Brewing the Perfect Chemex
The Chemex is famous for its extra-thick paper filters, which remove heavy oils and sediment and leave an incredibly clean, bright, tea-like cup. It rewards the same habit as good backend work: fix the parameters, measure everything, and change one thing at a time. Here is the recipe I brew every morning.
The Setup
Before you start pouring, make sure your gear and ratios are dialed in.
- Coffee: 30 grams of freshly roasted coffee.
- Grind: Medium-coarse, about the size of sea salt.
- Water: 500 grams of filtered water heated to 93–96°C.
- Ratio: Roughly 1:16 coffee to water.
- Gear: A Chemex, a Chemex paper filter, a gooseneck kettle, and a digital scale.
The Brewing Process
Consistency is the whole game. Place the Chemex on the scale and follow these steps for an even, balanced extraction.
- Rinse the filter. Unfold the filter so the thicker, three-layered side rests against the pouring spout. Rinse it thoroughly with hot water to preheat the glass and wash away any papery taste. Pour out the rinse water.
- Add the coffee. Put the 30 grams of ground coffee into the filter. Give the Chemex a gentle shake to level the bed, and tare the scale to zero.
- Bloom. Start the timer and quickly pour 60 grams of water evenly over the grounds. Let it sit for 45 seconds so the trapped carbon dioxide can escape.
- Main pour. Starting in the center, slowly pour in concentric circles until the scale reads 300 grams. Keep the water level fairly high, but avoid pouring directly onto the exposed filter walls.
- Final pour. Once the water level drops slightly, pour the remaining water in the same circular motion until the scale hits 500 grams.
- Drawdown. Let the water filter completely through the grounds. The target for the whole process is roughly 3.5 to 4 minutes.
Remove the filter, give the Chemex a gentle swirl to aerate the coffee, and serve.