Plastic Free Coffee

Inspired in spirit by the Bauhaus school of design and in form by the Erlenmeyer flask, the Chemex coffeemaker was in fact designed by a chemist. Peter Schlumbohm created the simple iconic glass coffee maker in 1943 that is still the preferred method of coffee purists and design enthusiasts today.

When Arsy Vartanian of Paleo food blog Rubies & Radishes mentioned she was looking for a new coffee maker, we sent her a Chemex and she and her husband were immediately converted. According to Arsy, "It makes the smoothest cup of coffee I've ever had."

Why it’s the purest cup

1. 100% glass

Made entirely of non-porous glass, a Chemex will give you the purest brew unimpeded by the plastic interior components found in most coffee makers. When plastics are exposed to boiling water, they break down and release chemicals like BPA and BPS (common BPA replacement). With a 100% glass coffee maker, all you’ll taste is your delicious java. And since it’s borosilicate lab glass, you can reheat leftover coffee by placing it right on a gas stove!

2. Not your standard ordinary filter

The Chemex method is all about extracting only the "desirable parts of the coffee bean." This leaves the coffee fats and bitter elements in the coffee grounds, not in your cup. The natural unbleached filters are cleansed through a four-stage process using extremely hot water. The paper itself is 100% cellular fiber and 20-30% heavier, which allows it to absorb and remove remove undesirable sediment particles and oils. Chemex filters were scientifically formulated to permit proper infusion time while filtering out sediment, oil, and fats.

How to brew the perfect cup

1. Place the cone shaped coffee filter in the top of your coffeemaker with the thick portion facing toward the pouring spout. One side should have 3 layers. (see image above)

2. Boil water. Turn off the heat and wait a few seconds until the vigorous boil has stopped. Do a quick rinse over the filter to seal it to the Chemex. Pour out the rinse water.

3. Add your ground coffee. You'll want it to be a medium coarse grind (think Kosher salt). Use the ratio of 1 rounded TB coffee for every 5 oz. of water.

4. Pour a small amount of water over ground coffee, just enough to "wet" the grounds (without floating them). This is an important step as this allows the coffee to "bloom" which releases the full flavor. You can give the grounds a quick stir to make sure the grounds are fully saturated.

5. After the "bloom" pour water evenly in a spiral over the coffee and slowly fill water until the desired amount of coffee has been brewed. (Our favorite kettle for the most evenly brewed pour-over coffee is the Buono Drip Kettle.) Enjoy the perfect cup!

Giveaway

Win over $125 worth of plastic free coffee goods PLUS $100 cash donation for your school! Enter below. Giveaway ends April 27, 2015. View Official Rules.