Oct 06 2008
The final countdown
I cannot believe that I am already down to only two bonded filter papers for my Chemex coffeemaker. It seemed like it was just yesterday, that I bought a big honking hundred pack of the guys from Sweet Marias. I guess that is what happens when you use one filter a day for the duration of the summer. I have to say that I kind of like the whole Chemex brewing method since it has been the primary way that I have enjoyed my coffee these past couple of months. Sure, I would still occasionally break out the French Press and even use my Black and Decker brewer from time to time, but really, it has been the Chemex that has seen the most use this summer.
The Chemex was designed by a guy ( I think he was a chemist) who was in search of the perfect cup of coffee and while the hour glass design of the carafe is the most striking feature of the coffeemaker, it is the special filters that are the true secret to its success. They are much thicker than most other types of filters and seem to allow all the good coffee flavor in while keeping all the bitter oils, grounds and sediment out. I do not know what type of “special fiber” they use when making these filters, but I know that whatever they do, it sure works. Also, the conical shape of the filters allows for more uniform extraction, since the water is forced to seep through all the grounds before it exits at the apex of the cone.
The Chemex does have a few drawbacks. The filter paper, while great at giving you a perfect cup of coffee is rather hard to come by. I have only been able to get it at Sweet Marias and now I am faced with a dilemma of having to place an order today or to go without them for a week or two. Also, the papers are extremely absorbent, making it hard to judge how much coffee is going to be in the pot at times. You cannot start out with four cups of water, and end up with three if you do not take the time to pre-wet the filter paper before your start to brew. The act of brewing can also be problematic, especially if you are looking to brew up a large amount of coffee. The top of the Chemex coffeemaker fills up fast and you have to wait for the first part of the water to drain before you pour the rest in. This is not only time consuming, but also not ideal for the perfect mix of hot water to grounds. To get a good cup of coffee, the grounds should be interacting with hot water that is just off the boil(around 200 degrees) and when you have wait too long before adding more water it cools off and you do not get the optimal amount of flavor. Another thing about the Chemex is that it does not retain heat for very long, even with the optional glass cover forcing you to either drink the coffee rapidly, or to put it into a thermos.
Even after all the troubles that I have just listed about the Chemex, I must say that I am a true convert and will probably end up placing an order for more filters so I do not have to go back to some other primitive form of brewing. I still plan on exploring some other methods of brewing including vacuum brewing and the aeropress, but at the moment I am a Chemex man all the way baby.
