Category: Complex Brew Methods

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Brew Guide: Chemex

Brew Guide: Chemex

The Chemex was invented in 1941 by German scientist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. What began as an experiment with basic laboratory tools came to be one of the most classic brew vessels in history. In fact, the Smithsonian, the Museum of Modern Art, and many other museums have the Chemex on permanent display because of it’s rich history and beautiful design. The Chemex might look more like a high school chemistry beaker, but trust us when we say this beauty will give you the smoothest cup of coffee.

Brewing with a Chemex is easy and only takes about 12 minutes.

What You Need

  • Chemex
  • Pre-folded Chemex Filters
  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Gooseneck Kettle
  • Grinder

Amounts:

  • 4 tbsp coffee and 3 cups water
  • 6 tbsp coffee and 6 cups water
  • 8 tbsp coffee and 8 cups water
  • 10 tbsp coffee and 10 cups water
  • 32 grams coffee and 444 grams water
  • 48 grams coffee and 880 grams water
  • 64 grams coffee and 1182 grams water
  • 80 grams coffee and 1478 grams water

Grounds:

Grind your coffee on a coarse grind – for industrial grinders, a #9 setting – to get the best cup of Chemex. If your grind is too fine, it’ll back up the filter and cause it to rip. We learned this the hard and messy way!

Water:

Bring your water to a boil and then remove from heat. Never pour boiling water straight onto coffee grounds – it will scorch them and give your coffee a burnt flavor. Allow the water to cool for 30 seconds (the temperature should be between 195-205) before you proceed to the next step

Filter:

Chemex filters are a bit unusual. As much as you’ll want to, don’t unfold it all the way. Instead, pull just one edge away from the three others. Now your filter will resemble a normal pour-over filter. There will be one edge on one side, and three on the other. Set it into the Chemex with the crease sitting in the pouring channel. Cone filters you use for pour-over, like a #4 or #6, won’t fit properly in a Chemex and are too thin to properly filter for Chemex. Only use Chemex filters.

Use your hot water to give the filter a quick rinse, which removes any papery taste that the filter might add to your coffee. This hot water will also heat the carafe – keeping your coffee hotter for longer. Dump out the excess water before beginning your brew.

To add grounds, measure your desired amount and pour them into your filter. Gently shake the Chemex to level out your grounds. You’re now ready to start the brewing process.

Begin pouring the water over the grounds in a circular pattern, until the water has barely covered the grounds. Let it bloom for 30 seconds.

After the bloom, continue pouring water in a circular motion until the water is about a quarter-inch below the top of the Chemex. Be careful to wait for the water to filter through before pouring more. It’s easy to get carried away and pour too much water. Continue to pour until you’ve used all your water.

Grab your favorite mug and discover a new bold take on your favorite Camano Island Coffee Roast.

Video Tutorial

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Brew Guide: Aeropress

Brew Guide: Aeropress

Aerobie, the company that invented the Aeropress, is not a coffee company by origin. Their first product was actually the Aerobie Pro – A flying disk. Alan Adler, the founder of the company, had invented many disk-like toys before he invented the Aeropress. Today, Aeropress is Aerobie’s #1 product and an extremely popular method of one cup brewing. The Aeropress produces an espresso strength coffee and as a result, has become known as the “poor man’s espresso.”

Aeropress is a pretty easy brew and only takes around 10 minutes.

What You Need

  • Aeropress
  • Tools Included
  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Circular Filter
  • Gooseneck Kettle
  • Grinder

Amounts

1 scoop coffee & 12 oz water 16 grams coffee & 355 grams water

You’ll want one heaping Aeropress scoop of finely ground coffee to start – a #4 grind on industrial machines.

To prepare your water, bring it to a boil and then remove from heat. Never pour boiling water straight onto coffee grounds – it will scorch them and give your coffee a burnt flavor. Allow the water to cool for 30 seconds (the temperature should be between 195-205) before you proceed to the next step.

Place the paper filter into the plastic filter, screw it onto the Aeropress and set it over your mug. From here, you can wet the filter with your hot water, to remove the papery taste and heat your press and mug. Dump out the water before proceeding.

Drop the grounds into the cylinder, and add just enough water to cover them. Let them bloom for 30 seconds before continuing.

After the bloom, pour more hot water into the Aeropress, until the water level is just above the blue number 3.

Use the paddle that comes with your press to give the grounds a stir for about 5 seconds, then place the plunger into the tube. From here, slowly press the coffee through the filter until you hear a hissing noise.

Add hot water for an americano, Steam milk for a latte, or drink it straight. ENJOY!!!
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Brew Guide: Steamed Milk

Brew Guide: Steamed Milk

The art of steaming milk is tricky, but worth the dedication required to learn. Keep a close eye on all the small details, and with practice you can become a true pro.

Steaming milk can be difficult, and takes around 4 minutes to do.

What You Need

  • Milk
  • Espresso Machine with a steamwand
  • Pitcher
  • Cloth

Pour Milk

To start, pour milk into your pitcher till it’s about half full. You will need the extra room to properly steam your milk and achieve fantastic foam.

Steaming Your Milk

Before starting the steaming process, be sure to give a quick pull on the handle to bleed the steam wand. This removes any water from the wand. Once you’ve done this, submerge the wand in the milk and begin to steam. Slowly lower the pitcher so just the tip is submerged. Small microfoam will begin to form and the milk will expand. Do this slowly so that no large bubbles are created. The milk should swirl like a whirlpool and incorporate the microfoam into the pitcher of milk. Slowly continue to draw the pitcher down until you have your desired amount of foam. Now you can move the wand completely under the surface of the milk (but not touching the bottom of the pitcher) and hold steady.

