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Chemex By Blue Bottle
Chemex
Equal parts brilliance and common sense, the Chemex remains a staple in every coffee enthusiast's arsenal. Its design has endured, unchanged (wood handle, leather cord, tapered glass and all), since its invention in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm. Schlumbohm’s designs were characterized as “a synthesis of logic and madness,” and we're inclined to agree. Coffee from a Chemex is very similar to that from a drip, but there’s more room for error. To guarantee the best results, grind your beans more coarsely than you would for a ceramic drip, and offer extra attention to the pour rate. This level of care yields a delicate and nuanced coffee, with plenty left over to share with friends.
Parameters
Ground coffee
50 g
Water temperature
94 °C
Grind size
Medium
Brew time
4 mins
Amount of water
700 mL
Equipment
Chemex
Chemex Filter
Digital Scale
Kettle
Timer
Preparation
1
Weigh out the coffee and grind to a coarseness resembling sea salt.
2
Unfold your filter and place it in your Chemex, ensuring that the triple-fold portion is facing the pour spout and lays across without obstructing it.
3
Fully saturate the filter and warm the vessel with hot water. Discard this water through the pour spout.
4
Pour your ground coffee into the filter and give it a gentle shake. This will flatten the bed, allowing for a more-even pour.
5
There will be four pours total, and this is the first.
Starting at the bed’s centre, gently pour 50 grams of water. Work your way gently outward, and avoid pouring down the sides of the filter. You’ll notice that adding this amount of water causes the coffee to expand, or “bloom.” Allow it to do so for 45–55 seconds. A solid bloom ensures even saturation.
6
Pour water in a circular pattern starting in the centre. Spiral out toward the edge of the slurry before spiralling back toward the middle. Avoid pouring on the filter. Allow the water to drip through the grounds until the slurry drops 1 inch from the bottom of the filter. You should use about 200 grams of water for this pour.
7
Repeat the same pour pattern as in Step 6, adding water in 200-gram increments. Repeat once more, allowing the water to percolate through the grounds until the slurry drops 1 inch from the bottom of the filter before beginning the next pour.
8
Allow the water to drip through the grounds entirely.
9
The brew should have taken between 3.5–4.5 minutes. If the brew was too fast, consider using a finer grind or a slower pour rate next time. If the brew was too slow, consider using a coarser grind or a faster pour rate.