How to make a great cup of coffee with a Chemex coffee maker

[hedgehog46]

What type of kettle is that?

[bp7845]

@kriskkramer I too use a bodum conical burr grinder! I use mine two settings to the left of French Press and it works great, don't give up on the chemex!

[kriskkramer]

Great video!! I was ready to return my Chemex, but will try these ideas first. What ground do you recommend? Chemex says medium. I'm using a Bodum Conical Burr grinder and found that to be too fine. Any thoughts on the coarsest ground? (Obviously, I can play around, but am interested in the ground for this particular method as shown in the video.)

[JoeCool6490]

So what are the measures? On all these videos, the only question that still remains is how much water do I put in, and how much coffee. Any help anyone?

[BloodAndThunder00]

Are the Chemex filters really needed for the best result, or can I get a good pour with using a normal cone filter?

[OMGitssooooEPIC]

I noticed you poured basically all at once; would pouring intermittently maintain an optimum brew temperature or is that an overrated notion? Also, what was with the aeration swishing at the end? I've never seen that done with coffee.

[Flurderkian]

Hey Aaron,

For what it's worth, I disagree with your medium of delivery, but agree with your statement in general.

We're American: we should be able to voice deeply held convictions, such as the unsanctification of homosexual marriages.

You probably shouldn't have used your business name to voice this opinion, but nevertheless ... you have a right to say it, and I undoubtedly know that a LOT of Americans (and San Antonians!) agree with you.

This'll blow over.

[jackson23220]

Hey Aaron, go to hell you jerk.

[MrLeendah]

BrownCoffeeCo recently posted a hatetweet: @BrownCoffeeCo: No human law can ever legitimize what natural law precludes #SorryFolks #NotEqual #WhyBother #ChasingAfterTheWind #SelfEvident.

now they have darkened their page. cowards

[hdonagher]

Wonder why we're hearing nothing out of BrownCoffeeCo in the wake of their offensive, downright hateful rhetoric? They've shut down their twitter feed and their FB page, and removed all social networking links from their website, trying to shut down the discourse that they started. Well, they can't un-ring the bell. RT @BrownCoffeeCo: No human law can ever legitimize what natural law precludes #SorryFolks #NotEqual #WhyBother #ChasingAfterTheWind #SelfEvident.

[MrLeendah]

@hdonagher they're cowards

[Flurderkian]

Wow, I'm excited to post this. Since being the "original" commentor on this amazing video from over a year ago, I see that lots of other people have recognized the best chemex tutorial on the net.

Since commenting on this video, my wife and I have relocated to .. guess where? San Antonio! Not only that, we're 5 miles away from your coffee shop!

I would love the opportunity to meet you and learn more about coffee. Maybe you could critique my Chemex pouring technique!

Thanks man.

[Soothsayerman]

You da man! Nice technique, the same way I do it The reason that I switch to a chemex is that most autodrip coffee makers do not get the water temp between 195 and 205 and the do not have a brew time of about 3 mins which is ideal for how I like my coffee. Nicely done.

[IMAWriterRobJ]

Aaron, nice vid! At "Crema". a local nashville cafe,I happened to have several beautifully prepared doubles and a short cappa using one of your espresso blends. I wish i could remember the name of that blend. I do know there was no Brasilian in it.

My compliments on a wonderful coffee.

[CEYSEY]

you just did what a coffee machine does. why would I do it manually when there are machines available everywhere.

[SAReporter]

@CEYSEY Pouring it manually over freshly roasted beans actually draws out more flavor. You can really taste a difference.

[theeponym]

@CEYSEY Don't presume that just because it involves water being added to grinds in a filter that it's the same process. It's not that simple.

And there's something to be said about the act as well. Some people actually enjoy the experience of the routine. The process. It makes it all the more satisfying.

[hulahoophugs]

@CEYSEY Coffee machines do not get water up to 200 degrees which is needed for proper extraction. They can usually only get to around 170 or so. Also, the technique creates a funnel which allows the water to pass through at the correct time for a good extraction, not over doing it and bring bitterness with it.

[aaronblanco1]

@CEYSEY Most automatic machines have serious flaws in design and engineering. They don't heat up hot enough; they debit water poorly, etc. Manual brewing controls those factors and more for the best flavor possible.

[aaronblanco1]

@CEYSEY Most automatic machines have serious flaws in design and engineering. They don't heat up hot enough; they debit water poorly, etc. Manual brewing controls those factors and more for the best flavor possible.

[flyroscoefly]

@CEYSEY I can see you're probably a fan of Starbucks. Flavor is everything, proper pour over technique will trump any machine out there.

[CEYSEY]

@flyroscoefly I actually prefer to go to local coffee shops. but not because of the taste, just to support the local business. About my comment, I didn't really see the point of pouring hot water over coffee manually rather than using a coffee machine. I prefer doing it in a machine. that's my preference. maybe the more flavor comes from using freshly grounded coffee not from the manual procedure.

[flyroscoefly]

@CEYSEY Proper pour-over technique ensures equal extraction of coffee. Great coffee comes from a combination of freshly roasted beans being ground immediately prior to brewing, clean & pure water, and good technique. Automatic machines dump WARM water onto grounds unevenly, and has the tendency to over-extract.

