Chemex Coffee Guide
A Chemex is a bit of a show pony when it comes to coffee brewing. I can almost guarantee if I crack it out amongst guests that I’m going to get an intriguing ‘oooo what’s this then?’
Personally, it’s not my every day brew method of choice, but I like it that way, a sort of luxury brew method that I spend a few more minutes than usual preparing on a Saturday morning.
Recommended Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:16
What You’ll Need
- Your Chemex
- Chemex Filter Paper
- Pour Over Kettle
- Coffee Scales
- Coffee Beans or Grounds
- A sprinkle of Berlin swagger
Preparation
You’re going to want to give the filter a good old wetting with a Chemex. I usually opt for the natural paper filters that do have a papery taste. By pouring hot water through the filter, you not only get rid of the paper taste, you also preheat the vessel.
Method
- Assemble and Weigh
Place the paper filter into the Chemex, making sure that the side of the cone with the three pieces of paper (rather than the single sheet) is placed against the spout. I like to weigh the coffee in the cone, depending on the type of your grinder and preference, of course.
- Preheat and Wet the Filter
As described above, you’re not only eliminating the paper taste, you’re also preheating the Chemex.
- Add Your Coffee Grounds
Tip the coffee grounds into the preheated Chemex. I like to use a chopstick here to create a well in the middle of the grounds so the next step is a little more uniform.
- Bloom
Tare the scales and start the timer. Pour over nice and slowly—double the weight of your ground coffee. This is called the bloom (it helps degas the grounds, basically making it taste even better).
- Brew the Chemex
After between 40–60 seconds, you should notice that there are no more bubbles breaking the surface of the grounds. Start to pour the brew water over the grounds in a circular motion. You want to pour over around 60–70% of the total water (this also helps maintain a stable extraction temperature).
- Pour the Remaining Water
Pour over the remaining water after another 40 seconds and wait until all of the water has dripped through the coffee grounds. You’re aiming for around a 4–5 minute total brew time.
- Swirl and Enjoy
Remove the filter and the spent grounds. Give the brewed coffee a nice swirl (making sure you look accomplished and you know what you’re doing), then serve.
Tips
- If you use a stovetop kettle like I do, I always give it a quick blast on the hob between pours just so the brew water doesn’t drop too low.
- It can be a bit awkward when you pour out the water when you’ve wet the paper—don’t burn those fingers.
Is There a Chemex Alternative?
Well, Chemex is a pour-over method, so you’re in luck—there’s a few options. I would recommend checking out a V60 or a Clever brewer. If you really want a deep dive, take a look at our pour-over coffee makers comparison guide.
Chemex Grind Size
Grind size is always a bit of a tricky subject in any brew method. Firstly, it’s so hard to describe how coarse or fine something is—you end up comparing it to another substance which also usually has a range of coarseness, and secondly, each coffee grinder works differently alongside each type of coffee bean.
However, I always think let’s get a starting point and then after a while you get a feel for the grind size. So a Chemex grind size resembles raw sugar—it’s a medium-coarse grind that is not quite as coarse as a French Press but slightly coarser than other pour-over methods. You should get a feel when you brew the coffee whether you need to adjust the grind size next time. For more detailed guidance, check out our complete guide to pour-over grind size.
What Is Chemex Iced Coffee?
Chemex iced coffee is a newish trend that I’ve seen a few coffee influencers producing beautifully edited videos on Instagram during the summer. Simply brew the coffee over ice, or my personal preference is to brew the coffee, let it cool to room temperature, and then add the ice. This way the coffee isn’t too diluted with the ice melting as the brewed coffee hits it.
What Size Chemex Do I Choose?
There are a few different sizes—3, 6, 8, 10 and 12 cup. My experience with any brew method is to take the cup sizes with a pinch of salt as they are usually overestimated (I found this out purchasing a 3-cup moka pot which would have looked more at home in my 3-year-old niece’s Playmobil kitchen). For me, I use a 10-cup. I like to brew Chemex with guests (I’m a bit of a show-off) because it makes that extra bit of coffee that will stretch further than my V60.
Chemex Temperature
Hopefully you’ve invested in a pour-over kettle that has a thermometer on the lid, so it’s super easy for me to explain that the brew temperature is around 90–96°C (that’s 195–205°F).
If you don’t have a thermometer to hand and you’re not that bothered about probing your brew water every time you brew, then bring the water to the boil and wait for around 45 seconds for the water to drop to the optimal brew temperature. Understanding brewing temperature is crucial for proper extraction—you can learn more about how temperature affects your coffee on the Barista Hustle Coffee Compass.
