How To Make Coffee In A Chemex

Brewing with a Chemex is an elegant way to make a cup of coffee. Currently synonymous with upscale cafes, the Chemex has actually been a coffee brewing staple in homes since 1941. While it does take a little more finesse and skill than other brewing methods, the practice is worth it––resulting in a clean and bright cup fit for a crowd. We recommend using medium roast coffees for the best results.

Brewing Time: 4 min

8-cup Chemex

Chemex Filter

40g of coffee

Hot Water Kettle

Grinder (if using whole bean)

Water

Gram scale

Timer

Measuring scoop

Mug(s)

Bring water temperature to boiling and then let sit for 30 seconds before using. Ideal water temp should be between 195-205F

Gaviña Family Tip: Always use fresh filtered water for the best cup of coffee. Brewed coffee is 98% water so the quality of the water has an impact on the flavor of the final cup.

Put the Chemex brand filter into the Chemex brewer with the thicker triple-fold side in the direction of the spout. Carefully wet the filter all the way around with the hot water. Dump out the water before proceeding and readjust the filter as needed.

Gaviña Family Tip: Don’t skip this step. Wetting the filter rinses away any papery taste that might contaminate the final cup and preheats the Chemex to keep your brewed coffee at a consistent temperature.

Weigh out and grind 40g (or about 6 tablespoons) of coffee. Medium (standard) grind is recommended––it should have the coarseness of sand or Kosher salt.

Gaviña Family Tip: Experimentation is the key to getting this method right as the amount of coffee may vary based on the type of coffee and your preferred brew strength, but we recommend starting with 40g of coffee to 660g of water (1:16.5 ratio). Grind size will affect drip speed and extraction. If your coffee drips slowly, try a slightly coarser grind. If it drips fast try a little bit finer grind. 

Place your Chemex with filter and ground coffee on the gram scale (be sure to zero out or tare your scale), start your timer and pour the hot water starting at the center of the grounds and pour gently in a circular motion moving to the outer rim until all of the grounds are wet evenly or until your scale reaches about 80g or twice the weight of the coffee. As the grounds become wet, a bloom will form at the top of the brew.

Gaviña Family Tip: The size of the bloom will vary depending on the type and freshness of the coffee. This step to prewet the grounds will help extract the flavor components evenly from all the grounds. Enjoy the smells the coffee releases during this step.

After 45 seconds, start pouring again in a slow and steady circular motion until your scale reaches 200g then stir (or agitate) to ensure the grounds are evenly wet breaking up any clumps. Let the coffee drip until about 1:45 on the timer and then continue pouring the rest of the water into the brewer keeping the same water level until you reach 660 grams on the scale.

Gaviña Family Tip: With the first pour make sure to reintegrate all the grounds back into the water by pouring in a wiggle motion evenly across the grounds.

Once all of the hot water has been poured over the grounds, wait until it finishes dripping through the grounds and the coffee is fully brewed. Once it’s finished dripping, carefully remove the filter with the spent grounds.  

Gaviña Family Tip: If the brew is taking more than 4 minutes, carefully remove the filter with grounds and remaining water, and dispose. This will prevent over-extraction or bitterness in your brew.  Save your coffee grounds and use them for composting and mulch.

It’s time to enjoy your labor of love. Fill up the mugs with your delicious brew and enjoy with your family or friends.