Chemex Drip Brew

The preparation of coffee by means of filter has experienced a kind of "boom" lately. All the while, the classic filter coffee machines have never completely disappeared from the households.

However, more and more baristas and coffee lovers have begun to search for the 'perfect' way to brew coffee with filter, which is much different to the well known drip brewers.

A special type of filter coffee brewing is the Chemex Coffee brewer .

Coffee for brewing with Chemex

Usually, the coffee is a lighter roast (as e.g. espresso) and depending on your taste preferences you can use beans from any region around the world.

Blends are rather uncommon for filter coffee, whereas (quality) Single Origin beans are preferred for this kind of coffee preparation.

As always, no rule without exception! A coffee which is outstandingly suitable for the preparation with the Chemex is the Sidamo from Kaffeefabrik

Another recommendation is the Sidamo by Kaffeefabrik , clear taste, fruity aroma, a pleasant high quality single origin coffee.

Grind Level for Chemex

For the filter infusion method, we chose an average grindness - coarser than espresso ground so that the infused water can flow evenly through the coffee and filter.

You can judge the correct grindness by the flow of the coffee - if it flows to quickly the coffee might taste "thin", if the flow is to slow the taste may be become bitter

The filter paper for the Chemex is typically thicker and therefore best suited to extract the bitter substances from the coffee. Nevertheless: is the grind too fine, the water will flow to slowly through the coffee and the coffee becomes bitter (not stronger!).

Amount of coffee for Chemex

For 150ml of water about 8 grams of coffee should be used (this corresponds to approximately one heaped tablespoon).

This is an approximation:should you prefer your coffee with more or less grams - you did nothing wrong! Taste is an individual thing!

Brewing coffee with the Chemex

Water temperature:

The water should have between 92-96 °C. Boiling water extracts the bitter substances, in order to prohibit this unwanted effect, let the boiling water cool down before pouring.

Do you use an electric kettle? Allow the boiling water to cool down before you start the brewing process.

1. | Get into the grind

Select your favorite whole bean coffee you want to enjoy and grind it to medium coarse ground. Fresh ground coffee is always the best option for a great taste!

2. | Insert the Filter, dampen with water and pre-heat

Open a Chemex Bonded Coffee Filter into a cone shape so that one side of the cone has three layers, and place it into the top of the Chemex brewer. The thick (three-layer) portion should cover the pouring spout. Dampen the filter with warm water to rinse and preheat the brewer. Once the water has drained through the filter completely, pour it out of the brewer while keeping the filter sealed against the coffeemaker wall.

3. | Add coffee

Put the ground coffee into the filter cone - as described above, use around 8g of coffee for 150ml of Water. Feel free to use more if you prefer it stronger; the Chemex brewing process eliminates bitterness.

4. | Blooming

Once you have brought the appropriate amount of water to a boil, remove it from the heat and allow it to stop boiling vigorously. Pour a small amount of water over the coffee grounds to wet them, and wait for about 30 seconds for them to “bloom”, releasing the most desirable coffee elements from the grounds.

5. | First pour

After the grounds bloom, slowly pour the brewing water over the grounds while keeping the water level well below the top of the Chemex). Slowly pour the remaining water over the grounds, using a circular or back-and-forth motion as you pour to ensure an even soaking of the grounds.

6. | Remove filter

Once the desired amount of coffee is brewed, lift the filter with spent grounds out of the brewer and discard.

7. | Enjoy your coffee!

Pour your freshly made coffee into your coffee mug and indulge in the flavor!

8. | Cleaning and Care

A carefully cleaned and handled CHEMEX® brewer will give you a lifetime of service. Remove the wooden handle and continue to hand wash with warm soap and water, or place the coffeemaker securely in the dishwasher.

Taste Characteristics Chemex Coffee

Like the classic filter coffee, coffee brewed with the Chemex is characterized by a clear, distinctive, sometimes even sweet taste. Depending on the bean variety, even the fruity and floral notes may appear clearly in the foreground. What makes the coffee prepared with the Chemex so special is the almost complete absence of unpleasant bitter substances.