Chemex Coffee

Well it's cold out here in NEPA. Apparently the temps have not been this low since 2010 and Monday night this week is expected to break the record low - negative 3. Nice. Growing up in the mountains of Nevada, we have had some cold weather but not THIS cold. Today is actually sunny but still frigid. Perfect temp for some coffee. I've been brewing coffee using the Chemex brewer for a few months now and really like it. It's been described as a cross between a French Press and a pour over system.

Here's what the carafe looks like. This is a small version that brews 3 cups. I find that it makes the perfect amount for just me. This amount fits well in my big mug and that's all I need to get going for the day. This style has a pretty wooden collar to help protect your delicate fingers from the hot coffee. But it makes it difficult to clean, so I've taken it off by now and just use an oven mitt when I need to pour.

The other unique thing about the Chemex is the filter. They have a special filter that allows the water to flow through the grounds at the correct rate. I happened to buy the wrong size of filter (since every other size than the one I have uses this filter), I fold it in half and it fits in the carafe nicely.

You have to wet the filter for it to work correctly.

Then you open it and put in the top of the carafe. In general it is recommended that the side of the filter with the more sheets of paper, goes toward the spout.

Now time for the coffee. Fresh ground is best. It's recommended that you use about 10g per cup of coffee.

Now grind.

The size of the grind is important - too coarse, your end result is too weak; too fine, your coffee is mud.

Dump the grounds into your pre-whetted filter.

Now is the time for your water. I have this nifty kettle that can boil water to a certain temperature - 200 degrees is recommended for the Chemex. Another nice thing about this kettle is that it will keep the water at your specified temp for up to an hour. Very nice.

Now the first step is to wet the grounds with a small amount of water. This ensures you get the most out of the coffee.

What is interesting, is that you can tell if your coffee is fresh ground by seeing it foam.

Next fill the top with water and allow to filter through.

I find that the grinds rise to the top and get stuck, so I try to wash them down.

Like this.

Here's the coffee goodness.

What's also kinda nice is there is this bubble in the carafe that tells you when you have reached that 3 cups. I've become a great fan of this method for coffee. It's simple and tasty. There's something about the ritual of making it - it also doesn't really take that long to make. First thing I do is put the water on to boil. Then I usually do some dishes from the night before. Then I measure out my beans and grind them. By the time I get them in the filter, the water is ready (or has been and the kettle is keeping it warm). The coffee flavor is so good that I found I don't need any sweetener - just some half and half and I'm good. Hope I have made this sound so good that you will try it for yourself!