Chemex coffee brew guide
Coffee brewing method: Filter coffee
Skill level: Medium
The Chemex. An elegant, timeless brew method, perfect for the entertainer.
This is the ideal piece of coffee brewing kit if you are regularly making coffee for friends and family, but want a method to show off your speciality coffee expertise.
Brew delicious tasting filter coffee
The Chemex filter coffee maker is a stand-out brew method of filter coffees. It's thicker paper filters provide the cleanest cup of coffee for at-home coffee brewing.
This means it's ideally suited to lighter roast speciality coffees which are particularly complex or have light, delicate flavours.
Here's what you need to start brewing.
- A Chemex
- Chemex filter papers
- A coffee grinder. We like the Wilfa Svart coffee grinder for filter coffee.
- Scales. Coffee scales like the Felicita Incline coffee scales are super accurate, but regular kitchen scales will also do the job.
- Timer (your phone has one!).
- Your fave mug to drink out of
- 30g epic coffee (check out our latest selection of single origin filter coffees to find your perfect Chemex coffee)
- 500ml water
- Kettle. A gooseneck kettle like the Fellow Stagg coffee kettle will help you brew more precisely, and will give a better result. A jug, or just your regular kettle will work too.
Chemex Coffee Brewing Method
1. Weigh and grind
The weight and grind of your coffee is key to a consistently tasty brew with replaceable results. If you're brewing for two people, we recommend starting with 30g of coffee, and 500ml water. Aim for a medium-coarse grind.
You may enjoy your coffee stronger or weaker, so as a general rule we'd say anywhere between 60-70g per litre of coffee. It's your brew, so experimenting to find the perfect ratio for you is absolutely encouraged.
2. Rinse
Pop the filter into your Chemex and rinse with hot water. This means you only taste the good stuff in your brew, and not the taint of the paper. This is also true of a V60 or any other pour-over method which uses a filter.
Now is also a good time to preheat your cup by filling it with hot water, which will keep your coffee hotter for longer. Swirl the hot water around the Chemex.
3. Saturate and bloom
Tip away any hot water in your Chemex and add your ground coffee to the coffee maker's filter paper.
Start the first pour. The aim is to saturate the grounds; this should require only 80-100ml of the total water. Swirl it around a little so that all of the coffee grounds are fully saturated.
Watch as the coffee expands and de-gasses. This process is called the 'bloom'.
Wait 20-30 seconds here before moving on to the main pour.
4. Pour
Try to pour slowly and consistently, at a steady rate, and in a circular motion. This keeps the coffee grounds fully immersed without weighing the coffee down with all the water at once.
Using a coffee kettle like the Stagg pourover kettle gives you much more precision and accuracy here.
Pause every 100ml for a few seconds to keep the water level only a few mm above the grounds.
The total brew time (including bloom) should be around 5 minutes.
Chemex FAQ
What coffee should I use in a Chemex?
We like to brew a filter coffee in a Chemex. Filter coffees have a lighter roast profile which allow the nuances of different origins and processing methods to really shine through.
A lighter, more delicate brew method, like the Chemex allows the complex fruit and floral flavours in the coffee to really sing.
You can find out latest range of single origin filter coffees over on our shop.
What filter should I use in a Chemex?
Chemex brewing requires a thick, starchy filter designed specifically for this type of filter brewing. These filters absorb more of the coffees' oils, resulting in a super clear brew and vibrant flavours in the cup.
Make sure you always rinse your paper filter with hot water before brewing in to it. You should only ever use a paper filter once.
You can buy replacement filters for the Chemex here.
Where can I buy a Chemex?
We often have Chemex coffee equipment for sale over in the Extract Coffee Roasters shop, which you can find here. Our stock does fluctuate, so if we don't currently have one available, please check back later.