This is by far the most common brew method in people’s households. Although you can get a coffee machine anywhere, the Specialty Coffee Association has a list of certified home brewers HERE. These machines meet the requirements to brew the best extraction of your FMRC coffee. No matter what machine you have, follow these instructions to get the most out of your home brewer. 

What you need for this brew:

• Home brewer
• Coffee filter
• Filtered water
• Grinder (or pre-ground coffee) for auto drip 
• Scale (or tbsp scoop)

STEP BY STEP HOME BREWER PREPARATION:

STEP 1 • Place the coffee filter in the basket and run a small amount of water through it to eliminate any papery taste.

STEP 2 • Use 8 grams of coffee per 5oz. of water or number of cups. For example: The Bonavita 8-cup is maxed out at 40 oz., so you would need 64 grams of coffee. If you don’t have a scale, 1 heaping tablespoon per cup will work. Place coffee in the filter and shake lightly to level.

STEP 3 • The total brew time should be between 4-6 minutes. Some machines offer pulse settings which elongates the brew time if it’s too short. 

STEP 4 • When it’s finished, remove the filter with coffee to prevent any dripping onto your machine or counter.

STEP 5 • Grab your favorite mug and enjoy!

The Kalita Wave, from Japanese company Kalita, is a great dripper for both coffee professionals and beginners. Its flat bottom with three extraction holes allows for a very even brew. The wavy filter and design of the dripper allow for less contact between the filter and the dripper meaning that the coffee can quickly drip through before bitter flavors develop.

What you need for this brew:

• Kalita Wave brewer
• Kalita Wave filter
• Grinder
• Pour over kettle
• 25 g freshly roasted coffee
• 400 g of 195-205? hot water
• Scale
• Timer

Kalita Brewing Essentials

FROTHY MONKEY KALITA WAVE STANDARDS:

• Dose = 25 g
• Bloom = 50 g water for 30 seconds
• Final water weight = 400 g
• Pour time = 2 min
• Brew time (total time) = 3-3:15 min
• Coffee to water ratio = 1:16
• Grind = Medium – Fine. The grind should be finer than drip brewer.

STEP BY STEP KALITA WAVE PREPARATION:

STEP 1 • Heat Kalita Wave, filter and server by pouring hot water in the center of the filter; this will also help reduce the flavor impacted by the paper. Pour hot water out both the server and the Kalita Wave.

Step 1 – Heat Kalita Wave, filter and server

STEP 2 • Weigh out ~25 g of your favorite coffee and grind about the size of slightly coarser than table salt.

Step 2 – Grind slightly coarser than table salt

STEP 3 • Place Kalita Wave and brewing server on scale and tare. Add exactly 24 g of freshly ground coffee to the filter and level out. Tare scale again. 

Step 3 – Add exactly 24 g of the freshly ground coffee to the filter

STEP 4 • Start timer and pour 50 g of hot water over the coffee, ensuring all grounds are wet. Allow the coffee to sit till the timer reaches 30 seconds before adding more water; we call this the ‘the bloom’ or ‘de-gassing’ and it is when the coffee is releasing gasses trapped in the cells. This helps to prepare the brew.

Step 4 – Start timer and pour 50 g of hot water over the coffee

STEP 5 • At 45 seconds pour ~150 g of water, pouring in uniformed swirls starting in the middle of the coffee bed and working your way out towards the filter.

Step 5 – At 45 seconds pour ~150 g of water

STEP 6 • Continue to pour  ~50 g of water in spirals about every 15 seconds until 400 g is reached. Try to finish pouring by 2 min.

STEP 7 • Allow the coffee to continue to drip until you have a slow drip (this should happen at 3-3:15 minutes). You should have a nice flat bed of coffee in your filter.

Step 7 – Allow the coffee to continue to drip

STEP 8 • Remove filter and grounds and dripper. Swirl your server and pour into your favorite coffee mug.

Step 8 – Pour and enjoy!

This brew method was designed by German Chemist, Peter J. Schlumbohm, in 1941. It was once considered to be “one of the best-designed products of modern times”, and is included in a collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Chemex filters are 20-30% heavier than other filters so they retain more of the suspended oils during the brewing process and solids cannot pass through the filter. Brew characteristics: Medium body, clean cup and clarity of flavors.

What you need for this brew:

• 6 cup Chemex brewer  
• Chemex filters  
• Grinder  
• Pour over kettle  
• 40g freshly roasted coffee
• 195-205 degree water 
• Scale 
• Timer

What you will need to brew a Chemex

FROTHY MONKEY CHEMEX STANDARDS:

Dose = 40g coffee
Bloom = 80g water for 45 seconds
Final water weight = 680 g
Pour time = 3:30 min
Brew time (total time) = 5-6 min
Coffee to water ratio = 1:167
Grind = Medium – Coarse grind, grind should be coarser than drip brewer but finer than French press. 

STEP BY STEP CHEMEX PREPARATION:

STEP 1 • Place the filter in the Chemex, make sure the three-layered side of the filter is towards the spout to prevent the filter from being sucked into the spout.

Steps 1 + 2 : Place filter and wet

STEP 2 • Heat Chemex and filter by pouring hot water through them both; this will also help reduce the flavor imparted by the paper. 

STEP 3 • Pour the water out of the back of the Chemex, while leaving the filter in place.

Step 4 : weigh out coffee

STEP 4 • Weigh out ~40 g of your favorite coffee and grind about the size of coarse sea salt.

Medium-coarse grounds

STEP 5 • Fill up gooseneck kettle with 195-205 degree water (wait 30 seconds after boiling).

Step 6 : Add coffee and zero scale

STEP 6 • Place Chemex with the filter on scale and zero. Add exactly 40 g of freshly ground coffee to the filter and level. Zero scale again.

Step 7 : First pour

STEP 7 • Start the timer and pour ~80 g of water over the coffee, being sure to wet ALL the grounds. Allow the coffee to sit until the timer reaches 45 seconds before adding more water; we call this the ‘the bloom’ or ‘de-gassing’ and it is when the coffee is releasing gasses trapped in the grounds.

The bloom

STEP 8 • At 45 seconds add  ~150 g of water by slowly pouring water over the coffee in small circles moving around the coffee bed but avoiding the edges of the filter. 

Step 9 : Continue pour

STEP 9 • Pour another 150 g of water at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 finishing at exactly 680 g.

Step 10 : A nice flat bed

STEP 10 • Allow the coffee to continue to drip until you have a slow drip (this should happen at 5-6 minutes). You should have a nice flat bed of coffee in your filter.

Step 11 : Pour and enjoy

STEP 11 • Remove filter and grounds, swirl your Chemex, and pour into your favorite coffee mug.