THE CHEMEX

Elegant drip-technique for a clean and bright brew

 

History

Created in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, the Chemex is a thing of beauty – made from a single piece of tapered borosilicate glass, adorned with a wooden collar and leather tie cord. Assisting the brewing process is a three-fold Chemex filter which is 30% thicker than traditional filters, eliminates unwanted fats or oils, giving you a clean, pure, flavourful cup of coffee without bitterness or sediment.

The Chemex uses a Pour over or Infusion technique.

Equipment

Minimum Equipment                                     

  • Chemex Carafe                         
  • Chemex Filters
  • Coffee
  • Hot Water

Optimal Equipment

  • Gooseneck Kettle
  • Scale
  • Timer
  • Thermometer

 

 Grind Size Coffee Water Ratio Roast Total Brewing Time
Medium - Coarse 1:15 Light or Medium 3 - 3.5 minutes

    Measures

    • Coffee: 20 g
    • Water : 300 ML
    • Makes  1 Cup of Coffee

    Technique

    Step 1 - HEAT

    Heat fresh water to 200° F using a thermometer. Or, bring water to a boil and let it stand for 30 seconds.

    Step 2 - SET UP

    Place a paper filter with the 3-ply section facing the spout. Rinse the filter with hot water & discard water.

    Step 3 - MEASURE

    Measure 20 grams of ground coffee beans and place in Chemex. Give it a gentle shake to even the bed.

    Step 4 - POUR

    • Pour 40 ml of hot water (twice the weight of the grounds) in a spiral pattern so that all of the grounds are saturated. Wait for the coffee to bloom.
    • At 30 seconds, resume pouring water over the grounds slowly, first in a spiral pattern, and then straight down. Pour 260 ml of water and keep the coffee grounds fully saturated from start to finish.

    Step 5 - SERVE

    Discard the filter and give the coffee a final swirl. Serve Semi-hot.

    Brewing Tips

    • The Chemex comes in 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10 Cup Sizes. Please adjust your Coffee : Water ratio accordingly
    • If the grind size is too fine, the coffee is over extracted and bitter. If too coarse, the resulting coffee is weak.
    • Avoid using a Dark roast as the brew tastes burnt and acidic.
    • Don’t let the grinds go dry during the brew process
    • Water quality is very important. Use RO water to Brew.

    Tasting Notes

    • Clear, Bright, Fruity, & Syrupy.
    • Has layered textures & tastes at different temperatures.
    • Best Had Black

    Food Pairing

    Light Cookies, Pastries, Toast, Pancakes, Fruit, Poultry, Bacon