I have been using this tool for about a year. In combination with a food scale, Chemex bleached filters, a Capresso hot water kettle, great coffee (like Ruta Maya Dark Roast), and of course clean filtered water, Chemex makes consistent coffee with no bitter after taste. I watched > 10 videos on You Tube, taking the best features of each to come up with my Chemex specification for great coffee (see below). The key is to use good measurement tools to maintain day-to-day consistency and to ensure you are brewing at the correct temperature to avoid extraction of the bitter components of the coffee beans.
Chemex is superior because glass is easy to clean and does not hold odors like plastic or even stainless steel. The price is very reasonable for a tool that can produce a full body, full flavor, no bitter after taste cup of coffee!
How to make Chemex Coffee
I Equipment
– A Chemex 6 Cup Coffee Maker
– B Chemex Bonded Filter Squares (Oxygen cleansed)
– C Hario V60 Drip Scale / Timer
– D Kitchen Aid Coffee Grinder
– E Capresso H2O Pro Water Kettle
II Ingredients
– A Purified Water 56 ounces
– B Whole Coffee Beans 45 to 55 grams
III Procedure (Makes 30 ounces or 1 1/3 cup of coffee)
– A Boil Approximately 56 ounces of water in Capresso Kettle (212
F).
– B Place Chemex Filter in Chemex Coffee Maker
– i Open filter so that three layers of paper are on one side and one layer of paper is on the other side.
– ii Orient the three layer side toward the spout of the Chemex Coffee Maker.
– C Unplug the Capresso Kettle when the water reaches 212F
– D Wait 30 seconds.
– i Critical for dropping water temperature to 200F.
– E Thoroughly wet the Chemex Filter with the hot water.
– i This also warms the vessel.
– F Pour out the hot water from the Chemex Coffee Maker.
– i Carefully hold the three layer side of the filter out of
the way.
– ii Reposition the wetted filter.
– G Turn on the Hario Scale.
– H Place the Chemex Coffee Maker on the Hario Scale.
– I Tare the Hario Scale.
– J Grind the whole bean coffee on a Medium Coarse setting.
– i 10 seconds in Kitchen Aid Grinder.
– K Pour 50 grams of Medium Coarse Coffee into the wetted Chemex
Filter.
– i Gently shake the Chemex Coffee Maker to even out the
Coffee Grounds.
– L Make a small intention in the center of the grounds.
– M Tare the Hario Scale.
– N Carefully pour approximately 100 grams of hot water to wet
the coffee grounds thoroughly.
– i Start in the center indention, moving outward until
grounds are completely wet.
– O Allow the Coffee Grounds to “bloom” for 45 seconds.
– i Critical time.
– P Tare the Hario Scale.
– Q Start the main pour.
– i The main pour will total 887 grams of hot water.
– ii Gently pour starting at the edge and move in a circular
motion around the perimeter of the Chemex opening.
– iii Pour until the water is about half an inch from the top.
– iv Allow it to filter topping off occasionally until you
reach 887 grams.
– v Try to avoid “floaters” by sinking them carefully with
the pour.
– R Allow the water to filter through until the last few drops.
– S Remove the filter and place in the compost.
– T Pour the coffee.
– U Enjoy !
– V Place the optional Chemex glass top on the coffee maker to
help maintain temperature.
IV Notes
– A This procedure makes about 30 ounces of Coffee.
– B Grams of coffee can be adjusted to taste. I recommend using
the range 45 to 55 grams.
– C If the water filters very very slowly, the Grind is too fine.
Adjust to a coarser grind.
– D Time is critical to maintain water temperature within the
optimal range. Have all supplies available. Work steadily
without rushing and you’ll have no problems.
– E The scale is critical for consistency. Once you create the
perfect cup of coffee, you have the recipe.
– F This procedure was developed after observing several Chemex
videos on YouTube, combined with my own experimentation.
I can't figure out how to make cold brew that actually tastes like coffee. I've tried it a couple of times, and I ended up going through the "concentrate" much faster than I should have each time.
"The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all."
I buy Community brand coffee, pre-ground, pour it into the reusable plastic k cup, pop that fucker into the Keurig, and BOOM, about a minute later I have a cup of relatively good tasting coffee. Best part is, it's impossible for me to fuck it up at five o'clock in the morning when I get out of bed.
I have been trending toward the simple, convenient and inexpensive, in terms of my coffee as of late.
Cold brew tastes like 'coffee' to me, but I drink it straight with no dilution. Technically this makes for wicked expensive at-home coffee, but it's cheaper than anything above 7-11 grade coffee to-go. I do a couple of shots in an espresso cup every morning and a jar lasts for most of a week.
I've started making it using a whipped cream siphon and nitrous infusion. Only 2-3 hours in the can rather than 14-24 via other methods.
Mickey O'neil wrote:I drink cold brew when possible. I get heartburn like a motherfucker.
Grandpa's Spells wrote:I know some major coffee nerds who have switched to cold brew, particularly people sensitive to acid.
Mickey, I think your sig photo just carbonated my hormones.
"I also think training like a Navy S.E.A.L. is stupid for the average person. I would say PT like an infantry unit, run, body weight stuff, hump a little, a little weights and enjoy life if you are not training for specifics." -tough old man
For all the detail some people will put into their coffee brewing, I wonder how much results in an actual detectable flavor increase. I used to make a point of wetting down my filters to avoid putting a paper flavor into my coffee. I would be rushed a few times and skipped that step and realized it didn't make one fucking bit of difference. Shortly after that I dug my coffee scoop out to measure coffee instead of weighing it and cant taste a bit of difference.
I'm with you, Man In Black. I buy decentd beans (Costco, nothing special) a mix of dark roast and Colombian/Arabica/Guatemala/wherever, and grind fresh. After that it don't matter if I drip or french press, etc. The right amount of fresh beans of a flavor of my coosing and hot water makes a good brew.
That said, I thrive on acid, be it coffee, lemonade, balsamic vinegar or bile from my wife...
Thud wrote:I'm with you, Man In Black. I buy decentd beans (Costco, nothing special) a mix of dark roast and Colombian/Arabica/Guatemala/wherever, and grind fresh. After that it don't matter if I drip or french press, etc. The right amount of fresh beans of a flavor of my coosing and hot water makes a good brew.
That said, I thrive on acid, be it coffee, lemonade, balsamic vinegar or bile from my wife...
hehehe That is why I went with the cold-brew. I like coffee so much I drink it black but can do without the acid and cold brew is easy as shit if a little time consuming. I buy Dunkin' beans and grind them myself as I use them...
I am picky as fuck as to what beer and hard liquor I drink though.
