When you are in Kumbakonam, one of the major towns of Tanjavur, in Tamilnadu, it’s a shame if you miss out on the world-famous Kumbakonam degree coffee, native to this region, particularly if you’re a coffee lover.
Locals would tell you that the secret to sizzling, hot Kumbakonam Degree Coffee is the pure milk, the aroma of the coffee and the traditional brass vessel.
Kumbakonam degree coffee is popular owing to its tangy aroma and flavor. As the name implies, it comes from Kumbakonam, also known as the ‘temple town of South India’.
The chicory added to the coffee is locally pronounced like ‘tikeri’, but eventually became popular as ‘degree’.
The milk that’s certified as pure is called degree milk; therefore, the coffee made out of it is termed degree coffee.
The first decoction is known as first degree this is an alternative explanation for the name’s origin.
The coffee beans for Kumbakonam coffee is Robusta and Arabica, mostly found in the hills of Kerala, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka.
There is a special preparation method involved in making this coffee powder, in addition to the high quality of milk that goes into preparing Kumbakonam coffee.
The quality of the coffee powder is a top-class because less quantity of chicory is used in its preparation. The decoction is prepared out of carefully picked chicory and coffee beans.
The ratio of coffee beans and chicory blend is 70:20. When 100gm of coffee beans is used for grinding into 80gm of coffee powder, it is rated as a good coffee bean.
The milk used is quite pure and has no adulterants. Because milk is nicely heated up in the double boiler, it usually remains super hot. A dubra is used for serving the coffee, a traditional South Indian way of entertaining guests with coffee or tea.
Though Kumbakonam degree coffee is available everywhere these days, it’s only at the name level most of them aren’t authentic like the Kancheepuram Sarees. You get to experience the real aroma and favor of the coffee only at Kumbakonam.
