Chemex

Invented in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, the design of the Chemex has endured, unchanged with wood handle, leather cord and tapered glass. Coffee from a Chemex is very similar to that from a drip, but there’s more room for error. To guarantee the best results, grind your beans more coarsely than you would for a ceramic drip, and offer extra attention to the pour rate. This level of care yields a delicate and nuanced coffee, with plenty left over to share with friends.

Step 1

The amount of coffee and water depends on the type of coffee you are brewing and your preferred strength. As a starting point, we recommend to use 50 grams of coffee and 700 grams of water, and then adjust according to your personal taste.

Weigh out the coffee and grind to a coarseness resembling sea salt.

Step 2

Unfold your paper filter and place it in your Chemex, making sure that the triple-fold portion is facing the pour spout and lies crossways without hindering it.

Step 3

Fully wet the paper filter and warm the vessel with hot water. Remove this water again through the pour spout.

Step 4

Pour your ground coffee into the filter. In order to flatten the bed and allow for a more-even pour, give your Chemex a gentle shake.

Step 5

There will be a total of four, and this is the first pour.

Starting at the coffee bed’s center, gently pour twice the amount of water that you have coffee into your grounds (for example, 40 grams of water if you have 20 grams of coffee). Work your way gently outward, and avoid pouring down the sides of the filter. Adding this amount of water causes the coffee to expand, or “bloom.” Allow it to do so for 45–55 seconds. A solid bloom ensures even permeation.

Step 6

As for the second pour, pour water in a circular pattern starting in the center. Spiral out towards the edge of the blend before spiraling back toward the middle. Avoid pouring right on the filter. Allow the water to drip through the grounds until the blend drops 2.5 cm from the bottom of the filter. You should use about 200 grams of water for this pour.

Step 7

As for the third pour, repeat the same pour pattern as the second pour, adding water in 200-gram additions. Repeat once more, allowing the water to permeate through the grounds until the blend drops another 2.5 cm from the bottom of the filter before beginning the next pour.

Step 8

Allow the water to permeate through the grounds entirely.

Step 9

The process of brewing should take between 3.5 and 4.5 minutes. If the brew was too quick, you might want to consider using a finer grind or a slower pour rate next time. If the brew was too slow, you might want to try using a coarser grind or a faster pour rate.

Step 10

Pour your coffee in cups right away and enjoy!