[klarinetta]

After the blooming of the coffee why do you pour from outside to the center rather than from the center and almost to the end ?

[aaronblanco1]

@klarinetta Outside in because as the water level drops in an inverted cone the first grounds to stop brewing will be around the outside, while the last grounds to brew will be near the center. Otherwise you risk under extracting the outside and overextracting the stuff toward the center. The divot in the center does start brewing coffee in the center, of course, but that's actually more for the coffee beneath the little ant hill pile.

[klarinetta]

@aaronblanco1 I personally find this method making the cup too robust almost bitter(but not) rather than sweet and refined like some other methods.

[HakerzTM]

I know where your place is, I pass by it everyday on the way home from school

[proustie]

oh my lawd. just used this technique on a two-week old (!) Ecco coffee and it's just awesome awesome awesome

[ettic0982]

What am I doing wrong if there are "mudslides" when I brew coffee with the Chemex? Thanks.

[SAReporter]

@ettic0982 I try to pour slowly and accurately and I don't pour so much water that it rises all the way to the brim. Aaron might have some more suggestions, I'll ask him. Thanks for watching.

[ettic0982]

@SAReporter I think that making sure not to poor the water to the brim is what I wasn't doing before, which led to the mudslides. When I tried this morning, without letting the water level get too close to the brim, there were no mudslides at all. Thanks for the reply.

[aaronblanco1]

@ettic0982 Having a kettle with a tight delivery spout is very helpful. Also try to keep from pouring toward or on the outside edges for a while until you become really familiar with exactly where and how the water will fall and act with the coffee.

[ConsumerFanatics]

@aaronblanco1 Yes, I saw you used the Hario Buono Kettle. Makes all the difference in the world and I haven't really seen any other kettle like it. It's rather expensive, but worth it if you want precise, consistent pours.

[aaronblanco1]

@ConsumerFanatics There are a number of other kettles on the market that debit water the same way. Takahiro and Tiamo come to mind. Takahiro is way more costly than Hario; Tiamo is slightly less so. All three kettles have pros/cons. I personally have been favoring the Tiamo lately because I like its flow rate.

[ConsumerFanatics]

@aaronblanco1 Awesome, thanks for listing those. Hopefully I can add it to my arsenal in the future.

[KajitaFamily]

@aaronblanco1 What's your typical dosing? I've experimented and feel that 42g for 20oz of brewed coffee tastes pretty good, but in the filter it "looks" like it's too much coffee. Don't get consistent cone after all the water has passed through. Perhaps it's my pour technique or lack thereof. At that dosing, the brewed coffee also "looks" too dark.

[len0808]

@ettic0982 see how this guy does it. very simple, just pour it down the middle. wacth his coffee grounds at 4:27. no mudslides. keep it simple.

y o u t u b e.com/watch?v=fg36TyOIXpI&NR=1

[Flurderkian]

Okay, it's me again.

First of all, thank you for all your advice; it has been MOST helpful.

I'd like to say this is my last question, but who knows: you're so helpful. Here goes:

How do you get your coffee to bloom? I grind my beans just before brewing, and my coffee isn't blooming like yours does in the video. I pour it in the divot, and it just mellows there, it doesn't spread throughout the coffee beans.

I don't get it!

[SAReporter]

@Flurderkian It really depends on how fresh the coffee is. If it was roasted recently, you should get a nice bloom.

[hiota45]

@Flurderkian The bloom is the result of residual CO2 in the beans. After roasting, one actually has to allow a short degassing period otherwise the coffee will actually have a slight carbonated feel to it. Notice that it is the the time after roasting that determines bloom, not when and how its ground. So a bean that was roasted 48 hrs ago will have a very bubbly bloom. A coffee that was roasted a week ago will not.

[ouchhurts]

@Flurderkian hot hot hot water 200 degrees or hotter to be exact boiling or hotter hot water is ideal

[ouchhurts]

@Flurderkian hot hot hot water 200 degrees or hotter to be exact boiling water

[neraknerak1]

That is a beautiful cup of coffee. Thank you.

[Flurderkian]

Awesome. It's ordered.

One last question: what should I be looking for as I brew with my Chemex? How do I know I'm doing it right?

[SAReporter]

@Flurderkian I like Aaron's advice towards the end of the video, when he says to avoid "mudslides." If the coffee is sticking to the sides of the filter after the water drains, that's a good sign. Aaron also suggested to me to use a finer grind when you grind the beans. I had been using a medium grind and the coffee tasted a little watered down. A fine grind tastes better.

Hope that helps ...

[SAReporter]

Burr grinders are considered the best but they can be pricey. Awhile back I bought a hand-powered, Japanese Burr grinder from Brown Coffee Co. for about $50 and I like it. The full title on the box is: "Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton."

[Flurderkian]

Hey man, great video (I've watched it a dozen times -- I'm trying to get your technique down).

Question: What type of coffee bean grinder do you recommend?

I'd prefer the coffee grinder I should aim for, and a coffee grinder that will do well but is under 50 dollars.

[aaronblanco1]

Used ~32g coffee + .5L hot water.

[grammabb50forever]

ADD BROWN fresh roasted coffee! THAT makes the difference