The CHEMEX ® coffee maker is an object that perfectly combines functionality and design. It was created back in 1941 by the German chemist living in New York, Peter J. Schlumbohm. Selected by the Illinois Institute of Technology as one of the 100 best-designed products of modern times, it’s also on display at MoMa, New York’s museum of modern art
The CHEMEX ® method, compared to the classic espresso, leads us to experience the ritual of coffee in a different way, in a more “slow” … filter coffee.
We like innovation, and find Tetsu Kasuya’s (World Brewer Cup 2016 champion) 4:6 method unique. The basic idea is simple: 40% of our initial extraction is used to balance acidity and sweetness. The remaining 60% allows us to modulate the Intensity’.
First of all – What you need:
- CHEMEX ® with paper filter
- Coffee Grinder
- Scales
- Timer
- Water kettle
Ingredients for 2 cups (1:15 ratio):
- 20 g of coffee
- 300 grams of water at 92°- 96°C
The basic process involves 5 steps, where hot water is poured at 45 Sec intervals. The innovation is to slightly modify the amount of water in the first two phases (40%) to obtain different extractions
Sweeter?
More acidity?
1 – Procedure ( for the first 40%):
- First, you need to insert the paper filter into the opening of the coffee maker and wet it with hot water using the kettle (ideally, use a swan-neck kettle). This serves to remove the hint of paper and to heat the Chemex itself (the water used in this step will then have to be removed by emptying the coffee pot).
- Weigh the amount of coffee to be used (20gr) and, after grinding it(the grain size should be medium-large), pour it inside the filter and level it.
- Now it’s time to add the water. Pour in (with a circular motion) a first part of water at 92° – 96°C. About 60 gr for a medium extraction, 40 gr if you prefer sweeter, 80 gr if you are looking for a more acidic liveliness. Wet all the ground coffee. Then begins the so-called “blooming”, that is the preinfusion
- Blooming lasts about 45 seconds: after this time, you can add a second flow of water. About 60 gr for a medium extraction, 80 gr if you prefer sweeter, 40 gr if you are looking for a more acidic liveliness.
- Wait another 45 seconds….pass to the second part
2 – Procedure ( remaining 60%):
With the remaining 180 gr of water we want to adjust the Intensity:
More Intense?
Less intense?
- Add the remaining water until you have the remaining 180 gr total, at 45 sec intervals.
- 60+60+60 gr, for medium intensity
- 90 + 90 gr, for less intense modulation
- 45+45+45+45 gr for more intense modulation
- Wait for it to finish percolating, remove the filter and serve the coffee.
