's become my daily driver. But I'd like to point out a few observations of my experience with the "tapper". So depending on the bean and roast, its usage varies. One thing that I've observed that it is good for is keeping the temperature near the filter quite high....so if the drawdown doesn't happen fast enough, the coffee tends to become more bitter or acidic or both, depending on the characteristics of the final bean. So if it's a lighter roast and you like those more delicate, fruity flavours of coffee, I gently place the tapper on top and pour the water over the tapper and leave it in for the brew. This extracts a bit more acidity and a bit more bitterness, giving the coffee a nice roundness. But if you prefer it with less acidity and bitterness, you can take it out. So it's quite a handy little tool in my experience, allows you to further tweak recipes by having more control over the temperature of the water near the point of extraction. Medium grinds work better with the method I suggested..definitely a bit coarser than your grind

[@azimyunus6052]

The b roll is fantastic

[@mrsanne1991]

Thank you for sharing

[@aramse]

Here’s the upgraded technique: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOUo3tsrbSlebM As for grind size it will be similar to espresso which is a bit coarser that flour if that helps.

[@leelach1988]

Hey, I tried this, and it turned out great. I'm sure I wasn't as precise but still worked! Thank you so much. You've actually solved something for me.

[@aramse]

Thank you! Try our updated guide. We use a spoon to get even more consistent results. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOUo3tsrbSlebM

[@priyankavashisht5311]

Thank you! what a beautifully shot and articulated video

[@aramse]

Thanks so much! It's always great to hear from people that use this brewer. We obviously love it and are always tinkering. In fact we just posted another recipe of ours on Instagram if you're interested. Happy brewing. :)

[@waylonwillie5736]

Great video, I love that you are using this in the style of specialty coffee. I got a filter to use with the chickory coffee, but I'll try it out with specialty. Nice production quality too--I like the James Hoffman tribute music. Am I correct that you are not doing any tamping, but just using grind size to keep the flow rate slow?

[@aramse]

Hey, thanks for watching and commenting! You are correct, no tamping. Grind size alone dictates the draw down time, assuming that you've distributed correctly and incorporated the 2 swirls to settle the coffee bed. There is a little more info on the ratios we like to use for chicory coffee in the video linked below, in case you're interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ2sZ4eIeLyoi8k We're also glad you noticed the music. This track was actually composed, mixed and mastered by us, and if you listen carefully you'll hear a bunch of coffee sounds that we recorded, including the clicks of the comandante grind size adjuster. :)

[@herambdeware789]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I watched a tonne of videos to understand exactly how to use the south indian filter and every video gives you a very basic set of instructions and leaves out a big space for experimentation. But with lot of practice I have finally managed to get a good cup of coffee from it. I am going to try out your recipe soon. Just two points, the plunger like tool does have a small use. When you pour water over the coffee grounds, it can dig a hole in the grounds, especially when you have a smaller amount of coffee grounds and go directly to the lower chamber and that completely spoils your coffee. So what you can do is put the plunger over the coffee grounds and pour the water over the head of the plunger slowly. Once you have poured enough water for blooming, you can remove the plunger. The other small thing is when you are doing the bloom, do not put the lid over the top chamber, let the gases release in the outside air. I hope that makes it better. One good thing about your video is it gives exact amount of water and coffee and that's what I was looking for. Of course my filter is a lot different, but still it will be a good starting point. Thanks a lot.

[@aramse]

Hey great suggestions. 1. Yes, in case you don't have a gooseneck kettle you can use the plunger to pour without digging a hole in the bed, but once you remove it you run the same risk. Experiment and see what works for you. 2. Our lid has a small hole on top but even if it doesn't you're opening it back up in a few seconds so it's not going affect the brew ay all.

[@herambdeware789]

Thanks.

[@03Karthikeyan]

Nice video! Great job being so detailed. It is very hard to get quality guides like this for this brewer. I am experimenting with my filter coffee brewer and I am excited to try this technique. P.S: My mom had the same reaction when she saw me using the tamper. Threw it out in the trash haha

[@aramse]

Thanks a lot, Karthik. Give it a try and let us know how it goes. If you have any questions then ask away and we'll be happy to help! Haha, yes that "tamper" is horrendous!

