This is one of my favorite brewing methods. Chemex is a pour over method, which means you’ll need a paper filter that helps create a cleaner cup. It usually results in a coffee with smoother characteristics, often highlighting citrus and fruity notes. Of course, the final taste depends on your technique and the coffee you're using. Brewing with a Chemex is simple and fun. So, what do you need?
☕ A Chemex
☕ Chemex paper filter
☕ A gooseneck kettle, preferably one that lets you control the temperature (but don’t worry if you don’t have one, you can still make it work with a regular kettle)
☕ 30 grams of whole bean or ground coffee
☕ A grinder
☕ A scale with a timer
Step 1: Heat Your Water
In your kettle, heat the water to a temperature between 90°C and 96°C (194°F–205°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, bring the water to a boil and then let it sit for 2–3 minutes. This ensures the water isn’t too hot, which could burn the coffee and lead to an imbalanced extraction.
Step 2: Grind the Coffee
Grind your coffee to a medium-coarse consistency. If the grind is too fine, especially when making a larger amount of coffee, the water can pool and not filter properly, this would result in over-extraction.
Step 3: Prepare the Filter
Place the filter in the Chemex, with the thicker side covering the spout. Rinse it with hot water to remove any paper residue and preheat the Chemex to help stabilize the temperature during brewing. Discard the rinse water. Put the damp filter back in place and add your 30 grams of ground coffee. Place the Chemex on your scale.
Step 4: The Brewing Process
We’ll be using a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio. That means for every 1 gram of coffee, you’ll use 16 ml of water. So with 30 grams of coffee, you’ll pour 480 ml of water. It sounds more complicated than it is, just watch the scale and stop pouring once you reach 480 ml.
Blooming (First Pour): Start your timer and pour about 30–40 ml of water to wet all the grounds evenly. This helps release gases from the roasting process and improves flavor extraction. Let it sit for 30 seconds.
Second Pour: Slowly pour in a circular motion up to 225 ml. Keep the flow steady and consistent, ideally always in the same direction.
Final Pour: Continue pouring in the same way until you reach 480 ml. Always leave short pauses between pours to allow the water to filter down a bit. Don’t pour all the water at once or let the coffee bed dry out completely between pours. Aim for a controlled flow to ensure a balanced extraction.
Once you’ve poured the full 480 ml, allow the water to drain completely. The total brew time should be around 4 to 5 minutes. Try not to go over 6 minutes, as over-extraction can create unwanted flavors. Personally, I like to do three pours and aim for that 4–5 minute window.
Final Touch: Swirl & Serve
Remove the used filter, then gently swirl the Chemex. This mixes the brewed coffee and helps aerate it for a more balanced flavor.
And that’s it! (That's what she said, after a bunch of steps to brew a “simple” Chemex.)
Serve and enjoy! ☕
This can be your basic guide, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Try adjusting grind size, coffee amount, water ratio, or even water temperature (just avoid boiling water, we don’t want to burn our precious coffee!). I hope this guide helps, and remember, if you ever need tips or advice, feel free to reach out. This is a space for us to learn and grow together 💛