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Do you use a Chemex?

Foodietopo

By Foodietopo
in Coffee & Tea

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Foodietopo

Foodietopo

Posted
Posted

My wife bought me a Chemex 3 cups coffeemaker and I was wondering how to make the best out of it. I have to wait 9 more days before I get to use it.

My current set up is either an Hario V-60 dripper or a Melitta dripper.

I am seeking the opinion of daily Chemex users.

What is your favorite grind? etc.

Cheers

My blog about food in Japan

Foodie Topography

www.foodietopography.com

Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted

I haven't used a Chemex in ages. However, this web page (with pdf option) is almost identical to what I used to do. The only difference is that I pre-heated the carafe by swishing around a little boiling water. IIRC, I used an automatic drip grind, but this can be adjusted one way or the other, of course.

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Katie Meadow

Katie Meadow

Posted
Posted

I have used Chemex in the past, and every time I get offered a Chemex cup of coffee it's quite good. But I'm not sold on using paper filters. The Chemex website claims that there are good oils and bitter oils in coffee, and that their particular filters only filter out the bad or bitter oils. Is this true or even possible? I checked out the site referred to by Alex, and they suggest that paper filters impart an actual distinct (and unwanted) flavor, and that making coffee in quantity mitigates the problem. I have never exactly noticed an off-flavor from a paper filter, but I find the flavor is richer without one. Part of it is just what you are used to.

At our house we use two methods for brewing coffee. When we want more than 1 cup we use a French Press, avoiding the filter issue altogether. For one or two short cups we use a single-size gold filter in what is now pretty much an antique ceramic Melitta cone. There's nothing about gold filtered coffee that I find inferior to paper filtered, and it saves money and paper. I wonder if you could use a gold filter in the Chemex, and if that would taste any different than a gold filter dripped directly into the cup. If it did, that would mean the shape of the Chemex is important. The design has always been beautiful.

Foodietopo

Foodietopo

Posted
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Posted

Sweet! Thanks for the link!

I used my Chemex this weekend and the result were quite good. It's a beautiful object in itself. I just wish the filters were a bit cheaper in Japan.

This site is invaluable for info on brewing coffee. 10 links for chemex!

My link

My blog about food in Japan

Foodie Topography

www.foodietopography.com

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