Making the best coffee in five steps with a CHEMEX!

Already a year ago I gave the Chemex a chance. A decision that I deeply regret ever trying… It was so tasty and so filling that I am sure I will always compare future great specials to this one. I am talking about theCHEMEX !

It is of course a pleasure for the eye alone, that is immediately clear. It is therefore not for nothing that this coffee maker, designed in the 1940s, has won a permanent place in the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York . It was designed by a German chemist and connoisseurs are very enthusiastic about it. Slow coffee in this form is certainly an emerging trend, but it is certainly not new!

What is it?

The CHEMEX is a manual filtering method, and falls into the category of slow coffee / pour over coffee / drip coffee etc. It differs from the traditional filter coffee machine in several ways, but the main points are that this method is slower and that the filter is thicker. Slow Coffee in general is therefore strongly on the rise, and it literally means that you take the time to make a nice cup of coffee. Real craft. Experts claim that the previously more popular methods of espresso machines, for example, are not suitable for all types of coffee. More exciting coffees would not come into their own if the hot water passes the ground coffee too quickly.

Anyway, I'm sold! Yes, it takes a little longer, and without love and attention you really won't get very far. But if you are also willing to put in a little more effort for a really good cup of coffee, the Chemex. Do you have a CHEMEX and would you like to learn how to make coffee yourself with this coffee-making method? We have drawn up a brewing instruction that teaches you how to make the best coffee with a Chemex in five steps.

What do you need

• CHEMEX
• CHEMEX filters
• Freshly roasted and ground coffee
• Boiled water of about 94 degrees, preferably from a kettle with adjustable water temperature and a gooseneck jug.
• A scale with timer (or these two separately, of course)
• Love, time and attention!

Brewing instruction

1. Boil enough water, also to pre-rinse the filter.
2. Unfold the filter so that you have 3 layers on one side, and 1 layer on the other side. Place the unfolded filter in the opening of the CHEMEX so that you have the side with the 3 layers at the spout of the CHEMEX.
3. Flush the CHEMEX filter with hot water while the filter is in the CHEMEX. You do this to minimize the paper taste and to heat up the CHEMEX itself. Pour this water back out of the CHEMEX while keeping the filter in place.
4. Add your ground coffee to the filter. The grind will depend a bit on your grinder. Basically, it's somewhere between quick filter and cafetiere grinds. It should be coarse enough that the filter does not clog, and it should be fine enough that the water slowly drips through the filter. If you are still looking for a hand mill, take a look at our accessories page . Experiment with this! I recommend using about 19 grams of coffee in 250 grams of water, or 24 grams of coffee in 330 grams of water.
5. First, pour a little bit (± 50ml) of hot water on the ground coffee in a well. It will probably start to swell and bubble a bit from the gases. This is called 'blooming'. Lower it gently again and after 30 seconds pour the rest of your water very slowly, in circles from the outside in, or shake it a bit so that the water can mix well with the ground coffee. Make sure that the filter does not become clogged with fine particles, or that it runs through too quickly! The last part should therefore take a few minutes. Please note that it does not take too long, then it often becomes too bitter due to over-extraction.

That's it! Now you too can make coffee with a CHEMEX!

Don't like long descriptions like this? Then just check the video below - it becomes even clearer.

Enjoy it!