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!

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

• A 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.

The old fashioned cocktail recipe hasn’t changed much since the 1860s (or earlier) for a reason. When made well, it’s perfect. Coffee and whiskey are great partners however, and we like this caffeinated twist perfect for iced coffee season.

Ingredients 

1 sugar cube

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

2 oz bourbon or rye

1 oz cold strong coffee (or chilled espresso)

Ice

Twist of lemon

Instructions

Place sugar cube and bitters in a rocks glass. Add a splash of the coffee and muddle well. Add the bourbon or rye, followed by the remaining coffee and ice. Stir until chilled. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Combining rich coffee with sweetened condensed milk, Vietnamese iced coffee can quickly become a habit in the summer.  The traditional recipe uses a Vietnamese press, which brews a single serving of strong coffee into a glass containing sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture over ice and you’ve got something magical.

I’ve always thought this would be a fantastic ice cream flavor, but heat makes me lazy, and all that stirring sounds like hard labor. Popsicles to the rescue. Sweetened condensed milk is blended throughout the top and bottom layers of this recipe, so you get a nice mix of the coffee and sweet cream flavor at the top, finishing off with a little vanilla at the bottom.

What you’ll need

Popsicle molds for 12 pops

2 cups of cold dark coffee (we used our French Roast coffee, brewed in a French press and cooled)

1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

Non-stick cooking spray (optional)

Directions

• Whisk the cold coffee and 2/3 cup of sweetened condensed milk together in a bowl and pour the mixture into your molds until each is about 3/4 full.*
• Freeze for 2 hours or until the mixture is slushy, but frozen enough to hold a popsicle stick. The harder first layer is, the better the separation will be. A slightly softer layer will create a swirl effect, which is just as delicious.
• In the meantime, mix together 6 tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1-1/2 cups of the heavy cream.
• Fill the remaining space in the molds with the cream mixture (you may have a little left over, depending on the size of the mold).
• Freeze until very solid. Sweetened condensed milk takes a while to harden. Let it sit overnight or longer.

* A word about popsicle molds: 

Having a stick come out in your hand while the rest of your frozen treat remains stuck in the mold is a frustration no one should have to suffer ever. I recommend silicone molds, but managed to have success with the  old-fashioned plastic kind by spraying a little non-stick cooking spray inside before adding the coffee/milk mixture.

If that idea grosses you out, you can also dip the frozen pops in a bowl of warm water for 30 seconds or longer before pulling the sticks gently. I recommend doing that anyway, spray or no spray. While they are an awkward shape to eat, Dixie cup pops might be the simplest method of all. Simply peel the paper off, no tugging (or heartbreak) required.

it’s never too early for iced coffee!  Obviously the summer months are the best time to enjoy a nice big glass of iced coffee but we’ve started the party early here in Jersey.  Gorgeous weather this past weekend and forecasts of 80 degrees have us stocking up on ice.  So far we’ve made a nice pitcher of our Iced Coffee Blend and a second pitcher of Dark Costa Rican Tarrazu.

What’s your favorite coffee to drink iced?  Most people prefer dark roast coffees – they tend to hold their flavor longer as the ice melts.  Lighter roasts and flavored coffees can be delicious ice cold as well, but it helps to brew the coffee stronger than usual.  Another trick is to fill ice cube trays with coffee instead of water.

Feel free to comment on what coffees you love iced or any tricks you have for making that perfect batch of cool, refreshing iced coffee.  Anyone use CBD coffee for iced lattes and cappuccinos?