[@specialagento486]

Great video! (I’ve been going through your videos after your post on James Hoffman’s channel.) I’ll have to see if I can get a South Indian filter locally. Oh, and meditation or no, there is no downside to having your kitchen smell like great coffee for 7-10 minutes while this brews. Seems like that’s a feature, not a bug.

[@punith1995]

You can try Amazon, it quite cheap apparatus 5-10 dollars If you can get a bronze one even better

[@MadisonRuppert]

Thanks for the excellent video. What ratio would you recommend for an Americano-style drink made with this decoration? Thanks!

[@Vishu12]

I wish I could present my projects this way !!!

[@ChoobChoob]

I brewed without the plunger. It took 4 hours. The end result was delicious.

[@RUTUMA]

Wouldn't you need to reheat though?

[@nikhilmalhotra2319]

This is my method too(without the tamper). Comes out just great. I also use 50 grams of coffee depending on the coffee.

[@aramse]

We actually brewed 20g in and 80g out today. Worked great for this fruity coffee from Savorworks. The technique seems to hold up no matter how much you play with ratios. :)

[@chuffmeister1130]

Hey! I've found this to be the best video on South Indian filter coffee by a long shot. Thanks! I've been using this recipe and getting great results. I wanna know your thoughts on moka pot. Does it make stronger / weaker / better / worse coffee compared to the south indian filter?

[@shermanj7894]

I just travelled to india and fell in love with the flavour of south indian filter coffee. Brought some coffee back with me and I cant wait to try this recipie :) Thanks so much for taking the time to work it out and teach us how to make it!

[@aramse]

Thanks for watching and commenting. We have an updated brew guide in case you missed it. Check the first pinned comment for the link.

[@shermanj7894]

@@aramse thanks for letting me know. I did miss it. Ill check it out :)

[@varisht4]

Thanks for doing this recipe. Im looking to use an aeropress with a metal filter for this recipe. Shoud i change the grind size if im using a chicory blend?

[@rahuljethani8769]

Thanks for this video i was looking all over the internet to be found out i was just one click away.

[@alexandraengland3274]

Bought a filter and used it today. Great coffee. If any Americans are looking for one, Ministry of Kaapi sells good quality filters and also Indian coffees, including some mixed with chicory. A note though that they are much smaller than the one used here. Mine is about half the size, so I used 15 grams of ground coffee instead of 30.

[@aryadhrangdhria3496]

Hey, I also have the small size brewer. Does your brew also take more thank 10 minutes ?

[@alexandraengland3274]

@@aryadhrangdhria3496 Hmmm I don't time it too much. I'd say 10 is about how long it takes for me. If it tastes bitter or draws down too slowly maybe grind a little coarser than you have been.

[@4broadacre]

Hi, thanks for video. Just a question, will this method work for smaller amounts of coffee (ie the usual 15-17g)?

[@StuartCrabtree]

I love this. Anyone know where to get a South Indian brewer? Wonder if you can improvise with an Aeropress?

[@hydraagod]

Any idea where I can get this particular container ? Looks well made

[@2000mipo]

This is such a good and relavent video! I have working been on my recipe for about 8 months, the ratio I have settled on is 1:4 although this for with chicory (prefer it with milk that way) I’ll try this tomorrow and make a long black.

[@2000mipo]

Although swirl after 30 sec

[@2000mipo]

AND THANK YOU FOR THROWING THE FUCKING TAMPER

[@2000mipo]

What’s your output mass?

[@aramse]

@@2000mipo while the coffee to water ratio is 1:6 the coffee to output is ~1:4. So 15g in and 60g out. Or 30g in and 120g out.

[@RicardoMQA]

Dear friends, great videos! Can you please tell me where to find one of those traditional Indian filter? I am pretty far, in Brazil, but I'd like to try one of those!

[@utkr21]

Great guide, just wanted to know, if I wanted to make the decoction for a single cup of coffee only, do I need to half the ingredient amounts? Also, how many tablespoons of coffee powder would it be

[@scottla1113]

Awesome video! How many clicks did you use on your Comandante for this recipe? Does it vary depending on the coffee/roast?

