Filter Coffee vs Cappuccino: Difference and Comparison

Today Coffee is the most popular drink consumed by people. It is a great energy booster.

It not only provides energy but it also has many health benefits, Coffee is a great source of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamin B2 and B3. Both Filter Coffee and Cappuccino are a form of coffee.

Both have some sort of similarities and differences.

Key Takeaways

1. Filter coffee involves brewing ground coffee beans with hot water, producing strong, black coffee.
2. Cappuccino is an espresso-based drink with equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk.
3. Filter coffee offers a bold, intense flavor, whereas cappuccinos have a creamier, milder taste due to the milk content.

Filter Coffee vs Cappuccino

Filter coffee has no creamy or frothy top and is made by slowly pouring hot water through crushed coffee beans in a coffee filter with boiled milk and sugar added as per taste. Cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee drink mixed smoothly with frothy steamed milk foam on top.

Filter Coffee is a type of coffee made by mixing boiled milk with the infusion obtained by percolation brewing of finely ground coffee powder in a particular filter.

Here percolation refers to the movement of fluid through the porous material. It has no decorative creamy layer on its top only boiled milk is used for its preparation and sugar is added as per taste.

Cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee drink that is prepared with steamed milk and foam. It has a creamy layer of decoration on its top.

It may sometimes use cream instead of dairy products and use chocolate powder for flavoring purposes. Its appearance goes on changing from time to time, But its latest look is steamed milk with a creamy decorative layer on its top.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Filter Coffee	Cappuccino
Definition	It is prepared by mixing the coffee powder into boiled milk.	It is prepared by using a mixture of espresso, milk, and foam.
Etymology	It is derived from the Kannada word “Boondh Bisneeru”	It comes from the Latin word caption.
Decorative top layer	No decorative layer on the top.	There is a creamy decorative layer on its top.
Preparation	By brewing boiled milk into coffee powder	By brewing espresso, steamed milk, and foam.
Acidic nature	Less acidic	More acidic

What is Filter Coffee?

Filter coffee is made by brewing coffee powder into boiled milk using a filter. It was discovered by Sufi saints of Karnataka Taste of this coffee depends upon how much time you have brewed it.

Generally, it takes 10-12 minutes of brewing. . Most commonly used coffee beans are arabica and robusta.

The final coffee powder consists of the regular plantation, beans, peaberry beans with 10-30% of chicory added. Beans are medium roasted and properly blended.

Coffee is prepared in a metal device that has two cylindrical cups. The upper cup is loaded with fresh coffee.

The lid is placed on the top of the cup and then it is left to slowly drip the brewed coffee to the bottom.

Filter coffee is served after pouring back and forth arc-like motion. This leads to mixing the ingredients thoroughly and will set the temperature of the coffee.

Coffee is seen as a cultural icon in many states of India like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc. Filter coffee is served with jaggery instead of sugar. The traditional name of the coffee is “Boondh Bisneeru”.

Filter coffee is less acidic as compared to other coffee drinks and it has more subtle coffee flavors. The major factor which makes filter coffee different from others is the level of fineness of their grinds.

What is Cappuccino?

Cappuccino is a coffee drink that is prepared with steamed milk with a creamy layer on its top. It can be flavored with chocolate.

It has a thicker layer of microfoam. The word Cappuccino means “small capuchin” and it comes from the Latin word Caputium.

The most important factor for the preparation of cappuccino is the temperature and texture of the milk. When is prepared for cappuccino, microfoam is created with tiny air bubbles so that milk has a velvety texture.

Here microfoam is the finest form of milk used to prepare coffee drinks.

It depends upon the barista, the number of shots of espresso to be added to the cappuccino. Sometimes one or two shots are added.

Cappuccino can be identified by the decorative layering of cream or milk on its top. There are two main ways to prepare a cappuccino.

The first one is by milk form and another is latte art. The former follows the ratio rule i.e. 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, and 1/3 foam.

The latter use the recipe but the coffee is served in small cups with a layer of cream poured in a gentle way to make a design.

Main Differences Between Filter Coffee and Cappuccino

1. The way of brewing both the coffees is different. Because Cappuccino takes only 2-3 minutes whereas Filter coffee takes 10-12 minutes.
2. Filter coffee is prepared using a particular metal device but there are no such criteria in the case of Cappuccino.
3. Another major difference is appearance because the creamy layer is present in Cappuccino but not in filter coffee.
4. In case of taste, flavors are added to a Cappuccino but not to the Filter coffee. Generally, a chocolate flavor is added.
5. The quantity of serving both the coffee drinks may also vary because Cappuccino is served in small cups.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996918302175
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668909000350

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023