Periodically I switch up my coffee brewing method, seemingly with no little rhyme or reason — but this time, I caught myself. I'm now drinking one six-cup ChemEx every morning of medium roast coffee.
There have been phases of my life where my habit was six to eight shots of espresso every morning, starting around 9 am and continuing til around 1 pm. I fell in love with a tea drinker, and while she taught me all about FGTFOP, neither she nor the Barrys were forever. During my #VanLife phase I switched to drinking two thirty-two-ounce French Presses of coffee a day. A recent trip to Disneyland encouraged me to break out the ChemEx.
When Disneyland opened up Walt Disney's apartment for the tour, it was irresistible to my daughter, one of my closest friends, and me. Reservations were made immediately. While poking around the cupboards in Walt and Lilly's kitchenette, I noticed that someone put a ChemEx there with the other reputedly treasured tools and serving ware. There was a story about a "Tom and Jerry" serving set, and I certainly noticed they also left a few of Walt's ashtrays there.
I think the apartment still smells of cigarettes a bit, but that may be the former smoker in me.
Anyways, when I got home, I remember that Walt and I had the same iconic ChemEx model, and I took it out. The coffee is a lot smoother and has a flavor I prefer to the French Press today. I am using white bonded paper filters, and I do rinse them beforehand. The whole "taste the paper" thing has been with me since my days as a Barry's tea drinker.
I have also found the ChemEx to be a lot stronger than the French Press, which I think has to do with extraction time, as I get impatient with the Press. I noticed that I was super agitated and over-caffeinated the first few days when I was drinking 12-cups (an equal amount to my French Press habit.) I notice that I get through ChemEx fairly early in the morning, and I am READY TO GO, and also able to drink water/electrolytes instead of just coffee til 1 pm.
I'm happier, and I also find that usually comes with a change in my brewing method. I try to note when my moods change and what things seem to make me happy, I think more concentrated caffeine earlier in the day is a good thing for me.
Image: screen grab
