The Chemex is a classic pour-over brewer known for its beautiful hourglass design and exceptionally clean cups. Its thick bonded paper filter removes oils and fine particles, producing a bright, tea-like clarity that highlights floral and fruity notes. Brewing with a Chemex is simple and meditative — a true coffee ceremony.
Recipe
Equipment
6-cup or 8-cup Chemex, Chemex bonded paper filters, gooseneck kettle, coffee grinder, digital scale, timer.
Ratio
30g coffee (coarse grind, like granulated sugar) to 500ml water. Brew water temperature: 93–96°C.
Step-by-Step
Heat your water to 97°C. A bit hotter than drinking temperature — it will cool as you pour.
Fold the Chemex filter and place it in the brewer with the triple-layered side facing the spout.
Rinse the filter thoroughly with hot water to remove paper taste and preheat the vessel. Discard the rinse water.
Grind 30g of coffee at a coarse setting — similar to granulated sugar. Pour the grounds into the filter and give a gentle shake to level.
Place the Chemex on your scale and tare to zero. Start your timer.
Bloom: pour 60g of water in a slow circular motion, wetting all the grounds evenly. Wait until 0:30.
At 0:30, pour slowly to 310g in a steady spiral, keeping the water level well below the rim.
At 1:00, pour the remaining water to reach 500g total. Give the Chemex a gentle swirl to settle the grounds.
Wait for all water to draw through. Target finish time: 4:00–4:30. Remove the filter and serve.
Troubleshooting
If your brew takes longer than 4:30, your grind is too fine — go coarser. If it finishes before 4:00, your grind is too coarse — go finer. The Chemex's thick filter is less forgiving than a V60, so grind adjustments make a big difference.