The Chemex is filter brewing at its most aesthetically considered — and the thick proprietary filter is what makes it distinct. Where a standard pour over filter is relatively thin, the Chemex filter is bonded paper: dense, slow, and exceptionally effective at removing oils and fine particles. What ends up in the carafe is one of the cleanest, brightest cups in all of coffee. For light roasts with delicate floral or citrus notes, there is no better showcase.
What you need
- Chemex brewer (3-cup, 6-cup, or 8-cup)
- Chemex bonded paper filters
- Gooseneck kettle
- Digital scale
- Timer
- 45g freshly ground coffee (medium-coarse)
- 700g water at 93–95°C
Step 1 — Fold and rinse the filter
Fold the Chemex filter into a cone: three layers on one side, one on the other. Place it in the top of the brewer with the three-layer side toward the spout. Rinse generously with hot water — the Chemex filter is thick enough that skipping this step will give your coffee a distinctly papery edge. Discard the rinse water.
Step 2 — Grind medium-coarse
Grind 45g of coffee to a medium-coarse consistency — slightly coarser than pour over but not as coarse as French press. The thick Chemex filter slows drainage, so you need to compensate with a slightly coarser grind to avoid over-extraction and sluggish drawdown.
Step 3 — Bloom
Add the ground coffee to the filter and level the bed. Start your timer and pour 90g of water in a circular motion from the centre outward, saturating all the grounds. You will see the familiar CO₂ bloom — the bed rising and bubbling as gases escape. Allow 45 seconds for the bloom before continuing.
Step 4 — First main pour
After the bloom, pour slowly and steadily in a circular spiral from the centre to the edge and back, adding 200g of water to bring the total to 290g. Keep the pour low and controlled — avoid breaking the crust of the coffee bed. Allow this pour to drawdown until the level drops by about half.
Step 5 — Second pour
Add another 200g of water using the same circular pour, bringing the total to 490g. Maintain a consistent flow and avoid the filter walls — pouring directly onto the paper bypasses the coffee bed entirely. Allow to drawdown again.
Step 6 — Final pour
Add the remaining 210g of water to reach 700g total. The entire brew should finish drawing down in 4–5 minutes total. If it runs significantly faster, grind finer on your next brew. If it slows to a crawl, grind coarser.
Step 7 — Remove and pour
Once the filter has fully drained, grip the folded top of the filter and lift it cleanly from the Chemex. Swirl the brewed coffee gently in the carafe and pour. The Chemex retains heat well — your coffee will stay bright and warm for 20–30 minutes without any degradation in quality.
Which coffee works best?
The Chemex rewards transparency — use coffees with brightness, clarity, and origin character. Light-roasted washed Ethiopians, Kenyas, and Colombians are the classic choice. From our range, any of our single-origin filter coffees will shine here. The clean extraction reveals everything the roast has to offer, so start with the best raw material you can.