[@aramse]

We're usually between 10-12 clicks but there can be a 1 or 2 click variance from grinder to grinder. So test and see what works for you.

[@kpopimpresario3997]

i'm going to try to find this filter. I love using the vietnamese phin, and this looks like somewhat similar.

[@aramse]

The phin is the closest to this brewer and should work with this technique

[@gandharvchawla9043]

Hi! Any opinion on using a brass vs stainless steel filter. Obviously price is a factor but I was interested in impact on taste and if one is clearly better than the other? Apparently brass reduces acidity.

[@scumfungus]

So essentially this is a mixture of immersion and percolation brewing. Interesting.

[@aramse]

Technically it's slow percolation only as you never stop the water flow and allow the coffee to steep.

[@0whitestone]

Let's Brewer looks very similar to a Vietnamese phin brewer, I will try and adapt it to that

[@AshokKumar-wh7gg]

Hello. Firstly, thank you for this video. I've been getting such bad results with the South Indian filter and i now understand why... I'm definitely gonna try out your method! I also have a question. I've been looking for a coffee grinder which grinds coffee beans suitable for making espresso/filter coffee. I did some research and found out that those kind of suitable manual burr grinders are usually priced to the north of 15k. Would you please suggest a manual grinder within the budget of rs 5k that could reasonably do that job? I'm sure that there does exist that not so perfect yet does the job alternative? I'd really appreciate your help.

[@simonjohnson2897]

This woman is the new James Hoffman!

[@chomunandan6479]

Hi! I love this video(and your channel) and have been previously following this recipe using preground coffee. I recently purchased a comandante C40 and I was wondering how many clicks do you use for filter kaapi. Thanks!

[@aramse]

Thank you so much! We’re glad you found the video helpful. We’re usually between 10 - 12 clicks on the C40 depending on the coffee and roast level. Once you’ve got the technique down though, it’s always fun to play around an find what tastes best to you. We’ve been experimenting with smaller doses and Turkish grind sizes recently and the results have been really interesting.

[@chomunandan6479]

@@aramse Thank you so much! Turkish grind does sound interesting! I hope it doesnt take much time on the comandante to grind 😅

[@phugoid]

Nice video. I seek clarification about one point you make. Is heating water to circa 80C and shutting off the flame the same as boiling it and then let it cool down to 80C? I somehow think not, although I don't have evidence. The former will retain some of the dissolved oxygen, I think, and expelling it all by first boiling and then cooling it mightn't exactly result in re-dissolution, if you know what I mean

[@SheogorathWaldo]

Did you notice a change with preheating the coffeemaker prior to the brew? Since it's metal, does it suck a lot of heat out quickly? Also, where can I find one in the USA?

[@AkashPi]

decotion with a coffee-chickory blend (narasus iykyk) is something i can’t rec highly enough! i know that preground coffee may not be something that comes to mind in this context but it’s what my family always has and it is just so delicious

[@amuslim3706]

I want to make my own blend but I don't know how.

[@shareej]

Heart of south indian filter coffee is the 80% coffee 20% chicory blend. Make it into a very thick (espresso kind) concoction using either south indian filter, percolator, espresso machine or even french press and then mix it with hot sweetened milk and and you get south indian coffee.. Here, what he makes is just an espresso thick drip coffee using the apparatus traditionally used to make south indian filter coffee. It won't taste anything like a south indian filter coffee.

[@aramse]

Hey Shareej, espresso used to be dark roasted coffee, predominantly robusta, brewed at 9bars flat. Today espresso is very very different and science has shown that you get better results with pressure/flow profiling. Things change and evolve, so here we're trying to show you how you can get the best results with this brewer, irrespective of whether you're brewing light roasted specialty coffee or a traditional blend of 80 coffee 20 chicory. In fact we made this video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ2sZ4eIeLyoi8k) explaining how you can use this technique to make traditional kaapi. We just think this brewer is capable of a lot more than just making "traditional kaapi" and we're trying to give more global appeal by showcasing its versatility. P.S. my family has been making South Indian filter coffee for decades and they stopped using chicory many years ago. It is still authentic, excellent coffee.

