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What Is A Chemex?
The Chemex almost looks like something out of a science experiment. It looks cool and shows friends that you are a true coffee geek. Even better than that is the coffee that it brews. It produces stronger coffee than from a drip brewer, with a smoother taste and more flavor.
The best description comes from Michael Allen Smith over at I Need Coffee:
The Chemex brews coffee using the infusion method, which makes it most similar to drip coffee in terms of body and taste. It’s unbleached filters are a little thicker than those used by auto-drip filters. The result is a slower brew and a richer cup of coffee. Although not as rich as the french press, the Chemex does produce a sediment free cup of coffee that will impress anyone used to the weaker taste of most auto-drip coffee machines.
How To Use A Chemex
First, start heating your water. The magic number is five ounces of water per cup of coffee.
While the water is heating, open the Chemex filter and place it in the mouth of the carafe. Place the thicker portion of the filter towards the sprout. (The experts suggest pre-soaking the coffee filter for best results.)
Use one tablespoon of drip-grind coffee per five ounces of water.
Bring the water to a boil, letting it cool for a few seconds before pouring it on your coffee.
Pour about a cup of water on the grinds, enough to make the coffee damp, but not to flood.
After thirty seconds to a minute, begin pouring the remaining water. Be careful to not overflow it. Pour slowly in a circular motion around the edges. As the cone drains, add more water.
Throw out coffee grinds and filter, than pour coffee.
(Short) Chemex Review
Overall, I love the Chemex. Since I got it for Christmas (awesome Christmas present by the way!), I’ve been using it several times a week. It would be even more often if I could bring it to work.
The Chemex is easy to use once you get past doing math for the amount of water and coffee. It’s a simple process and easy to master. Clean-up is easy too. All you have to do is throw out the filter with the used grinds and rinse it out with soap.
My biggest fear is that I’m going to break it. The glass isn’t the thickest. That’s not even a serious complaint. In my book, there’s no real drawbacks to the Chemex.
Leave a comment and tell me what do you think of the Chemex?
I’m with you on the breaking things Mike, especially glass. Though I’ve been doing alright with my french press, but then it has that rubber/plastic protective casing around the carafe.
I’ve heard Alot of favorable reviews of the Chemex though, so I’ll keep it in mind Oh, about the name – if I remember right it was designed by a scientist.
I’ve only been part of 1 French Press breaking so far, although I’ve had a couple of close calls since then.
I’m glad you got a Chemex and like using it. Kim and I use ours on a regular basis. It is my favorite way of brewing coffee. I usually tell describe it as a beaker from a science experiment. Everyone thinks it is pretty cool looking. We even take it with us on some of our trips. I hope you get a lot of good use out of it. It was a pretty good Christmas present!
I can now see why you two liked it so much.
I’d be afraid to bring it along on trips, I have a habit of breaking things. So, I think for now my French Press will be my traveling partner.
I’m so glad you like your Chemex. It makes a great cup of coffee.
Thank you for a very awesome present!
I agree with you, we use the chemex as one of the few brewing methods in our coffee shop as it is such a great way to brew a clean, fresh no nonsense coffee
I’d love to see more coffee shop be like yours and include the Chemex.
I just hosted a long time chemex guy at our roasting plant yesterday. We prepared 4 different varieties of coffee, all via chemex and then the last coffee we prepared both in the chemex and a french press for comparison.
While the coffee prepared in the chemex was good, we both found significantly more flavor, flavor nuances and a more interesting cup with the french press preparation.
While the press is somewhat messier and more difficult to clean up, the difference in the cup was so astonishing that the extra hassle is easily worth it.
I don’t know if I could choose between the French Press and Chemex. I’ve become addicted to both and can’t imagine not having access to both.
Mike, I’ll take your word that it makes great coffee. But who in the world would name their product Chemex? Sounds like the name of some chemical conglomerate company, if you ask me!
I agree, it’s probably not the best name. However, it does kind of remind me of an experiment from chem class in college.
the demos i’ve seen on the chemex show it making
coffee a bit slower than a typical pour over.
that might have been the bistro type following the
instructions on pouring.
i tend to use pour overs on the run away from
a better coffee brewing system and might rush
the hot water pour phase myself.
still, the unit made a very tasty coffee.
i agree – the device looks a lot like part of my
college organic chem class gear.
It is a slow process, especially when you throw in the time it takes to heat the coffee, but it’s worth the wait.
Liked the video, though it seemed a bit hard to do everything with camera in hand! More importantly, how did it taste? The quoted text states its less rich than a french press. I wonder, how different is the chemex than a pour over contraption. They seem similar.
I’m still very new at making videos, so that didn’t help either!
I think it’s better than a drip brewer, along the lines as the pour over method, but I don’t know if the flavor is as well drawn out as in the french press. I’m going to need some more research…not that I needed much of an excuse to make coffee.
Nice idea! I’m still quite lazy meself and focus solely upon my Mr Coffee machine, but will keep that in mind should I ever graduate.
It’s pretty easy to use and the coffee is great, so keep it in mind!
A couple things: One tbsp per 5 oz is less than the oft-cited 2 tbsp per 6 oz. Any reason for this?
By pour around the edges, do you mean that one ought to wash the grounds that have begun to settle on the side?
That was the ratio I came across while doing my research. I believe that’s because it’s just a filter, however, tonight when I get home I’m going to try it with the 2 tablespoon per six ounces ratio.
I pour around the edges, so it keeps the grounds from settling on the side, but also so that they don’t settle too much in the middle and clog the mouth.