The Chemex is iconic glass coffee maker which has been a staple for coffee lovers for about 85 years. The secret is in the thick, folded paper filter. This retains oils and fine coffee particles, giving you a clear, soft and exceptionally pure cup of coffee.
This is how you make the perfect coffee with a Chemex.
Choose your coffee and grind fresh.
Start with freshly roasted coffee beans and grind them just before brewing. For a Chemex one works medium to coarse grind the best.
The unwritten, ideal relationship is 30 grams of coffee to 500 ml of water. That gives a nice balance between taste and body.
Rinse the filter.
Place the paper filter in the Chemex, with the thicker, folded side facing the spout. Rinse the filter well with hot water.
This has two advantages: you remove any paper taste and you preheat the Chemex. Pour away the rinse water before you start.
Pour & bloom.
Use water of approx 92 – 96 °C. Don't have a temperature gauge? Then let boiling water stand for about a minute.
First pour one like this 60ml water over the ground coffee. Make sure all the coffee gets wet and let it 30 to 45 seconds stand.
You will see that the coffee puffs up a bit. This is what we call blooming: the coffee releases CO₂, which makes it easier for the water to absorb the aromas from the coffee.
Pour slowly and evenly.
Slowly pour the remaining water into the Chemex. Make gentle, circular movements and try to keep the coffee evenly wet.
Don't rush it: the entire brewing process takes approx 4 to 5 minutes. An even lead time helps to achieve a nice balance in the cup.
Enjoy your cup of coffee.
When all the water has run through, remove the filter. If necessary, give the coffee a gentle spin in the Chemex so that all the flavors mix well.
And then it's time to taste. A good Chemex coffee is often clear, aromatic and beautifully refined, which brings out subtle flavors in the coffee.
TIP: play with your recipe.
A Chemex is not an exact science. Taste your coffee and adjust: grind slightly coarser for more clarity, slightly finer for more body. You can also adjust the ratio between coffee and water to your own taste.