[@Ratv57]

Very nice video. Very eager to try out this. I have ordered your brewer but it's not available. In the meantime I will order off the internet and see what happens.

[@oznerolerdna]

Do you think it would be possible to use an Aeropress to achieve something close to a kaapi? I'm guessing you could get pretty close using your grind size and ratios above, and if you skip the plunger and maybe double up on the paper filter or something. Would love to know your thoughts on that

[@aramse]

Yup possible. AeroPress with a coarse metal Filter can get you close. You need to play with dose and grind size as the AeroPress has a smaller diameter.

[@obelixx1234567890]

Lovely video. The process is very similar to the V60 pour over (James Hoffman method) in your previous video. So, is there a way I can use a V60 filter to get a South Indian filter coffee?

[@aramse]

Thank you Obelixx. Unfortunately the shape of the V60, the size of the hole below and the paper filter do not allow for long percolations like the South Indian Filter. The paper filter will clog well before you get to a grind size that is used in this brewing method. You can pull off something close using an AeroPress with a metal filter if that something you have access to. We hope you get your hands on a South Indian Filter though :)

[@obelixx1234567890]

@@aramse If I understand correctly, we will not get the desired concentration and extraction of a South Indian filter coffee using a V60. V60 will give a much lighter brew. Is that correct? I have a Vietnamese Coffee Filter. The South Indian Filter apparatus looks very similar to it except for the bottom container. Will that be able to give the desired result if I follow the same steps you have mentioned?

[@aramse]

@@obelixx1234567890 That is correct. Also, the Vietnamese Phin is the closest to the South Indian and this technique should work with. You may need to tweak grind size and brew ratio to hit the right brew times.

[@seemamehta2857]

I Don’t have a measuring scale . What is the ratio of coffee and water as I Will be using measuring spoons and cups ?

[@rishab.j]

How much decoction( by weight) did you get in the end ?

[@WhatsInAName222]

Excellent video guys. My most useful takeaway is to toss that plunger thingee. I’ve always wondered how to use it correctly and if I should simply not use it. Now you have finally shown me the way 😂. I use this brewer often in addition to the Kalita Wave and the Clever Coffee Dripper. I like my coffee black so I’m still working on the right type and ratio. Just saw you guys on James’ channel and promptly came here from there. Great work guys. BTW Bong Eats channel also has an excellent video on filter coffee. Check it out.

[@111nitya]

I’m waiting for this to come back in stock……

[@MerganNaidoo]

The best coffee I've ever had was when I visited South India. Not sure whether it was the fact it was brewed using this method or the "buffalo" milk . I hope I can find this press in Durban

[@aramse]

That's awesome. We hope you get a hold of this brewer in Durban and get to try it out.

[@gunavathim8202]

There is a major chance that it was a filter coffee 😊

[@gokulsampath9345]

Buffalo milk makes a much better filter coffee due to its higher fat content.

[@Zoyb3rg]

Oh great, you know what my wife told me last week? “You probably need more coffee stuff, I’d be OK with that”

[@keithpp1]

It is interesting that India has its own coffee filter equipment, made of brass, passed down through the generations. And yes, I would love to get my hands on one to try. Where I have questions is on heat retention. A lid popped on after first bloom, water between 85 and 90 C, brass an excellent conductor of heat, a brew time of up to 15 minutes, is not the final brew lukewarm? Is there similar in Ceylon? Ceylon famous for tea, but once it was famous for coffee, tea replaced coffee when coffee leaf rust wiped out the coffee plantations. Old surviving coffee trees have been found, at least a century old, the best coffee cherries selected, new trees planted, a nascent coffee industry. The roasted coffee shipped to a Ceylon Coffee House in England. Not ideal, and this is where I would disagree, it is best to ship the green beans than to roast at source. Too risky for the roasted beans they need to be fresh, and the expertise in the roasting not good enough. A trial roast is being arranged in the UK. I cannot say more as coronavirus has put everything on hold. But hopefully more than one coffee roastery, more than one variety, and in the coffee shop, Indian brass coffee filter would be interesting to try. keithpp.wordpress.com/2021/02/14/the-fourth-coffee-wave/

[@sugatabasuroychoudhury1773]

It similar to Vietnam coffee filter because I use that technique to make filter coffee and I put condensed milk and ice to make Vietnam ice coffee

[@shyammurugan6625]

Do you also have a recommendation for the hand grinder, tried and tested?

