Step By Step Guide To Brewing Coffee At Home Using A Chemex

The Chemex Coffee Maker is simple in appearance and in use, and for our money is a sexy bit of brewing kit that should be in everyone's kitchen. It is one of the few pour-over coffee brewing methods using a low-tech procedure that produces an excellent cup of coffee. If you're looking for coffee-shop quality coffee at home, then you could do no wrong with a Chemex. The Chemex consists of a narrow-waist glass flask and uses proprietary paper filters.  

 

How to Brew Coffee Using A Chemex

 

1. Boil kettle or use a pour-over coffee kettle.

2. Fold filter (there are either square or circle shaped) according to instructions. Step by step guides can be found here.

3. Grind your awesome coffee beans. For a 6-cup Chemex we recommend 60g of coffee, fairly coarse (similar to sea salt).

4. Warm Chemex with the boiled water, shaking gently to swirl the water around. Then empty. 

5. Place filter in the Chemex making sure the three-layered side is towards the pouring spout. Rinse with hot water to remove the paper taste. Generously cover the lower portions of the filter where the infusion takes place. 

6. Place Chemex on scales and zero.

7. Pour your ground coffee into the filter and give it a gentle shake. This will flatten the bed, allowing for a more even pour. Make a small hole in the middle of the coffee grounds using the handle end of a spoon. 

8. Using a slow-pour kettle or a steady hand, pour a little water (twice as much as your coffee grounds in weight) into the well you've created in the coffee and let the carbon dioxide release. This is known as 'the bloom' which allows for a more even extraction and a better tasting cup.

9. Slowly pour the remainder of your water in several stages, around 100g at a time. Do this with a slow circular motion, moving outward from the centre. The total brewing time will be around 2:30 minutes.

10. Take the filter paper by its top edges, lifting it up and out carefully keeping the coffee grounds in place. Discard in the bin or recycling. 

11. Drink your coffee and marvel at your dedication and skill.