The Chemex brew method is one of my favorite brew methods. It’s fast, flavorful, and pretty easy to master. In this post, I share my process and exact recipe — end to end.
For the longest time, I had no idea what I was doing with this brew method. I wasn’t weighing my beans or water, which is a crucial step to get the best results. The key to a good Chemex brew is to know your dose ratio. I like to use a 16:1 ratio. That’s 16 parts beans to 1 part water. For example, I weigh out 28 grams of beans and grind them to a fine/coarse grind, then pour 475 grams of water. This yields a super clean full cup of coffee to enjoy.
The reason this brew method is so clean is because it uses a paper filter (similar to the Aeropress). I prefer to use the slightly more costly natural brown fitlers to avoid the chemicals found in the bleach process of the white filters. This also helps to avoid introducing unwanted tastes to your brew.
I also like to use a gooseneck kettle to achieve a smooth, slow pour to avoid disturbing the beans during the pour. On that note, a proper pour technique is also needed. Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy. Start by pouring in the center and slowly make circular motions as you pour. Don’t rush. Pour slow and even. Too easy.
The Recipe
- Weigh out 28 grams of good coffee.
- Prepare your coffee as a fine to medium grind and set aside.
- Heat two batches of water. One for rinsing the filter and the other for brewing the coffee.
- Put your filter into the Chemex (the three folds should be forward)
- Slowly pour the first batch of water over the entire filter to ensure you rinse all paper waste through the filter. I recommend you use a goose neck kettle to control your pour.
- Take this time to swirl that hot water to warm up the decanter, then discard into your cup to warm your cup.
- Place the filter back in the Chemex and place your Chemex on a scale and tare it out to zero.
- Add your ground coffee and double check that your weight is accurate to 28 grams, then tare it out to zero once more before your pour.
- Give the Chemex a subtle shake to flatten out the coffee grounds.
- Add your “just off the boil” water to your goose neck kettle and get ready to pour.
- Begin to slowly pour a 70 gram pour over all the grounds to start the bloom.
- Let the water flow through and prepare to get your second pour on.
- Slowly pour with small circular motions in the center of the grounds and spiral out close to but not to the edge of the grounds.
- Continue to slowly pour with small circular motions until you see 475 grams on the scale.
- Step aside and let gravity do the rest (the water should flow through in about 2 minutes).
- Discard that water in your cup
- Discard the filter in the Chemex and pour your coffee into your cup.
- Enjoy it black, or add other ingredients to make it your own.
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