Chemex Brew Guide

Chemex Brew Guide

In this guide, we are using a 6-cup Chemex. Our ratio is 50g(coffee) to 700g(water)

What you’ll need:

• Single Origin Coffee that was roasted at least 4 days ago (or a dope blend)

• Goose neck kettle (also try the fellow electric kettle)

• Chemex 6-cup (or larger)

• Any food scale

• Coffee grinder (hand grinders are cheaper but harder to use. Burr grinders are more expensive but more accurate and consistent)

• A timer (usually the scale has a timer)

LETS BEGIN

1. Add 750 grams water to kettle, start heating to 204 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, boil the water and let it sit for 40 seconds before pouring)

2. Measure 50 grams of coffee

3. Grind on medium course (ask your barista lend you some grinds from the shop for reference!) Think sea salt for reference

4. Insert Chemex filter. Wet filter using your hot water (this removes any taste from the filter

5. Drain residual water and then add the coffee

6. Place the set up on the scale, and set it to zero

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POURING PROCESS

1. Start timer and pour 150g of water in a circular motion

   • This is the bloom process that lets all the CO2 out that was trapped from roasting

2. At 45 seconds, begin your next pour and fill to 450g

   • Start in the center and pour in a circular motion towards the outer ring, then repeat but back to the center

3. At 1:45, start your final pour and fill to 700g

4. Once all the water seeps through you can remove the filter and grinds. If the water hasn’t fully drained, don’t let it go past 5 MINUTES

   • Going past five minutes runs the chance of over extraction which you do not want

5. Let your fresh brewed coffee sit for a minute before tasting it. Be sure to cleanse your palate first!

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TROUBLESHOOTING

1. The water drained so slow and you were no where near finished by five minutes…

   • If this happens, chances are your grind size is way too fine. Loosen it up on the grinder and test it out. Coffee making is all about experimentation. Once you find the sweet spot of grind size, you are all set!

2. You notice the grind size changes every so often without messing with the grinder…

   • The weather and humidity have a lot to do with how your coffee moves through the grinder. If the weather or humidity of the room changes drastically, don’t be alarmed, just remember it will affect the grind size. Adjust and brew!

3. Should you use paper filters or a metal filter…

   • This is the fun part. The paper filter and metal filters extract different oils at different concentrations. You may not notice a huge difference with most coffees. What we can tell you from our experience is when you are working with higher quality, complex coffees, we prefer certain filters for certain coffees. The paper filter is always sure fire but sometimes a metal filter will emphasize a certain note or will change the “mouth feel” of the coffee. Experiment and brew!

4. Is there a best way to pour the water…

   • There is a general good way, but most baristas agree to pour in circular motions slow and steady. Some people will say they prefer the method mentioned above. Others will say they pour in circular motions around the outer ring, never returning to the center.