Flash Chill Chemex Method: The Fastest Route To Delicious Cold Coffee
If you're after cold coffee with full flavor and zero wait, the Flash Chill Chemex method is your new go-to. Invented in Japan in the 60’s, this method is also known as “Japanese Iced Coffee.” And it could not be cooler.
TLDR: The Quick Recipe
You'll need: 34g Bad Teddy Coffee (medium-coarse grind), 250g ice, 250g water at 205°F, Chemex + filter
Quick steps:
- Add ice to Chemex
- Place filter, add grounds, tare scale
- 0:00 - Pour 70g water, let bloom
- 0:30-2:00 - Pour remaining water to reach 250g total
- 3:00-3:30 - Remove filter, swirl, enjoy
Total time: Under 5 minutes
What Makes Flash Chill Different
Tired of waiting overnight for cold brew? Or worse, pouring hot coffee over ice and watching it turn into brown water? Enter the flash chill method - a brewing technique that extracts all the complex flavors from hot brewing, then rapidly cools down the brew to lock in all that Bad Teddy goodness.
Flash chilling is precision brewing meets instant gratification. It's the method that captures every note from our 24-hour essence-bathed beans while delivering cold coffee in under 5 minutes. No compromise on flavor, no endless waiting.
Flash Chill vs. Cold Brew: Both delicious, but only one is also fast.
Both methods have their place in the chilled coffee world. Cold brew brings smooth, mellow flavors with low acidity - perfect for those who like their coffee subversive. Flash chilling? That's the high-energy option. Here's what makes each method unique:
Flash Chill
- Preserves our 24-hour flavor process - The flavor shines when extracted hot and locked in with rapid cooling
- Bright, complex flavors - Higher acidity and more nuanced tasting notes
- Ready in minutes - Instant gratification for the impatient among us
- Best for - Fruit-forward coffees and our more complex flavor profiles
Cold Brew
- Smooth and sweet - Long extraction pulls different compounds, creating chocolatey notes
- Low acidity - Easier on sensitive stomachs
- Batch-friendly - Make a week's worth at once
- Best for - Our dessert-inspired flavors and smooth morning sipping
The Ritual: Flash Chill Chemex Recipe
What You'll Need:
- 34 grams of freshly ground Bad Teddy Coffee (medium-coarse grind - think kosher salt, not beach sand)
- 250 grams of ice (made from filtered water)
- 250 grams of filtered water heated to 205°F
- Your Chemex and filter (pre-wet that filter to remove papery taste)
- A scale (precision matters in good coffee)
- Timer (your phone works perfectly)
The Method:
1. Set Your Foundation - Place the filter in the Chemex, then rinse it with hot water. Let it sit for a minute, then toss the water. This both preheats the Chemex and removes any papery taste from the filter. Set the filter aside and add 250 grams of ice directly into the Chemex.
Ice Tips:
- Standard cubes (1-inch): The sweet spot - melts evenly during brewing
- Crushed ice: Melts too fast to cool coffee. Trust us, stay far away
- Large cubes: Takes forever to melt, leaving you with a strong, but lukewarm cup
- Pro tip: Always use filtered water for both your ice and brewing water - clean water makes clean coffee
2. Grind with Purpose - Medium-coarse grind - think kosher salt. Fresh grinding releases oils and aromatics that our 24-hour essence bath process has locked into every bean. Consistency matters: uneven grinds lead to uneven extraction.
3. The Bloom Phase - Replace your rinsed filter in the Chemex then add your grounds to the filter. Important: Tare your scale to zero after placing the Chemex on the scale. Start your timer and pour 70 grams of 205°F water in a slow spiral, starting from the center to evenly wet the beans. Let it bloom for 30 seconds. This degassing is crucial for even extraction.
4. The Pour Pattern - After taring your scale, you're aiming for 250g total water. Here's your timeline:
- 0:30 - Pour to 80g (slow, steady spiral from center outward)
- 1:00 - Pour to 130g
- 1:30 - Pour to 190g
- 2:00 - Pour to 250g
- Total brew time: 3:00-3:30
Keep the water level consistent. No dry spots, no channeling - just smooth, even extraction.
5. The Moment of Truth - Once your timer hits 3:30, pull the filter. Your ice should be mostly melted, creating a perfectly chilled, undiluted coffee concentrate that preserves every note we painstakingly infused into those beans. Give it a swirl to ensure even temperature distribution.
Troubleshooting
Too Bitter? Classic result of overextraction. Your grind's too fine or you're pouring too slowly. Speed up your pour rate.
Too Sour? Grind finer or increase your water temperature. Those acids need more heat to extract properly.
Tastes Weak? Use more coffee. Our recommended 1:7.35 ratio (coffee to total liquid) is calibrated for optimal strength.
Still Have Ice Chunks? Pour more aggressively in the final stages or use standard 1-inch ice cubes for better melting.
Level Up Your Flash Chill Game
The Double Shot Method
Feeling dangerous? Use 40 grams of coffee with the same water amount for a concentrated blast that'll make energy drinks run home crying.
The Flavor Amplifier
Try this with our more intense flavors. That 24-hour essence bath process really shines when flash chilled - you'll taste notes you didn't know existed.
The Batch Brew Hack
Scale everything up proportionally. 68 grams coffee, 500g ice, 500g water. Same timing, doubled output. You're welcome.
The Science Behind The Method
Hot water extracts flavors and aromatics that cold water simply can't access. By brewing hot directly onto ice, we're capturing peak extraction then immediately locking it in place. No oxidation, no flavor degradation - just pure coffee excellence.
Our proprietary 24-hour flavoring process means those essence-bathed beans release their full potential during hot extraction. The rapid cooling preserves these delicate flavor compounds that would otherwise dissipate.
Become a Bad Teddy Brewmaster
This is more than just a brewing method - it's your entry into better coffee. While others settle for whatever's convenient, you're crafting something that actually showcases what coffee can be.
Want to explore more brewing methods? Check out our complete brewing guide collection. Ready to taste the difference quality beans make? Shop our lineup now.
Remember: Bad Teddy. Good Coffee.
Now stop reading and start brewing. That coffee won't make itself.