[@aramse]

Depending on your budget we'd recommend the Timemore C2, 1ZPresso JX or JX PRO and the Comandante C40 at varying price points.

[@ArunSingh-zp2zb]

Hi. Great video. I've been trying to find a detailed guide for this method. Just wanted to check, even after 15 minutes there is hardly any decoction which I am getting. What could the issue here. With the equipment itself or the grind size?

[@aramse]

Hey there. It could be a few things. Grind size is definitely one but dose, filter diameter and hole size can also impact brew time. If you can answer the following questions we can help diagnose this problem better. 1. Do you grind your own coffee? If yes then try going coarser. It would also help to know what grinder you have. 2. What size is your filter? Is there a number on it? If you could tell us the rough diameter of the filter portion that would be very useful. 3. How many grams of coffee are you brewing? 4. Are you doing and tamping or tapping to compact the coffee? If yes then this is to be avoided with this technique.

[@ArunSingh-zp2zb]

@@aramse Thanks for the detailed reply. My inputs 1. I grind my own coffee using a manual grinder. For this method I usually go for a fine grind. Will try a bit coarser. 2. It is the standard size filter which you get in local shops in Bangalore. Can brew not more than two or three cups. 3. I used 15g of coffee and 90 ml of water. 4. No tamping whatsoever. I threw it away,as you said :)

[@aramse]

@@ArunSingh-zp2zb Cool, then grind size/grinder seems to be the culprit here. Try going coarser quite a bit coarser and get your draw down time to around 6:30, then slowly go finer and taste and tweak. Congrats on throwing away the tamper. Haha :)

[@shrushtikulkarni9462]

Keep it for 2.5 hours.

[@rohanrohilla1080]

Noice 😀

[@hds1337]

can i brew this with 15g/90g coffee/water? or what would I have to change?

[@anshikaverma9964]

Hi! Great video guys! A quick question, so I was ordering pre grinded coffee from blue tokai and while ordering I saw that they give you different grind size options. And there's espresso (fine or commercial), home espresso, moka pot and then came the south Indian filter. So yeah my question is that should I stick with espresso or should I go with the south indian filter? Or is the difference there in terms of making a traditional south Indian kaapi? P.s. I know grinding fresh is important but to grind the correct grind size I need some sort of reference point and I feel that it's better to get a proper idea instead of eyeballing through a video, just to be sure sure you know? I think that I'm completely capable of making it too fine. P.p.s. I'm coming from a place where I don't know the difference between commercial espresso and home espresso (which I know now but still dk the need to have that difference, aren't the machines same at the end of the day?) Edit: shit my message is long, it's not a quick question now, is it? 🙈🙊

[@aramse]

Hey sorry about the super late reply. What espresso machine do you own currently?

[@4broadacre]

Must admit that I am a little conflicted about this recipe. As a South Indian and a fellow coffee geek, I agree that this device does produce a nice cup of coffee that is usually served with boiled milk and sugar. However, I am a little unsure of the necessity of over-complicating the usual method. For example what is the purpose of chopsticks for declumping or blooming when the coffee will be in contact with water for such a long time? Also isn't the tamp used on the dry bed and then you pour water on it - this way you get a flat bed which isn't disturbed by pouring water. Likewise I can only imagine what any Aunties would think if you started using a digital scale!

[@gokulsampath9345]

Yeah its for coffee geeks. Regular aunties would never use a scale, they have to make coffee for the whole family sometimes multiple times a day. That being said it's not that different from the original. Many traditionalists choose to brew without the plunger anyways. The reason their coffee tastes so good though is simple because the coffee is fresh. They go to a coffee works and get it ground every 2 weeks or so. It's simple.

[@tejasudha]

Great video folks. I never managed to get the same taste as the ones you get in India with chicory mixed in. Im interested in understanding how chicory changes the taste profile of filter kapi. I felt using just the coffee makes it very light for my palate when I mix it with milk.

