What should someone do if they want to move on from the plunger coffee? What should they think about when looking for a new method to invest in?
It all depends on how you drink plunger coffee at home, how many people you’re serving, and how much time you have to brew. Gravity-fed brew methods like the Chemex and V60 Dripper produce a cleaner cup of coffee; if you want to reduce waste, you can use paper filters or organic cotton filters. The V60 dripper is best for a single cup, and a 6-cup Chemex is best for 2 to 3 cups (which you can purchase at Farro Fresh).
A gravity fed filter method like these is best for single-origin coffees where you want to be able to taste the subtle nuances of the plunger coffee; however, for most coffee blends, a well-made plunger will suffice.
Is the (expensive) Moccamaster also worthwhile? Totally! I tried having a single group espresso machine at home, but it was ineffective for me. The Technivorm Moccamaster is a low-cost investment that consistently produces clean cups of coffee in a matter of minutes. Filter coffee can be brewed in quantities ranging from 1 to 4 cups, making it ideal for families and larger groups.
Here’s our recommendation for brewing Chemex at home…
Kokako Brew Guide For 6 Cup Chemex
You will need
- 6 Cup Chemex
- Chemex 6-8 Cup Filter
- Adjustable burr grinder
- Scales
- Programmable water boiler or kettle
- Pour-over kettle
- 29g fresh Kokako Coffee
- 500ml fresh, filtered water, and additional water for rinsing your paper filter
Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from the heat and set it aside for 30 seconds. This will give you a brewing temperature of 96°C, which is ideal.
Place the Chemex filter in the Chemex after opening it into a cone. Place the filter’s thicker, multilayered side against the pouring spout.
Rinse the filter thoroughly with hot water. This not only preheats the Chemex, but it also ensures that any new filter paper flavors are flushed out before the coffee is brewed. Remove the filter and throw away the water.
Add your coffee to the filter after grinding it to a medium-coarse grind. Set your scales to zero and place your Chemex on top. Make sure you use the best cofffe on your dish.
Pour a small amount of water (around 100g) over the grinds, just enough to saturate them. The “bloom” period will begin as a result of this. Start the timer when the water first touches the coffee, and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
Continue to pour in a circular motion, avoiding the Chemex filter’s sides. Keep an eye on the scales as you pour 100g of water at a time in 10-20 second intervals up to 500g total.
Ideally, the brewing time should be around four and a half minutes. Remove the filter and place it in the compost once all of the water has filtered through. It’s now time to enjoy your coffee.
And for those wanting a step-by-step guide on a perfect plunger, here you go:
Kokako Brew Guide For The Perfect Plunger Guide
You will need
- 3 Cup Plunger coffee
- Adjustable burr grinder
- Programmable water boiler or kettle
- Stirrer
- Scales
- 20g fresh coffee
- 300ml fresh filtered water, plus extra water to preheat French Press
Preheat the chamber by bringing the water to a boil, then removing the plunger.
20g of freshly ground coffee, weighed and ground coarsely (bread crumb size).
Remove the water from the chamber and replace it with the coffee grounds. Then pour 40g of water onto your grounds gently. Stir the slurry and set aside for 30 seconds to allow the coffee grinds to bloom.
Pour the remaining water over the grounds and gently place the lid on top. Allow 3 1/2 minutes for the coffee to steep.
Remove the plunger coffee from the scale gently, then firmly hold the flask and press the plunger coffee down using only your hand’s weight.
Turn the lid to open the spout once the plunger coffee is fully compressed, and pour away!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
