olijuice Senior Member Joined: 3 Aug 2012 Posts: 3 Location: Charlotte, NC Expertise: Just starting
Posted Fri Aug 3, 2012, 6:27pm Subject: Chemex size question
Hey all, this site was a great find!!! I'm new to the art of coffee. I recently took to looking for and buying locally brewed coffee beans to grind at home, but I am still using drip coffee maker. I learned about the Chemex and I am fascinated by it. I like its simplicity in pouring coffee and cleaning afterwards. I have never used a French Press but I have done a little research and I get the impression it takes a steeper learning curve to master and looks like it is tougher to keep clean.. but maybe I am wrong.
I typically make about 4 cups of coffee in the morning for my commute to work and rarely make larger cups, except occasionally if I have guests. I ran across an article once that said Chemex aren't ideal for small sized coffee making, i.e. less than 2 cups because water does not retain heat in small sizes.. but a Chemex is great for when you make lots of coffee.
Can I get away with buying an eight or ten cup Chemex if i plan on making on average 4 cups of coffee daily, and maybe once a week or less more cups.. or should i buy two different sizes?
Hey all, this site was a great find!!! I'm new to the art of coffee. I recently took to looking for and buying locally brewed coffee beans to grind at home, but I am still using drip coffee maker.
Welcome! Congratulations on taking your first couple steps. Where are you getting your roasted beens from?
olijuice Said:
I learned about the Chemex and I am fascinated by it. I like its simplicity in pouring coffee and cleaning afterwards. I have never used a French Press but I have done a little research and I get the impression it takes a steeper learning curve to master and looks like it is tougher to keep clean.. but maybe I am wrong.
Well, the Chemex is great, no doubt. But you're mistaken in thinking that the French Press will have a steeper learning curve. With the French Press you grind the coffee coarse, put it in the press, pour the water, steep for 4 min, press the plunger down steadily, and serve. There is little to no technique to producing a good French Press (there are some variables that you can mess with later if you get curious, though). The Chemex requires you to know how much water you should be adding, how fast you should pour it, and in what way you should pour it. And as long as you have a long-handled cleaning brush--or thin wrists--you would find the Chemex pretty simple to clean, yes. But the French Press really isn't awful to clean, you just need to make sure to take the plunger assembly apart (literally just untwisting it) and wiping down the insides a bit. So yes, the French Press will be slightly less convenient when it comes to cleaning, but the Chemex is definitely less forgiving to lack of technique.
olijuice Senior Member Joined: 3 Aug 2012 Posts: 3 Location: Charlotte, NC Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sat Aug 4, 2012, 1:48pm Subject: Re: Chemex size question
Thanks Dave!!
So far I found this place near Asheville, NC near to where I live in Charlotte. I order by mail... http://www.notoriouscoffee.com/ Do you have any recommendations also? any great coffee that you know about? I am kind of weary about mail order system if the place is too far away and the coffee has to travel.. or am I wrong about that? the last time I ordered coffee from notorious the post man left the box in the front door.. Which they normally do but I didn't notice it until the sun whent down on a really hot July day.. I wonder if that ruined the beans somehow.
side question.. Would you think that pouring 4 cups of hot water/coffee in a 10 cup pot Chemex would be underkill, i.e. would the 10 cup Chemex be overkill for so little coffee? like for example would the hole in the pot be too big for so little of coffee?
Posted Sun Aug 5, 2012, 1:13pm Subject: Re: Chemex size question
olijuice Said:
Thanks Dave!!
So far I found this place near Asheville, NC near to where I live in Charlotte. I order by mail... http://www.notoriouscoffee.com/ Do you have any recommendations also? any great coffee that you know about? I am kind of weary about mail order system if the place is too far away and the coffee has to travel.. or am I wrong about that? the last time I ordered coffee from notorious the post man left the box in the front door.. Which they normally do but I didn't notice it until the sun whent down on a really hot July day.. I wonder if that ruined the beans somehow.
