How To Make Great Chemex Coffee
In my humble opinion, Chemex coffee is as good as black coffee gets. It’s remarkably better than the burnt Americano you’ll get from your local cafe — unless they’re Australian—although it’s not as fast as a Nespresso.
Find out how to love yourself first thing in the morning every day with this guide to Chemex coffee.
1. Grab your utensils
You’ll need:
1x Hario Skerton grinder
1x Paper filter, best bought in batches of 100
1x Tablespoon, which you hopefully have lying around
1x Chemex coffeemaker — I’m using a 6-cup here, so adjust like 50% down for a 4-cup or 50% up for an 8-cup
1x Kettle, also hopefully to hand
2. Get your beans
Don’t, like, order them right now because you’ll have to wait for them to arrive before you can make delicious coffee.
I’m enjoying Obadiah’s Guatemalan whole bean at the moment but I alternate between that and 80 Stone’s heavy bag seasonal espresso though I generally prefer something medium over something dark. 80 Stone’s Brisbane roast is good too.
3. Amounts
Fill your kettle. Our Cookworks kettle recommends a 1.7L max but you caaaaaan fill it slightly more than though it will likely boil over onto the counter. Go for, like, 1.8L max.
Scoop three full tablespoons of beans into the grinder. If you spill a bean onto the bench, just pop it in your mouth for a quick snack. Not a joke. Try it.
4. Boil & grind
While the kettle boils, grind your beans. Use this time to calm down, plan the rest of your day in your head, maybe meditate for like 3 minutes if that works for you.
It’s not wasted time if you enjoyed wasting it, or something.
5. Paper prep
Once the kettle’s boiled, slip your paper filter into the top of the Chemex. You’ll want to put the paper in as a cone with three sides against the lip. Pour a drop of water into the filter to soften the paper and help it stick to the glass. Let it sit to drain then slip the paper off, pour the water out, put the paper back in, and pop your grinds into the cone.
6. Let it bloom
Pour your hot water over the grinds, making sure you wet and cover it all, until you’re about an inch away from the top of the Chemex. Let that bloom until it’s fully drained.
7. Filter your coffee
Once your grinds have bloomed and drained, fill the top of the Chemex with hot water, making sure to run the water over the grinds so they pool at the bottom of the funnel.
8. Repeat until you’re out of water
9. Clean up
Once the Chemex is full — which it will be about 1.5L in but the extra water was just in case — pull the paper out and, if it’s still heaving with water, slip it into a novelty mug to drain out. You can also pour the excess water into the sink
10. Enjoy
Pour yourself a sweet, hot, fine cup of coffee. For best results, share with the ones you love.
… After
When you make your next batch, your novelty mug’s beverage is a soft caffeinated holdover while you brew again.
Find out how to make a great French press coffee with my guide here.
