Making Chemex coffee is fun and exciting! It will take a couple of attempts to learn how to make coffee in a Chemex, so don’t be impatient if the first few brews aren’t what you would expect from a coffee shop.

Let’s get right into how to brew Chemex coffee.

Brewing Your Coffee

1. Bring your coffee to boil in a gooseneck kettle.
2. While your coffee is boiling, grind your beans in a burr grinder. Set to “medium”, and grind until completed!
3. Take your filter and put it in your Chemex, with the three-fold on the spout of your flask.
4. When the water is finished boiling, take the hot water and wet the filter thoroughly. Then, remove the water from the flask.
5. Place your grounds in the wet filter.
6. Pour your water slowly over the grounds in a circular formation until you reach the top of the flask. Repeat this process as the water starts to drain into the flask until you are out of water.
7. Once done, remove the filter with the grounds, and enjoy your coffee!

For more advice on finding the right Chemex and brewing delicious coffee, check out the rest of the article!

What is a Chemex?

The Chemex itself is a glass hourglass-shaped flask with a little spout. The brewing method is a pour-over style of coffee brewing, with ground coffee being exposed in the Chemex filter. The neck of the hourglass-shaped flask is generally wrapped in wood with a leather tie. This is the best spot to hold your Chemex when pouring and it adds quite the aesthetic to the whole look. It’s a gorgeous background prop if you’re ever doing food photography, too!

What Size Should I Get?

There are different sized Chemex models, and usually, the smallest one won’t cut it if you want to make coffee for more than one person. Chemex measures their cups at five ounces (about 140 grams), but most of us drink at least double that.

So, the smallest Chemex on the market holds about three Chemex cups, which is roughly 15 ounces (about 425 grams), good enough for one person! We strongly recommend going with their six or eight-cup variant if you plan on making coffee for you and a friend! And, if you’re ambitious, go for the 10-cup Chemex!

We also recommend measuring how big your cups are. Most of mine are 12 ounces, which is perfect for the smallest size Chemex. But, oftentimes I make coffee for more than just myself, so investing in a larger Chemex is best.

Filters For Coffee

The Chemex requires a specific set of Chemex filters, but they’re super easy to use! The best filters are the paper ones we have linked to below.

Keeping the filter in its square shape, move one of the outer layers so you have one layer on one side, and three layers on the other side. Then, place the three-layered side up against the spout, and you’re ready to go!

Find the filters to use for your Chemex right here! 

You can also try reusable filters, similar to reusable k-cups. These are useful, but there are drawbacks to using these over the regular square, paper filters. This method of coffee brewing works best if you can get the filter wet and then place the ground coffee on the wet filter. As you can imagine, this isn’t possible with the reusable filter, but it’s a good option for sustainability. 

Get The Perfect Grind

Chemex brewing is common among people who love the taste of the freshest, finest coffee. Since grinding your beans before making coffee retains the most flavor, you’re guaranteed to have a wonderful cup.

The coarseness of the grind depends on the method you’re using to brew that perfect cup of joe. Espresso, for example, requires a fine grind. Chemex requires a medium to medium-coarse grind, and here’s the reasoning: it retains a bold flavor and is better for the regular inconsistency of Chemex brewing. Every pot of coffee you brew will be different, just from your arm movements alone!

So, grab the right amount of coffee, and, if you have a burr grinder, set it to “medium” and grind away! Personally, it’s best to grind coffee every morning for your Chemex. If you grind a bit more, that’s alright; just make sure to store it in a dark, airtight container and use that first tomorrow for maximum flavor!

If you don’t have a burr grinder, don’t worry! We have an article on how to grind beans without a grinder right here! Once you’re done here, go check it out!

How Much Coffee Should I Use?

The final amount will all depend on how much coffee you want to make or need to make – I could easily drink two cups in a morning! The best recommendation is to add eight tablespoons of ground coffee for 25 ounces of brewed coffee.

You can up the ante and add 10 tablespoons for 25 ounces of coffee if you want a richer, more flavorful cup of coffee. Twenty-five ounces is a good amount for two people if you are drinking out of 12-ounce mugs.

Enjoy!

And you’ve done it! You’ve made your first Chemex brew. You likely have not mastered it on the first try, but that’s what practice is for, right? And, once you can make that beautiful brew, all of your coffee-loving friends will envy your coffee making skills and aesthetic. 

If you’re using a Chemex and you don’t have a dedicated coffee station, now is a good time to make one! Or, if you already have one, check out our ideas for some awesome ways to make it even better! Read our article here on the best things to add to your coffee station, and how to make it beautiful in your kitchen!

Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll see you on the next one!

If you enjoyed our article on how to brew Chemex coffee, be sure to check out our other blog articles below.

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