Chemex Brew Guide

A legendary coffee brewer that proudly sits on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art. You’ve seen it in James Bond movies, you’ve seen it on Friends. It’s iconic. Due to its thick, proprietary filter you can enjoy a super clean brew, and because of its size you can make enough after-dinner coffee for a whole table of guests.

RECIPE (CHEMEX 6 CUP)

600 g water	16:1 brew ratio
37.5 g coffee
Water temperature	205° F 96° C
Total brew time	3:00—3:30
Grind size	Coarse

 

Chemex™ is a much larger brewer, and meant for multiple cups—share a pot with a pal! With brewing larger quantities of coffee, you want to grind much coarser than normal. If the grind is too fine you will find a major lag in final stages of drawdown, as the water gets trapped in coffee fines, leading to over-extraction.

1. Place the filter with the triple layer covering the spout, and the single-layer opposite
2. Heavily rinse the paper filter, then discard the water. This will also act to preheat the Chemex™ to stabilize brew temperature
3. Add 80g of water for the bloom which is the activation of CO2 gas, wait for 45 seconds, then after the bubbles dissipate begin your next pour
4. Next pour to 200g of slow, concentric circles of water ensuring the grinds are all equally wet and saturated
5. Wait 5 seconds
6. Pour again in the same manner to 350g
7. Wait 5 seconds
8. Pour again in the same manner to 600g
9. Aim to be done pouring water 2:45
10. Let the coffee drawdown. There should be no coffee left on sides of the filter, and the bed of coffee should be flat and even.
11. Enjoy!