Ebb Coffee Filter for Chemex

In March of 2018, the ebb Kickstarter campaign raised $18K to develop and manufacture the ebb Coffee Filter, a cloth-based coffee filter explicitly made for pour-over coffee brewing.

I received my ebb Coffee Filter several months later, on 28th September 2018. This is probably the first Kickstarter I have backed that has delivered on expectations on time and in the same year that the campaign was launched. Thank you, ebb!!

The version of the filter I received was designed for use with Chemex coffee brewers. The campaign created versions for other types of pour-overs, but Chemex is the type I use.

The filter arrived on Friday in a small envelope. The delivery package was also compact, holding the cloth filter, a postcard with ebb Brew Guide for Chemex instructions, and a discount coupon. Brew guides for other brew methods can be found on the Brew Methods website.

The material feels soft but sturdy. I expect it will stand up to multiple brews and wash cycles. Before I could use the filter, the instructions recommended boiling the filter in water for five minutes. I assume this is to remove any impurities from the manufacturing process. Once complete, I put the filter to dry, ready to make coffee the next day.

For the Chemex, I have two recipes; one for use with a traditional Chemex paper filter and one for use with an Able Kone filter. The paper filter produces a clean cup with very little particulate matter. However, even though they are biodegradable and clean-up is easy, I was not happy tossing these paper filters into the garbage.

I purchased an Able Kone filter — another Kickstarter — a few years ago. The Able Kone filter is a reusable metal filter, but it does not produce as clean a cup as the paper filters; there is a little silt at the bottom of the cup and suspended in the coffee. I’m not sure, but I assume the ebb cloth filter produces a cleaner cup than both paper and mesh filters.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 36.5 mm, f/2.8

I use the Press coffee app when making my daily brew. Over time, and with experimentation, I have created recipes for making coffee via Chemex, French Press and AeroPress. I have included a link to the brew recipe for the Ebb filter. You’ll need the Press coffee app to import from the link. It’s the same as my paper filter recipe but with the grind adjusted to 21 instead of 16. I expect to tweak this to find the right balance between grind and brew time.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 51.6 mm, f/2.8

I consistently brew with the freshest beans I can find. I have been a member of several online coffee delivery clubs, but in the last few years, I have settled on obtaining fresh beans from a local brewer. I enjoyed trying different single original coffees from around the world, but I wanted to support my local brewer, whom I know personally.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

I started with 45g of fresh ground beans. I use a scale to weigh the coffee and a Baratza Encore coffee grinder I bought a few years ago. In a kettle, I heat water to between 91ºC (195ºF) and 96ºC (205ºF).

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

Before putting the ground coffee into the filter, I poured some hot water to wet the filter and warm the Chemex.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

After putting the coffee into the filter, I reset my scale, started the Press app timer and began pouring water, about twice the weight of the ground coffee. After 45 seconds, I continue running water in a slow circular motion, ensuring to saturate the grounds.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

The water should stop flowing through the grounds when the timer is complete.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 41.4 mm, f/2.8

I dumped the grounds into the trash and washed out my filter. The coffee grounds stained it, and I expect this to darken with use.

The coffee was delicious, with no hint of sediment—a clean cup.

Author: Khürt Williams

A human who works in information security and enjoys photography, Formula 1 and craft ale. #nobridge

7 thoughts on “Ebb Coffee Filter for Chemex”

  1. Hi there- Two questions for you. 1) what type of kettle do you use in the photos here? I like the added thermometer. Our black Hario doesn’t have that. I found some kettles with thermometers, but was worried about quality. 2)The links to your brew recipes on the press app are dead for the Ebb filter. I just bought one for my husband & my sister & brother-in-law in-law. All chemex. I’d love the recipe details. Thanks! MC

      1. Thanks again for te link to the thermometer lid. It's not currently available, but I will keep looking,
        Just tried the link to the and it wasn't linking through at all for some reason.
        Do you still use the Ebb filter? Any additional thoughts?

        1. The Ebb is a beautiful filter that makes excellent coffee. However, after the coffee is made, the Ebb becomes problematic. The cloth is very hot, so emptying grounds into the trash is difficult. I use a plate to hold the hot Ebb and coffee grinds until they cool down. I find cleaning the filter is also a challenge. It takes much longer to clean the grounds and wash the oils out of the filter.

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