No problem! As far as coffee goes, Counter Culture is a no-brainer, locally. And with mail-order, you do have to be aware of when it will be arriving so that it doesn't sit in the sun too long, but I really haven't had much of an issue with that. As many a forum topic is a testament to, I am a big proponent of Verve. They have free shipping, above-and-beyond customer service, and--most importantly--phenomenal offerings. They always get the coffee to NJ in 3 days or less (typically less). GoCoffeeGo.com is a great resource, as it only carries quality coffee from a plethora of roasters and offers free shipping or discounts on 3 different roasters a week.
olijuice Said:
side question.. Would you think that pouring 4 cups of hot water/coffee in a 10 cup pot Chemex would be underkill, i.e. would the 10 cup Chemex be overkill for so little coffee? like for example would the hole in the pot be too big for so little of coffee?
This may be a better question for someone else to field, as I've never tried to underdose so much on a Chemex. I don't see why it would be much different from doing the same on a V60, and know when I've underdosed on a V60, I've just had to worry about heat retention and adjusting my technique to give an even extraction. I mean, it is a little overkill, but I don't think that it's going to adversely affect your final product too significantly. I could be wrong.
IMAWriter Senior Member Joined: 4 Jul 2002 Posts: 5,464 Location: Brentwood, TN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Nothing at the moment Grinder: Vario-W,Preciso-Esatto/KyM... Vac Pot: Adcraft SS, Yama 8 cup Drip: Brazen.Chemex, Hario, Clever... Roaster: Behmor 1600, CO/UFO combo
Posted Sun Aug 5, 2012, 2:37pm Subject: Re: Chemex size question
Oliver, welcome to the CG Forums.
I have an 8 cup (40 oz) Chemex, the one with the handle, highly recommended. I've made as little as 20 oz perfectly (if I do say so! :>D) In fact, there is a little "nub" that signifies exactly where 20oz is.
The key is having freshly roasted coffee, water heated to around 202f, and a water delivery system where you can control speed. The long, curved spout kettle is to what I'm referring.
Most sell for $59 and up, but there its one very popular here that sells for I believe $29. click here
Watch a video, and you'll easily be there! Even a slightly6 "off' pour will yield wonderful results. BTW, SOME electric drippers do a very fine job. I'd ask we don't get into that here.
Posted Sun Aug 5, 2012, 5:57pm Subject: Re: Chemex size question
IMAWriter Said:
The key is having freshly roasted coffee, water heated to around 202f, and a water delivery system where you can control speed. The long, curved spout kettle is to what I'm referring.
Most sell for $59 and up, but there its one very popular here that sells for I believe $29. click here
+1 for the Bonavita. I have been using it for several months now with great results. It's a good size, has a great spout for controlled pouring, and is even pretty attractive on the stovetop.
Thanks a lot everyone for the help! That Prima website is a great find, I will be looking at all the cool stuff they have to offer. and I will definitely check out those other coffee sites.
What's your opinion on a steel kettle verse a glass kettle? I was looking at something like this but the spout doesn't look half as long or useful as the steel one you provided. I'm maybe factoring taste on a steel verses glass.. or maybe that makes no difference?
Thanks a lot everyone for the help! That Prima website is a great find, I will be looking at all the cool stuff they have to offer. and I will definitely check out those other coffee sites.
What's your opinion on a steel kettle verse a glass kettle? I was looking at something like this but the spout doesn't look half as long or useful as the steel one you provided. I'm maybe factoring taste on a steel verses glass.. or maybe that makes no difference?
I would caution you away from that particular kettle just because the handle and spout look as though that would be a pain to sustain an even pour with. You're not going to get any kind of strange taste from the metal. I've never heard of anyone that has, and, while I'm pretty sensitive to off tastes, I never have either. The spout on the Bonavita is literally designed to make an easy, steady pour for a pourover. It is also extremely lightweight, so sustaining a pour is never an issue.
In the end, get what you want. If you don't like it, you won't enjoy it no matter if it's the best of its kind or not.
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