I received my Ebb Coffee Filter several months later, on September 28th, 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 filter package itself was also compact holding the cloth filter, a postcard with Ebb Brew Guide for Chemex and instructions for use, and a CLOTHESFORCOFFEE coupon for discounts. 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 brew and wash cycles. Before I could use the filter, the instructions recommend 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 through 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. 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 certain but I assume the Ebb cloth filter will produce a cleaner cup than both the paper filter and mesh filter.
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 my initial brew recipe for the cloth filter. It’s the same as my paper filter recipe but with the grind adjusted to 21 instead of 16. I expect I’ll tweak this to find the right balance between grind and brew time.
I always brew with the freshest beans I can find. I have been a member of a number of online coffee delivery clubs in the past 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.
I started with 45g of fresh ground beans. I use a scale to weigh the coffee and I use a Baratza Encore coffee grinder which I bought a few years ago. In a kettle I heat water to between 91ºC (195ºF) and 96ºC (205ºF).
Before putting the ground coffee into the filter, I poured some of the hot water through the filter to wet the filter and warm the Chemex.
After putting the coffee into the filter, I reset my scale, I start the Press app timer and start pouring water; about twice the weight of the ground coffee. After 45 seconds I continue pouring water in a slow circular motion, making sure to saturate the grounds.
Ideally the water should stop flowing through the grounds when the timer is complete.
I dumped the grounds into the trash and washed out my filter. It was stained by the coffee grounds and I expect this to darken with use.
The coffee was delicious with no hint of sediment. A clean cup.