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Chemex Classic

Why Brew With The Chemex

Over 80 years since its invention, the Chemex continues to be a symbol of coffee's beauty, not just in its form but in its function. It's rare that a product has as much staying power as the Chemex, which feels both familiar and futuristic at the same time. It could be invented today and still remind us of the past, just as it gave coffee lovers in the 1940s a glimpse at what the future could look like. Back then, though, I'm not sure they had any idea how good coffee would be 80 years later.

The Chemex and its proprietary filter bring a coffee's complex subtleties into focus by withholding natural oils and fines, both of which can muffle a single-origin coffee's brilliant song. We know a lot about the Chemex (and some little-known facts I had to dig for) already, so let's make a cup.


Overview

We recommend measuring by weight instead of volume for the most accurate brew ratio.

Ratio

1:17

Coffee

42g (5 ½ tbsp)

Grind

Medium-Coarse

Water

700g (25 oz.)

Time

4 mins.

A Chemex coffee maker with a kettle pouring water over grounds in the Chemex.

Setup

Instructions

  1. Place your open paper filter in the brewer so that three layers are facing the spout. Rinse with hot water.
  2. Weigh and grind 42g coffee medium-coarse.
  3. While that's making lots of noise, discard your rinse water.
  4. Add coffee to the filter, shake to level the bed, and make a divot in the center of the bed.
  5. Tare your scale, start the timer, and bloom 150g water for 45 seconds.
  6. At 45 seconds, break the crust by bringing the total water up to 450g. Allow that to draw down until 1 minute 45 seconds.
  7. For our last pour, we're going to bring the total water all the way up to 700g and let it draw down.
  8. At 4 minutes, remove your filter, serve, and enjoy.

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