[@aramse]

Yes with specialty coffee you'll get a thinner decoction that's well extracted so you'd use more of it and less milk/hot water depending on what drink you make. You can avoid chicory and go for a slightly darker roast, finer grind (hence longer brew time), lower temperature water to get a thicker decoction that's not too over extracted.

[@MessiAndA3]

Go for dark roasted coffee, and for every gram of coffee pour 5-5.5 ml of water depending on the coffee.

[@gokulsampath9345]

If you go to a coffee works (there are many in Chennai amd Blore) you can get blends Arabica AA and Peaberfy coffee. Those work great for this and there is no need of chicory. My grandmother never had her coffee ground with chicory and she is as traditional as they come.

[@ramkumarm9431]

I’m curious, how long does the decoction stay before it goes bad? I remember my mom used to make one in the morning and using it throughout the day but, the coffee used to come out drip by drip.

[@aramse]

Great question. Coffee actually oxidises fairly quickly so it'll taste best if used immediately after brewing. You could keep it for longer but you'll lose a lot of flavour. If you had to store then try and keep it in an airtight container and use it within a few hours.

[@pranavpandit9666]

Hey, what click range you would suggest for Comandante for this method?

[@aramse]

9 - 12 clicks for our Comandante

[@ramkumarm9431]

Btw can you add chicory in the hand grinder as well? Did you guys use chicory in any way?

[@aramse]

We address chicory here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ2sZ4eIeLyoi8k). You can grind fresh and add it to the coffee or you can buy chicory powder.

[@gpkumaran]

For black coffee, we just interchange milk with water right? Do I need to change the decoction amount too?

[@aramse]

Kumaran G P yes that is correct but the quantity of water would dictate the strength so dilute accordingly and find your sweet spot. Also try this recipe -20g in with 120g of water for a 6:30 - 7:30 brew. We been experimenting with this ratio and have had really tasty results!

[@eragonmerlin]

For my own reference - Recipe starts at 6:40

[@taylorwhite3636]

I have so many thoughts/questions! 1. Do you have any idea where someone in the U.S.A. could buy a quality one? (I imagine filter pore size and the material make a difference!) 2. My gut is that, the hole sizes in the metal filter will impact the recipe a lot (change brew time, how many fines pass through, etc). Has this been your experience? I wonder if there is any standard size hole. 3. I wonder if some special burrs like high uniformity burrs would be good for this method. These types of burrs are not known as espresso burrs, but with very low fines, perhaps you could get a fine, even particle size... Without a lot of fines passing into the brew. 4. Have you ever tried filtering the concentrate through an aeropress? I do this with some unfiltered brews (like french press) and sometimes get tasty results! 5. How many clicks on Commandante grinder are you using for your recipe?

[@yashbagri6264]

Hey, I'll try answering: 1. Amazon might be selling the filters. Search for South Indian Filter Drip. It should retail for $30-35. 2. It is extremely non-standardized but a high quality product with thicker steel should last you long enough. Traditionally it is made with brass and can last a century. 3. I use a Timemore grinder and have gotten decent results without high uniformity burrs. You should definitely try if you have one at hand. 4. I did that over a V60, it does well for lighter roasts. 5. 2-3 clicks higher than what you'd use for espresso.

[@prassnnahegade4611]

Hi, What is the extraction rate? How much espresso did you get in the end?

[@aramse]

The coffee will typically absorb a little more than it's own weight in water so you're going to get around 140 - 150g of espresso. So that's 180g in and 150g out in 7 - 10 mins, so you have all the numbers to calculate the rate. Our latest recipe uses 20g in and 75g out for a single serving. It's a stronger concentrate that works great with 135ml of textured milk! Check out the recipe on our Instagram page. Link in the description.

[@rohitghosh7319]

Hi team, thanks for the recipe. Had a query When I pour after the bloom, the coffee particles starts floating. Is this common, or am I messing it.

[@aramse]

Hey Rohit this is normal, you can try holding a spoon a couple cms from the coffee bed and pouring onto that to break the kettle stream and deliver the water more gently onto the bed. This will lower the agitation and allow you to grind finer and have a lot less sediment in the cup.

