Chemex Coffee Brew Guide

Step One

Bring 1 liter (33.8 ounces) of filtered water to boil in a gooseneck spouted kettle. Open the Chemex bleached paper filter, and place in the brewer with the thicker, 3-layered side facing towards spout.

Step Two

Then, rinse the paper filter with a few ounces of the hot water from your kettle. This step will rinse out any extra paper taste from the filter, preheat the brewer, and create a seal between the paper filter and the brewer. Without breaking the seal, pour out the rinse water. It helps to hold the filter in place while doing this.

Step Three

Weigh out 38 grams of freshly roasted, whole bean coffee on a scale. If you don’t have a scale, you can also measure this with a tablespoon. We recommend 6 level tablespoons. (1 Tablespoon ≈ 6 grams)

Step Four

Using a burr grinder, grind the coffee to a medium-coarse consistency. Brewing with a consistent and uniform grind size is crucial to brewing delicious coffee. If you aren’t sure what setting to use, check out our grinding page in our Learn section for reference.

Step Five

Place the Chemex on the scale, add the ground coffee to the filter and shake the brewer to level the grounds, and tare to 0. Then, using a spoon, create a small divot in the center of the grounds. This step will allow the brew water to penetrate the entire bed of grounds, making sure all the grounds are evenly saturated and ready to brew.

Step Six

After starting your timer, “bloom” the grounds by pouring 75 grams (2.5 oz, or just enough to cover the coffee) of the filtered water just off boil and let it sit for 30 seconds. This step allows the grounds to saturate with water, forcing out gases and priming the coffee for the brewing process.

Step Seven

Slowly pour the remaining 525 grams (18 oz) water in circular pattern, staying away from the edges and the center. Aim to finish pouring around 3:30 – 4:00. If poured correctly, it should finish draining between 4:00 – 4:30. Note: If it takes less than 4:00 to finish draining, use a finer grind and try pouring slower. If it takes longer than 5:00 to drain, use a coarser grind to allow the water to pass through the coffee more easily.

Step Eight

Remove and discard filter in the trash or compost.

Step Nine

Swirl the coffee in the carafe and smell the delicious aroma wafting throughout your kitchen. Grab some mugs and share with some family and friends over a yummy Sunday brunch.