If you want to learn how to make the best cup of coffee for your morning, this blog is for you. Chemex coffee makes a smooth, balanced, clean, flavorful, and bright cup of coffee every single time.
What is a Chemex?
If you are discovering new ways to make a better cup of coffee, learning about the Chemex brewing system is the next right step.
A Chemex is this elegant hourglass-shaped coffee brewer. It looks sleek, like it would be placed in a French kitchen or a science lab. It was invented by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, a chemist, in 1941. He was on a mission to invent a coffee maker that was not only an excellent tool to make exceptional coffee, but also a brewing system that looked beautiful.
The glass in a Chemex is called borosilicate glass, which essentially means shatter-proof glass." This brewing system uses thick paper filters to produce coffee with a clean and crisp taste.
Is it Worth it?
Well, if you are a coffee lover and nerd like me, the Chemex is worth all the hype.
First things first, doesn't it just look cool? The aesthetic of this brewing system is attractive, making it look like you're conducting a science experiment all the time.
The taste is unbeatable compared to other coffee systems. Here is the breakdown:
French press: gritty, extremely bold, and a whole lot of muddy
Drip machine: just bland, cannot identify flavor profile, and overall experience is just to get caffeinated
Chemex: crisp, clean, and smooth flavor, and respects the coffee bean quality (more on the coffee beans below)
Now, if you enjoy an excellent cup of coffee in the morning, you need to be prepared to spend a few extra minutes making it. I view it as an investment in my morning routine, as the coffee I drink must not only wake me up, but also be a cup of hot liquid that is enjoyable to my palate.
How to Make Coffee with a Chemex
The first step is getting the Chemex and the filters. I have owned about three different types of Chemex-style brewing systems, as I have cracked several during my moves. Here are a few great options to choose from, and ones I recommend:
A large Chemex serves about 4 people, assuming you are drinking from 10-12 oz cups.
A small Chemex serves about 2 people, assuming you are drinking from 10-12 oz cups.
These are the best Chemex filters I have tried so far. It is a quality Chemex coffee filter that is unbleached, durable, and easy to use.
What Kind of Coffee Beans to Use
I cannot stress enough the importance of coffee beans. This will determine whether your coffee tastes good or bad. Yes, you can ruin the good coffee beans by brewing them in a poor coffee system like the drip machine. And if you're using a drip machine, it's best not to waste money on high-quality beans as it will not extract the flavors of the coffee.
Here are a few tips to choosing good coffee:
Look for a local coffee roaster in your area that you can visit and purchase a fresh pack of beans regularly. If you don't have any local roasters in your area, here are some of my favorite companies that ship:
A medium blend or light blend should never smell burnt when roasted. If it does smell burnt, the roaster is not focused on quality roasting, but on quantity. I suggest getting those senses used to understanding the difference.
If you are drinking decaf, opt for Indonesian coffee beans and swiss water processed. It's so good, you'll never know it's decaf. How do I know this? I serve this specific decaf to all my friends and family, and they can't believe decaf can taste so good. Sometimes, you just want to drink coffee for the taste, not the caffeine.
What Grinder to Use
I have tried so many coffee bean grinders over the years. Each one of them malfunctions in its own way. After extensive trial and error, including multiple Amazon returns, I found this coffee grinder to be one of the best on the market. Each dial will grind true to the grind size. The cup is made of stainless steel, keeping static at bay. A quality grinder is worth investing in if you want your coffee to taste excellent.
Chemex Coffee Grind
Coffee beans for a Chemex are ground a bit coarser than you might be used to seeing. The ground beans should have both larger and smaller pieces of coffee grinds. They shouldn't resemble a powder, or you will have a very bold and dark coffee, and the water will not pour through the filter.
Water Kettle
The best type of kettle for a pour-over is with a gooseneck. If I were going to choose the best one for me right now, I would go for this gooseneck water kettle. It's a smart kettle that helps make the pour-over process quicker in the morning. Set a timer, and the water will heat in the morning, ready for you to pour over the coffee beans when you arrive in the kitchen. Currently, my kettle looks like the one pictured below, which works as well. I just need to get up 5 minutes earlier to warm up the water in the morning.
Brewing Coffee Using the Chemex
Water Temperature
If the water is too cold, the beans will not extract the right flavor, resulting in flavored lukewarm water.
If the water is too hot, you will scorch your beans, and the coffee will be bitter.
So, what is the perfect water temperature for the coffee beans? A good range is anywhere between 195°F and 205°F.
Chemex Ratio for 2 cups of Coffee
There are different ratios and recipes of water-to-bean for the Chemex. I will share my Chemex coffee to water ratio I use daily. My preference is a medium to bold coffee. I drink my coffee black, so I want to ensure I'm tasting the flavor tones of the coffee. If a coffee has chocolatey and nutty flavors, I need to taste that. This is why the Chemex is for the coffee nerds and geeks. The flavors of the beans matter to us, right?
For 1000 ml of water, I use 60 grams of coffee beans.
How to Pour the Water Over the Beans
Because there is a lot of control when brewing with a Chemex, you can extract the best flavors from the beans.
Step 1: It is recommended to pour hot water over the filter before adding the beans to remove any paper flavors going into the coffee. This is the one step I skip in the morning because, honestly, I am too lazy and too tired. I don't want to empty the hot water from the chemex and reline the filter after doing that. Too much work. But, if you are willing to take this extra step, go ahead.
Step 2: Place the beans in the filter and start by pouring the hot water in the center of the beans. Pour just enough to get the beans to look like they are rising, or the technical term, start blooming like a flower. Stop pouring the water at that point and let the beans start blooming with flavor. This will take 30 seconds or so.
Step 3: Continue pouring water over the beans until you reach the desired weight. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you pour:
Only fill the filter halfway with water, NEVER all the way to the rim of the Chemex.
Pour the water at the center of the beans and NEVER around the edges.
Using a scale will help get a consistent flavor every single time. Place the Chemex under the Chemex while pouring the hot water over the beans.
How long does it take to brew Chemex coffee?
From heating the water to the last drop, it takes me 20 minutes to make 1000 ml of coffee. In between that time, I prep the beans, read, or check messages. Sometimes I start making breakfast, depending on the meal I am preparing.
Is a Pour-Over the Same as a Chemex?
There are so many different opinions on this, but essentially, a Chemex is a pour-over, just a fancy and bougie one. You can achieve an outstanding result using other pourovers. One thing I would like to highlight, though. When using a rubber pour-over cup, a slight flavor difference may occur as the rubber can release a particular smell/chemical from the cup. I am very picky when it comes to that.
Conclusion
Chemex is a great investment if you are looking for the best black cup of coffee for your morning.
In this blog, I shared my experience with a Chemex and what I learned over the years as an avid Chemex user. There are so many other great resources out there that go into more technical and scientific details when using this brewing system. I am here just to give you a quick and simplified version of using a Chemex and share my recipe for 2 cups of great coffee.
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