E7: Coffee Smarter - The Chemex®
Coffee Smarter with Chris O'Brien of Coffee Cycle Roasting
E7: Coffee Smarter - The Chemex®
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Brewer: CHEMEX®
Style: Pourover
Price: Starting at $40. Price can vary based on size and style.
Biggest Pros: Great for brewing larger batches, and it looks fantastic.
Biggest Cons: Properly folding the filters and brewing takes some practice. There is a longer learning curve!
The history of the Chemex® brewer is quite interesting. The brewer is the invention of Peter Schlumbohm, a German chemist who relocated to New York in 1936. Five years later, while working primarily on inventions surrounding refrigeration, he designed a coffee-filtering device (1941).
It received acclaim for both its form and function, although it may never have been produced if the chemist had been able to get funding for his refrigeration invention elsewhere. Schlumbohm needed the money, so he sold a half-interest in his new filtering coffee maker patent.
Because the Chemex® is primarily of glass—originally manufactured by the Corning Glass Works—and not made from any materials required in the manufacture of bullets, guns, or other military weaponry, it was touted on the cover of a bulletin the MoMA issued in 1942 as a “Useful Objects in Wartime.”
It was a huge boost to the public’s awareness of the brewer squarely in the middle of World War II. Brewing coffee in a Chemex® was a small but tangible way Americans could support the war effort against the Nazis or at least feel imbued with a sense of patriotism each morning.
Since then, the Chemex® has continued to be viewed through the lens of its efficient design. Its aesthetic is popular with television and film set designers. This isn’t surprising. It looks really, really cool. Brewing with it and drinking from it feels sexy if coffee can be sexy.* It made regular appearances on Friends and Det. Boyle uses one in Brooklyn 99. It can be seen in Don Draper’s office on Mad Men and is a table setting in Christopher Nolen’s Interstellar.
Even James Bond drinks coffee from a Chemex.® In Ian Fleming’s novel, From Russia With Love, Bond’s breakfast is described as consisting “…of very strong coffee, from De Bry in New Oxford Street, brewed in an American Chemex, of which he drank two large cups, black and without sugar.”
The appeal has even transcended pop culture. The brewer has proven to be museum-worthy. It’s in the permanent collection at MoMA in New York. The photo below is courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum. Side note: I used to live a few blocks from the Brooklyn Museum, and it is fantastic.
SIMPLE HOW-TO: Traditional Method
An every-time disclaimer: Be sure to pour the proper ratio of water to coffee grinds. For example, if using a 1:15 ratio, 20 grams of coffee would require 300 grams of water to be brewed properly. You may prefer a different ratio, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Generally, 1:15 up to 1:18 are the preferred coffee-to-water ratios to produce enjoyable cups of coffee.
For best results, grind whole beans with a burr grinder immediately before brewing.*
- Grind your coffee medium-coarse.
- Add a cone shaped filter (see below for Chemex® specific filter info), and rinse with hot water. Dump the rinse water!
- Add grinds to the filter and pour about 1/3 of your hot water over the top to let the coffee bloom (approximately 30 seconds). You’ll see bubbling as trapped gasses escape the beans.
- Add remaining water, and let drip into the base of the Chemex.®
- Remove filter with grinds, and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of a coffee filled Chemex®!
- Drink!
Chemex® has put together some helpful videos showing you exactly what Chris and I talked about on the show. I’d be remiss if I didn’t include one of them here. The first 2m31s are dedicated to brewing the traditional Chemex.®
A NOTE ABOUT CHEMEX FILTERS
Chemex® offers an entire filter folding education page on their website. There are many ways to fold a Chemex® filter, including the Traditional, Square, and Half-Moon methods.
The Traditional Method is the easiest. Fold a round filter in half and then in half again. Voila! You now have a cone-shaped filter that should fit your Chemex® perfectly.
Seriously, they make some simple-to-follow and really helpful videos. I find myself wondering why I was always so intimidated by this brewer. Find more information about Chemex® Filters at: www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/filter-folding-101
FROM THE SHOW
- Chris mentioned the Able Kone coffee filter. It is a metal alternative to the paper filter and is designed specifically to fit Chemex® brewers. You can see those by clicking here.
- Recently, I had the opportunity to share a bit of my coffee journey with Coffee Insurrection. It was a real treat to be on the other side for once. Click the photo to read the interview.
Check out the R!WC podcast featuring the Co-Founder of Coffee Insurrection, Tanya Nanetti. She is also a coffee coach and the Head Barista at Buna Specialty Coffee in Lisbon, Portugal.
Coffee Smarter and Roast! West Coast are listener & reader-supported podcasts and publications. We couldn’t do this show without craft coffee drinkers like you!
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Coffee Smarter is supported by Zumbar Coffee & Tea in Southern California, which you can find online at zumbarcoffee.com or in real life at one of two locations—the original Sorrento Valley roastery and their satellite cafe only steps from the beach in Cardiff, CA.
Founded in 2003, they’re part of the pioneering class of third-wave coffee roasters. From the beginning, the Zumbar Team has been diligent in their efforts to satisfy not only their customer's coffee habits but their coffee curiosity. I’m partial to the Hummingbird roast as my daily drinker, and I love that I can order it in bulk.
Support local coffee shops. Drink their coffees. Enjoy their whiskeys. Visit their cafes. You won’t be disappointed. Thanks to the Roast! Industry Partners:
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters
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