This Chemex recipe will make enough coffee for 2 people (or 1 really thirsty individual).
You can read further to get all of the details, or you can watch Kiersten make our recipe on Youtube:
HOW WE DESIGNED OUR CHEMEX RECIPE
As we mentioned in a previous blog, "Why Do We Brew with the Chemex and Kalita Wave", we love having the Chemex in our cafes because it’s as useful as it is beautiful, and gives our baristas the ability to make larger batches of pour over coffee for our guests.
This recipe has been honed over the years to be simple enough to brew in a busy cafe but maintain the quality to meet the high standards of our team. It produces enough for two big mugs of coffee, making it perfect for sharing.
OTHER CHEMEX TIPS
Filter trick: If you're using a square filter, fold the top of the corner down into the spout. This will help make sure the brew doesn't stall.
Pre-heat is neat: Use a good amount of your heated water to rinse the filter and preheat the brewer. The Chemex is big and the paper is thick.
Try African coffees: All coffees taste great in a Chemex, but we especially love the added clarity it brings to African coffees.
Bleached vs unbleached filters: There’s a pretty big difference in experience of bleached vs natural filters. We recommend bleached for the cleanest taste. Though natural is slightly more environmentally friendly, Chemex users report slight papery taste in the final brew. If you use a natural filter, we recommend a second rinse prior to brewing.
This recipe is a tried and true way to give you two big servings of well-extracted, high-clarity Chemex coffee. We recommend following basic best brewing principles such as using fresh filtered water and freshly ground whole bean coffee to ensure your final result is as good as can be.
In this recipe, we use 48g of coffee to 800ml of water.
Grind your coffee coarse for this amount of
coffee. If you decide to make a smaller batch
use a slightly finer grind.
Once your coffee is in the pre-rinsed filter,
ensure it is evenly distributed in the brew (give it a little shake)
Start your timer and begin blooming your
coffee. Use 80 to 100 grams of water to bloom
your coffee. Once you have the desired amount
of water for blooming, gently stir the slurry or
swirl your Chemex to ensure all coffee is coming
into contact with the water.
Let your coffee bloom for 45 seconds and then
begin your pour. Begin with a slightly faster
flow rate to ensure the water in the Chemex is
reaching the desired temperature.
Pour in spirals throughout your pour to ensure
even agitation of your brew.
Flow rate should be such that you reach 400 to
450 grams of water around 1:30 to 2:00.
Stop pouring and allow the water to drain. If your grind size is accurate, it should drain by around 2:00 or 2:15.
Begin pouring in spirals again at 2:00 to 2:15
Finish your pour at 800 grams around 3:30
The Chemex should finish draining between
4:30 and 5:30 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
Learn more about best brewing practices on our Brewing At Home page.
As always, coffee is best when it is adjusted to your taste. If the coffee is coming out too sour or weak-tasting for your liking, try grinding a little finer or using slightly more coffee. If it is very bitter and leaves a dry taste on your tongue, try grinding a little finer.