Achieving Optimum Temperature

We recommend the use of a thermometer to make sure your milk is the perfect temperature of 160 degrees. To achieve this optimum temperature steam your milk until your thermometer reaches 150 degrees, then shut off the steamwand. The milk will continue to heat a few more degrees once you shut off the steam, hitting the desired temperature of 160 degrees.

Finish

Remove the pitcher from the wand, bleed the steamer once more, and wipe clean with a damp towel. This clears away any milk residue that may be left behind, so your machine will always steam properly and stay completely clean inside.

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Brew Guide: Espresso

Brew Guide: Espresso

Espresso was invented as a way to make coffee expressly, as people were in a hurry and didn’t have time to wait 10 minutes to brew their morning pot of coffee. However, over the years, espresso has become more about the taste than the speed. The rich, strong flavor is something that coffee drinkers around the world look forward to every morning.

Espresso is a tricky brewing method and takes roughly 4 minutes to complete.

What You Need

  • Coffee
  • Espresso Machine
  • Portafilter
  • Cloth

Grounds

Grind your coffee on a fine grind – #1 on an industrial grinder. For a double shot, you’ll want 15 grams of coffee, which is equal to a smidge less than 2 tablespoons.

Adding Grounds

Put the grounds into the portafilter so it forms a little mound on the top. Grab your tamper and press down firmly. Remove the tamper and use the handle to give the side of the filter a quick tap to remove excess grounds, then press again. Give it a quick twist before you remove it so the top is nice and smooth.

Pulling Shots

Insert the portafilter into the machine, making sure that it’s fully locked into its proper position. Place shot glasses or a mug below to catch the shot. Press the button and watch as the shot begins to pour. The best shots take anywhere between 25-33 seconds from pushing the button to finish.

Machine Care

Once you’ve pulled your shot, make sure you properly care for your machine and equipment. Carefully take the portafilter out, remove the used grounds, and give it a quick wipe down with a towel. You should also quickly run some water through the group head on your machine to rinse away any grounds that are stuck in the screen. Place the filter back into the machine for storage, and give your shot glasses a quick rinse.

Bonus tip: If your shots are running too slow, try easing up on the tamping pressure. If they are too long, try tamping harder. If this doesn’t solve your problem, try adding slightly less grounds to the portafilter for a faster pour and adding slightly more for a longer pour. These adjustments will greatly affect the taste of your shots!

Enjoy!!!

Whether you made a latte, americano, or some other fabulous espresso drink, enjoy sipping Camano Island Coffee Roasters – you’ve earned it.

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Brew Guide: Iced Chemex Coffee

Brew Guide: Iced Chemex Coffee

There are a lot of ways to make iced coffee, but the Japanese Iced Coffee method is our favorite. It’s quick and easy. And, for cold-brewing, it gives you the brightest, fullest flavor possible. The full flavor is possible because brewing with hot water extracts maximum flavor while cooling instantly protects the flavor from acquiring off-flavors due to oxidization.

Making Iced Chemex is an intermediate brew, and takes about 14 minutes.

What You Need

  • Chemex
  • Pre-folded Chemex Filter
  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Ice
  • Gooseneck Kettle
  • Grinder

Amounts

  • 2 tbsp coffee for 4oz water and 4 oz ice
  • 4 tbsp coffee for 8oz water and 8 oz ice
  • 8 tbsp coffee for 16oz water and 16 oz ice
  • 16 grams coffee for 118 grams water and 118 grams ice
  • 32 grams coffee for 236 grams water and 236 grams ice
  • 64 grams coffee for 473 grams water and 473 grams ice

Note: For getting the proper volume of ice, we’ve found a 16 oz cup of ice is equal to a weight of 8oz. Remember this ratio if you’re measuring your ice without a scale.

Water

Bring your water to a boil and then remove from heat. Never pour boiling water straight onto coffee grounds – it will scorch them and give your coffee a burnt flavor. Allow the water to cool for 30 seconds (the temperature should be between 195-205) before you proceed to the next step.

You need equal parts ice and water. We used 8oz water and 8oz ice in our Chemex. Make sure you measure out your proper water and ice amounts before beginning.

Grounds

Additionally, you’ll want 4 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee (Set an industrial grinder to a #9, or “French Press” setting.

Before unfolding your Chemex filter place your Chemex filter over your sink and pour hot water (not from your pre-measured amount) over the filter. This will remove the papery taste from the filter.

Ice and How to Use the Filter

Dump your ice into the Chemex, and unfold your Chemex filter. As much as you’ll want to, don’t unfold it all the way. Instead, pull just one edge away from the three others. Now your filter will resemble a normal pour-over filter. There will be one edge on one side, and three on the other. Set it into the Chemex with the crease sitting in the pouring channel. Cone filters you use for pour-over, like a #4 or #6, won’t fit properly in a Chemex and are too thin to properly filter for Chemex. Only use Chemex filters.

Add Grounds and Bloom

Add the grounds into the filter and begin pouring your hot water over the grounds until they are covered. Let the grounds bloom for 30 seconds.

Continue to pour the rest of your 8 oz of water over the grounds in slow, circular motions. The ice will begin to melt – that’s okay.

Once the water has fully filtered through, remove the filter. Take care when pouring your iced coffee – the ice tends to slide out quickly.

Sit back, and enjoy your refreshing brew of Chemex iced coffee.

Here’s a quick video as well: