How to brew with Chemex
3.5 to 4 min
You’re going to love this if…
You love a clear cup bursting with sweetness and nuance. The Chemex coffeemaker was invented in 1941 by the eccentric chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. A brewer that’s both simple to use and also a thing of beauty. The Bauhaus-inspired carafe is crafted with non-porous labware, which imparts no flavour of its own. Today, its hourglass shape and signature collar are an iconic part of American design history.
You will need
coffee amt & grind size
20 grams & medium grind
Water amt & temp
200 grams & 92-94°C
We recommend starting with a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio when brewing pour-over coffee. So for every gram of coffee, add 10 grams of water (that’s roughly 2 teaspoons). For one cup, start with 20g of coffee and 200g of water. Experiment to find the perfect ratio for you; for a lighter cup, try a ratio of 1:18.
Steps to brew
1
Fold the filter paper twice and open out one layer to form a paper cone, with the other three layers making a thick fold on the other side. Make sure the folds aren’t too crisp as water might pass through a tight fold too quickly. Place the thicker three-layered side over the spout of the Chemex brewer, with the single layer facing the other side of the coffeemaker.
2
Pour hot water (91°C) over the filter paper. This is called pre-wetting, and it removes any undesirable papery aroma or taste; it also opens up the blocks in the filter, such that your coffee retains its aromatic oils. Now, with the filter paper still in place, tip the water out of the coffeemaker.
3
Measure 20g of medium-ground coffee on the kitchen scale. ARAKU’s Grand Reserve and Micro Climate coffees are well-suited for a Chemex brew. Place the coffee measure in the filter.
4
Heat a little more than 200g of water until simmering (92-94°C); make sure the water isn’t boiling. We recommend using a gooseneck kettle as it will allow very controlled pouring, although you can also use a regular kettle.
5
Start the timer. Aim to portion out the water from the kettle into the Chemex in three pours, completed within 3.5 to 4 minutes. The amount of time depends on the quantity of coffee; if you’re making two cups with about 40-50g, it would take about 4.5 to 5 minutes.
6
The first pour is called “blooming”; pour enough water to cover the grounds and let the coffee soak for 15-20 seconds before the second pour. Whether you start pouring clockwise or anti-clockwise, remember to pour in the same direction for all three pours.
7
For the second pour, start at the centre of the filter and slowly spiral out towards the edge of the filter.
8
For the last pour, begin from the coffee at the edge of the filter and spiral towards the centre.
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