Go to the Recipe: Chemex & Other Pour Overs
I've heard that chemex filters are different compared with the hario filters, is that something that will affect the flavour of your coffee or is there no difference?
Chemex filters are known for being uncommonly thick and come in both bleached and unbleached, just like Hario filters. From personal experience, the thicker paper does lend itself to a much cleaner cup of coffee, but I find that flavor has more to do with brewing parameters like grind size, water temperature, brewing times, etc. I love my Chemex!
Where are the recipes for these delicous looking frenchy cookies?
Do you have any recommendations on best way to brew "Japanese style" with the Chemex (over ice)? There are a few different recipes online -- have you guys done any testing of these?
For French press, you're using a 400um median grind size—what starting points are you using for pour over methods?
Hi there! I'm a fan of the Chemex pour-over method, but was taught that the water temperature was critical (and differed in it's ideal temperature from bean to bean). You guys don't seem to make a mention of this that I've seen yet...should I care about this? What I was taught was that hotter temperatures yield more bitter extraction...true?
Do you keep the kettle on heat during that 7-minute slow pouring. Or are we letting the water temperature steadily drop from the original boil?
I spent some time playing around with this method (wasn't 100% satisfied with using my v60 over ice - seemed like the coffee just wasn't extracted well enough and my grind size was getting way too tight). Ended up with a roughly 60% water 40% ice ratio with usual brew method using my Clever Dripper! I found the slightly longer immersion gave me a much better extraction than pure pourover, but with the same clean cup I was looking for. Similar results with an aeropress if you have one, I just find it a bit fiddly first thing in the morning :P
It looks like the grounds are high and dry stuck to the wall of the filter at the end of brewing. This is, according to Scott Rao (who has three books in the reading list recommended by James and Ben), a sign of poor extraction.
The manual pourover method he suggests involves stirring at several points in the brew to achieve even saturation and extraction.
Chefsteps, what are your thoughts on this?
I usually start pouring at 96 C (a wee while after boiling), which is the ideal temperature. Hotter than that and the coffee will burn, which results in an unpleasant taste. Anything down to around 91 C is fine, and if you use a kettle with the lid on, you'll have plenty of time before reaching that point.
If the chefsteps team had just one way of brewing coffee via no-press french, pour over, or aeropress, which method of choice would the team stick to? and other than personal preference is there any reason as to why?
I've been playing with my methods in my v60 recently and I think I like a stirred method vs. just letting the motion of the pour do the work. I've found that a melamine chopstick works perfectly for stirring as you go and it results in a much more even bed when the extraction is complete.
I've played around with this too. I found a ratio of 55/45 water to ice to be quite pleasant, but i think it is a ratio worth playing around with.
Because I feel like that will make a difference. I generally keep the kettle over low heat during the process, but I'd love input.
I see that the recipe is 1: 12.5 ratio used... I guess this is very much depends on the coffee you are preparing right?
I normally use a 1:17 or 1:16 ratio for my coffees.
This is true, but they're also stating a slightly extended 4-7 minute drawdown, which may be average for such a high dose on a Chemex, but we should also understand that any additional pulsing to catch the high and dries will introduce enough agitation to over extract and advance choking in the grind bed. This particular technique seems to favor pouring a majority of the water in the beginning, with the intent of minimizing any additional pouring during the latter half where bitterness is likely to be extracted. Not to counter what Rao says, but extraction is always a tradeoff since there are so many variables (Adding water to maintain brew temp=Agitation=Increased Contact Time=Over Extraction Etc.) Everyone who can make a decent filter coffee refines their technique based off of balancing these trade offs. Basically, we didn't measure this video's extraction with Refractometer or Taste so I wouldn't criticize the cup quality based on just high and dry's.
A great way to enjoy a lazy summer afternoon.
Thanks ChefSteps, I love this method.
The initial rinse of the Chemex with hot water will warm the vessel enough to retain a good amount a heat during the brew process. If you're working with an optimal ~200F temp of water, there's really no need to keep it over heat as the coffee will be the perfect drinking temperature when it's done.
I think the ultimate pour over technique is what Matt Perger uses. Mixing right after pouring the bloom water and tapping at the end to develop a flat coffee surface. This increases extraction by 2-3% as all water passes through all the coffee grinds. I have to admit I was sceptical about how much technique can influence flavour, but this has been a revelation.
if i use a drip cone. should i weight only coffee extracted (without drip cone and grinded bean) or weight whole thing ?
i mean if i wanna use 7.5% of coffee ratio to water
Hey guys, can you maybe tell me what kind of coffee cups you use, i would like to buy the same stuff. The white ones on the last pic. Thank you very much !
Hello Roman, Not really sure. I do not see them around the studio anymore. They look like Ikea to me.
Not the same, but this place has beautiful coffee cups (and all the other pour over kit and beans) https://kurasu.kyoto/
