Sometimes you find your self stuck at the office for long periods of times, or simply you just want to have a nice cup of coffee at home in a cozy afternoon. You could even be stuck at a Hotel in the middle of Montana with nothing but an AeroPress and a bag of coffee, then, what do you do? We have put together the perfect guide with a step-by-step process on how to brew your coffee to matter the scenario you happen to end up at.
The Perfect ICED COFFEE
Summertime is here! And in Texas it gets hot! Iced coffee, at least for us, saves our days. So let us give you all the tips and secrets to brew a great Iced Coffee during these summer days. We present to you --drum-rolls-- the Japanese Method, known as brewing coffee hot over ice. Why the Japanese Method? Using heat is the best way to extract coffee’s vivid flavors and aromatics, immediately locking them with the ice. On the other hand, there are those how like to brew this amazing cold beverage using cold water over an extended period of time, and this is known as Cold Brew.
So based on this two methods, which one should you choose? It is commonly known, and according to New York Times debates that Cold Brew might have the popular vote, however, coffee experts more prone towards Ice Brewing. There are big studies, debates, and surveys showcasing the difference between the two methods and why the Japanese Method is the coffee experts favorite technique, so for further reading we recommend The New York Times Magazine article here.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- Chemex (3 or 6 cup, depending on recipe)
- Coffee
- Scale
- Water
- Kettle
- Timer
- Ice
RECIPE
- 3 - 4 12oz cups
- 425 Grams Ice 96 Grams Coffee 680 Grams Water
- 2 12oz cups
- 212 Grams Ice 48 Grams Coffee 340 Grams Water
STEP 1: PREPARE INGREDIENTS
Rinse Chemex filter with hot water and discard water. Weigh the proper amount of ice into the Chemex and replace filter (positioning the three folds toward the spout).
Weigh out appropriate amount of coffee. Fill kettle and heat water.
STEP 2: GRIND AND WEIGH
Grind coffee, about as coarse as kosher salt. Weigh out coffee into Chemex per recipe. Create deep divot in center of Chemex bed with finger. Tare scale. Just before boiling, remove kettle and let water settle.
STEP 3: BREW
Start timer and pour enough water to just saturate coffee bed. Let bloom, or expand, for 30-45 seconds. Allowing the coffee to bloom ensures even water dispersion and a delicious cup.
Pro Tip: try to use the least possible amount of water to cover all coffee grounds.
Pouring slowly in concentric circles, add enough water to raise slurry about halfway up the cone. Continue adding water slowly in stages, submerging the crust as you go. After crust has dissipated, pour into center of Chemex, raising the level of the slurry if needed toward the end in order to add all water in appropriate time. For the 3-4 cup recipe try to add all water by 3-3:30 minutes.
Pro Tip: Since you are using more coffee when making iced coffee in the Chemex, you will have to pour faster and keep your coffee bed a little higher that when brewing hot coffee to achieve the same final brew time.
Once you’ve added all water, give it a shallow stir and let drain (aiming for flat or slightly domed coffee bed). Total brew time should be 4:30-4:50.
Step 4: SERVE AND ENJOY!
Remove filter and serve. Enjoy!
As with any pour-over, the water level will greatly affect how your extraction progresses, the larger Chemex is more susceptible to heat loss because of the large surface area the cone creates. Also, flow rates can be a bit slower than other pour-over methods, which is why we use a coarser grind. However, if you find your extraction is taking too long, you can speed things up by raising your kettle and pouring into the center of the cone. Naturally, this produces more agitation, so use this technique with discretion.