[@susanmarie5657]

Can wait until you are able to offer international shipping

[@mraymanTube]

Before throwing away the press you need to know what that’s for. Obviously you don’t understand it’s real purpose. It prevents from coffee grounds getting wet directly from a hot stream of water. Without the press, It will also create of lot of channels for water to pass through without the grounds getting evenly extracted. Lastly the light weight of the press helps the water to pass through in a timely manner not getting over extracted. Similar setup also can be seen in Vietnamese phin filters. What you have done is essentially a pour over method not a press filter method that it was originally designed to be.

[@aramse]

Thanks for watching. While I completely understand where you're coming from these conclusions were drawn after years of testing, measuring, tasting and tweaking. So I'll respond in points: 1. Here’s the updated technique: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOUo3tsrbSlebM (much clearer explanation as to why we're doing what we're doing and easier to follow and get great results). 2. The pinned comment on this video has a clear explanation of why the “press” causes a lot of problems. 3. This style of brewing is percolation which is exactly like any other pour over. It just uses finer grounds is all. 4. We're not the first ones to brew without the press. We've seen several traditional households do the same and achieve excellent results.

[@varunmadhwani5238]

How do I make a very strong coffee with this process with 80% milk?

[@ernestoche8264]

Hi on the comandante how many clicks have u used for that grind settings.

[@DrSuneethaOncologist]

Exactly the same question I had

[@aramse]

Hey there, depending on the coffee and dose anywhere between 9 - 12 clicks.

[@harshsanghavi3508]

Isn't pressure what makes an espresso what it is? This feels more like concentrated pour over. Sure the grind is finer, but that just means more extraction right?

[@deepmekan8291]

hey I just wanted to know that can we half this recipe down for just brewing a single cup of coffee? Or does it have to brewed with 30g coffee always?

[@aramse]

Hey absolutely you can half it. Just be aware that you may need to tweak grind size a bit and a smaller dose is shallower and can tend to channel more easily. Check out the WDT section in our latest video The Art Of Manual Espresso. This works even better than chopsticks for distribution.

[@pplatte]

When he threw away the leveller, that is exactly when I realised this is the most accurate south Indian filter coffee recipe I could find ❤️ Cause my mom always says don't ever use that leveller🤭🤣

[@ravisharora19]

With 30 gms coffee and 180ml of water what was your output? I do have a filter that i am using but its smaller. So just trying to adjust the calculations Great video. And James Hoffman acknowledging is a great feat. I have been using this filter for almost 6 years. Seeing this on an international scale feels great. Thanks for bringing the filter and the technique in the limelight on a global scale and helping to carry our traditions along with us in the modern age.

[@aramse]

Hey thanks for watching and commenting. So first up I would highly recommend you watch this updated video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOUo3tsrbSlebM). You can skip to the brewing part. As for ratio a good starting point with this brewer is 1:6 input to get ~1:4 output. So we usually do 20g coffee with 120g water to get ~80g of decoction. For your smaller brewer you could scale that down proportionally for starters and tweak based on taste from there. Hope this helps.

[@ravisharora19]

@@aramse Thanks for the quick response. I just checked that my filter is 55mm (approx) in diameter and the collection chamber can hold 120ml of decoction Usually I would fill it up almost half with coffee. I never checked it before today that its approximately 24 grms of coffee. Then I would actually tap it to flatten the bed and pour water twice because the filter would fill up and I would try to make a full 120 ml of decoction. This method worked for me with 80/20 coffee grind (Grand Aroma) from Panduranga (India). I would get a good strong decoction and a 30 ml shot would be enough for 180-200ml cup. Now that I am in Spain I am experimenting with local coffee grinds and the results have been good as well as bad. As you rightly said its all about experimentation. I will be using this guide to build a baseline with different coffees and then tweak things as per my liking. I have a few more questions. 1. Is it ok to pour water multiple times if needed? Like having 2 rounds of draw downs? 2. Any alternative to WDT?

[@lore_garden]

Guys, what is there is still water left on the top half even after 10mins? Am I supposed to drip the whole amount through? Or am I doing something wrong and it should have dripped through faster?

[@aramse]

Go by taste but to speed up draw down you can grind coarser and also swirl less aggressively.

