Brewing Coffee With a Chemex

The Chemex brews coffee using the infusion method, which makes it most similar to drip coffee in terms of body and taste.  Although not as rich as the french press, the Chemex does produce a sediment free cup of coffee that will impress anyone used to the weaker taste of most auto-drip coffee machines.  The following steps are guidelines to make an easy and quick pour-over coffee.  We encourage you to experiment with the parameters and find the best method to suit you.  

Tools: Chemex cone with paper filters, grinder, drinking cup or carafe, tablespoon, hot water, coffee

1.  Setting up the Chemex

Open the Chemex-Bonded® Coffee Filter into a cone. One side should have three layers. Place the cone in the top of your coffee maker with the thick portion toward the pouring spout.

2.  Grind and Dose

Using Regular or Automatic Grind coffee only, put one rounded tablespoon (about 7 grams) of coffee per 5-oz cup into the filter cone. If you prefer stronger coffee, use more coffee; there is never any bitterness in coffee brewed using the Chemex® coffee brewing method.

3.  Pour Over

When the water is boiling, remove it from the heat until it stops boiling vigorously. It should now be at about 200°F, a perfect brewing temperature. Pour a small amount of water over the coffee grounds, just enough to wet them without floating. This is important because it allows the grounds to "bloom," so the desirable coffee elements can be released.  After this first wetting simply pour more water, soaking the grounds each time, but keeping the water level well below the top of the coffee maker. Once the desired amount of coffee is brewed, dispose of the spent grounds by lifting the filter out of the coffee maker. And that's it. You are now ready to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee!

What you are looking for in a cup of pour-over coffee:

Pour-over coffee is the on-the-spot alternative to airpot-brewed coffee.  It is meant to be enjoyed within minutes, not hours, of brewing.  It is also a heavily filtered coffee, so is much more clean and snappy of a cup than press pot coffee.  You should notice the brightness and acidity being highlighted in the cup while the body not as pronounced and the mouth feel thin and less syrupy.