Easy Iced Coffee Guide

Tuesday, August 14th, 2018 by

It’s summertime, so we decided to play guinea pig to bring you the best iced coffee out there. As popular as this classic continues to be, iced coffee often alternates between watery and mouth puckering bitterness. Our goal was to create a cup solid enough to graduate from trend to timeless classic. We believe, when properly brewed, iced coffee may be the star of the coffee world. Not only can it be simple to prepare, (which we love, especially pre-caffeine) but it is the perfect refreshing treat to beat the heat.

Filtered water should be used to brew a double strength batch of coffee to start.  Flash brew iced coffee (aka ice brew) is made in a pour over (such as Hario or Chemex), but you don’t have to get all fancy if you don’t want to. You can make your iced coffee in an autodrip brewer too! Throw coffee ice cubes in to minimize dilution. Ta-da! A no-fuss, clean, crisp cup in minutes.

Homemade iced coffee is easy to make, but the right brewing method can preserve the nuances of the beans while other brewing methods can dull or neutralize their subtle flavor notes. The right iced coffee should be way less high maintenance than it tastes. We love a good shortcut and, finally, our resourcefulness pays off. All hail the perfect iced coffee, right from your very own kitchen! Check out our easy recipes and let us know what you think in the comments.

Easy Chemex, Hot or Iced

Friday, May 6th, 2016 by

New to Chemex coffee? The Chemex is distinguished in the world of pour over brewing by its unique shape and heavy paper filter, which work together to create a flavorful and clean cup of coffee. If you like a bright flavor without bitterness or sediment, give it a try!

Coffee Purists

To brew hot coffee with the Chemex, you’ll need the following:

  • Chemex 6 cup or 8 cup brewer
  • Chemex Bonded Filters
  • Coffee ground slightly coarser than you would use for an autodrip machine (ask for a pour over grind if ordering ground coffee)
  • Near boiling water
  • A Kettle (preferably with a thin spout)

Instructions:

  1. Open your filter so that it forms a cone. You’ll see that one side has three layers. Place the filter in the top of your brewer with this side facing the spout.
  2. Measure your water and coffee. We recommend using 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6-8 ounces of water.
  3. Boil your water adding a little extra to the kettle to rinse the filter before brewing (optional).
  4. Preheat your brewer (recommended for hot coffee) by pouring a little hot water into your filter. This step serves to eliminate some of the paper taste from the filter as well as warm the carafe. Discard the water once it has run through.
  5. Pour your ground coffee into the filter.
  6. Wet the grounds with hot water. Add just enough water so there are no dry spots and let sit for about 30 seconds.
  7. Add the rest of your water. Start by wetting all of the grounds again, then move the stream of water in slow spirals, pausing when close to the top. A gooseneck kettle is recommended for greater control.
  8. Once all the water has been added, allow the water to filter though. Remove the filter, give the carafe a swirl, and serve.

Iced version:

For iced coffee, replace half of the brewing water with ice. Place the ice in the carafe, skip step 4, and brew normally.

 

How to Brew Coffee

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013 by

Who doesn’t know how to make coffee? Whether you’re interested in brewing the best tasting cup or you just need a stimulant in your system as soon as possible in the morning, most of us figure out how to make drinkable coffee at home. Most of us have also wondered at some point why the same coffee we make at home tastes better when we eat out or at a friend’s house. Or we wonder why whatever we’ve been doing for the last few years suddenly doesn’t do it for us anymore.

When I first started working here, keeping the coffee brewing in our office was a task that gave me secret anxiety. Making coffee is easy, right? I’ve been doing it every morning since I was a child, but maybe I’d been doing it wrong all along. Our office coffee makers are nothing fancy, but I noticed that this coffee was different, not like the sawdust I was used to using heaps of. My first few attempts were definitely off. I wasn’t sure who I was anymore.

Since then, countless customer emails and phone calls have taught me that many life-long coffee lovers are struggling with disappointment at home. Often, one variable changes and the magic ratio of coffee to water that has always worked suddenly doesn’t. Sometimes the explanation is obvious — your coffee is stale. Sometimes the source of the problem is harder to pinpoint. Maybe your grinder blade is getting dull, or your water is the wrong temperature. It’s not exactly complicated, but small changes make a big difference.

There are many ways to brew a pot of coffee, each with its virtues and devotees. Most have been around forever because they can deliver a great-tasting cup if you do it right. That means using fresh coffee (fresh-roasted and freshly brewed), the right grind and amount, good-tasting water, and a clean machine. Whether you’re trying something new or you want to get more out of your old brewer, this infographic from our graphic designer Jenn makes it easy.

How to brew coffee infographic