[@axr42]

A brought back a Brass Leo South Indian Coffee Filter form India and it is frustrating sometimes xD Also, no temper included

[@watchernode6138]

tried this, the hot water trickles down within 1 or 2 minutes. And the bottom part gets stuck, due to vaccum or something, its becomes too hot.

[@psychonaut4650]

Thanks for going into details. Hopefully I finally got my ratios right "240ml mug size 15g filter coffee (80:20) a) 30ml hot water (bloom) b) 45ml hot water 75ml total hot water (5x coffee) 60ml decoction (4x coffee) add sugar to decoction 180ml hot milk (3x decoction)" I'm wondering if I should replace sugar with cinnamon power and add a dash of ground nutmeg lol.

[@meghagupta8963]

recently bought lavazza coffee and this filter is free with it. how can I know if the coffee is extracted perfectly

[@aramse]

Look for a flat bed after the water has drained through. That indicates an even extraction. Then it's just taste. You could use a refractometer to check extraction yield but that's probably overkill to enjoy your everyday cup. Haha :)

[@sdhruv95]

Pls shoot more b roll? Ima be honest, it got a liiiittttle boring. That's all some visuals of things you were talking about would've helped. Great video. Can't wait to try this out myself. The tamper yeet made me lol.

[@aramse]

Thanks for the feedback. We've incorporated a lot more broll into our newer videos.

[@paragsathe08]

Can Channi grind can be used fror this method ??

[@aramse]

No unfortunately Channi grind is too coarse for this brewer. You need to grind as fine as you do for espresso to get good results

[@mikeygomikey]

Also, where can we buy this?? 😊

[@gokulsampath9345]

Amazon

[@geekgod3947]

It is taking wayy longer for my filter to produce decoction it just sits down on top and I keep waiting for eternity. It's a 400 ml unit is that the problem?

[@aramse]

There could be multiple reasons for this. You could check out our latest video 'Troubleshooting Percolation Brews' (kzbin.info/www/bejne/p36XZ2OuYtOXbtU) to see if any of those tips/techniques help.

[@geekgod3947]

@@aramse whoa thank you for replying!! I'll check it out just got a chicory blend delivered after I got to work it twice 😀

[@biribiri9457]

Functionnality wise, this brewer is very similar to the vietnamese brewer

[@abhisheknath5363]

Looks delicious guys! 6:1 ratio is something I’ve never tried. Usually doing espresso or drip so this is somewhere in between. I use a similar method for pour over (with the bloom and the swirl on top). I guess the concept is the same regardless of brewing technique? We want to minimize channels/maximize surface area. Anyway thanks for keeping focussed on the important things in life :) people need to be taking their daily dose of decoction more than ever now ;)

[@aramse]

Abhishek Nath Hey thanks! Yes the 6:1 puts this right in the middle. What we found most interesting is how unique the taste profile is and that probably comes from the longer brew time with a finer grind size which is quite unique to this brewer and the phin. Regarding the technique, yes these are standard principles of distribution that can be used with most brew methods but vary subtly from one to another. Like the bloom swirl here is longer and more aggressive than what we do for a V60. Haha absolutely daily decoction is of paramount importance! :)

[@Potapes]

Well call it an espresso is like calling I do not know. A computer mouse a keyboard. Both connect to the PC and you can use both to navigate threw system and all your work. From Pressure, you have it in the name. No, I am not mad on you. I am mad :D Thank you for this video!

[@aramse]

Fair point but in our defence we do explain why we termed it a slow espresso. It is a concentrated brew that can be used like espresso to make milk based drinks. Technically nothing brewed under 4bars of pressure is an espresso but you still have mokapots that are called stove top espresso makers and ppl even use the aeropress you make “espresso”. So it’s just a name we liked and nothing that was meant to be technically accurate :)

[@Potapes]

Yes, Mokka pot. :D In Italian lang. espresso can also be about speed. And many people are making bad coffee in it with a few seconds on a stovetop. Undrinkable for me, but fast :D But also espresso in Italy is undrinkable usually … :D xD Yes, I know you explained it in the video. You are talking about concetrate. But I still wanted to react :D I am sorry :D