The Chemex Brew Guide
Brewing with a Chemex: How to Make a Clean and Bright Cup
The Chemex is a design icon for a reason. This elegant pour-over brewer uses a thick, proprietary filter to create an exceptionally clean, sediment-free cup of coffee with a vibrant and bright flavor profile. If you love a crisp, smooth brew that highlights the delicate notes of a coffee, this is the method for you.
What You'll Need
- We recommend: Medium Roast Single Origin Columbia
- Chemex Brewer
- Chemex Filter
- Gooseneck Kettle
- Coffee Grinder
- Kitchen Scale
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Your Filter: Place the thick Chemex filter in the brewer, with the three-layered side facing the spout. Rinse the filter with hot water to preheat the vessel and remove any papery taste. Pour the water out through the spout.
- Add Your Coffee: Grind your coffee to a medium-coarse consistency, like rough sand. Add the grounds to the rinsed filter.
- The Bloom: Pour just enough hot water (around 200°F/93°C) to saturate the grounds evenly. Let it sit for about 30 seconds. This is the "bloom," and it releases gasses, allowing for a better extraction.
- Pour Slowly: Begin pouring the rest of your water in a slow, controlled, circular motion, starting from the center and working your way out. Avoid pouring directly on the filter. There are several pour-over recipes and various times in pouring your coffee. We prefer a 30 sec - 45 sec -1.25 minute recipe. Bloom for 30 seconds; let drip. Pour gently in the center for 45 seconds, swirl the brewer gently to settle the grounds, let drip. Finish the rest of your water, which should take about a minute and 15 seconds then let fully drip. This should take around 4 minutes total for a full pot of coffee.
- Remove & Serve: Once the coffee has finished dripping, remove the filter and serve your beautifully clear brew from the brewer.
Pro Tips
Pre-wetting the paper filter is the most important step! If you skip it, your coffee will have a slight papery flavor. We highly recommend using the white filters instead of the brown filters to avoid the papery, woody taste.
To brew with a 1:16 ratio, you'll use 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. This is a popular starting point that delivers a clean, balanced cup for most brewing methods. It's a great ratio to use with a pour-over or Chemex, as it highlights the nuanced flavors of the coffee without being too strong or too weak. For example, to brew 320 grams of coffee, you would need 20 grams of coffee grounds. Using a kitchen scale to measure your coffee and water will help you achieve a perfectly consistent brew every time.