CHEMEX RECIPE - ADJUST TO TASTE
Makes great coffee anyone will love
Using a Chemex Coffee Maker is very easy
Designed in 1941 and hasn’t changed much since. It’s versatile too, you can prep a single cup, or a few. It makes great coffee anyone will love, and is super easy to clean. Classy and utilitarian.
Now, when making coffee, or preparing any bev or cooking anything really, there are two ways to measure: by weight, or by volume. I have included both in this recipe, so you can choose which works best for you. I have also amounts for coffee for 1 and coffee for 2. If you go heavy on your coffee on your own, go with the coffee for 2 recipe. The steps are exactly the same, just different amounts of ground coffee and water.
Coffee for one
The stuff:
- 7 - 8 level, definitely full, TBS ground coffee (or use 30 grams ground coffee)
- 2.25 cups of water (just off boil anywhere between about 30-90 seconds)
- the coffee filter
- a kettle to pour with (a gooseneck is easiest to use but any will do, just be mindful of trying to keep a gentle, but steady pour stream)
The stuff:
- 10 - 11 level, definitely full, TBS ground coffee (or use about 45 grams ground coffee)
- 3 cups of water (just off boil anywhere between about 30-90 seconds)
- the coffee filter
- a kettle to pour with (a gooseneck is easiest to use but any will do, just be mindful of trying to keep a gentle, but steady pour stream)
I have found that one full TBS of medium-fine ground coffee weighs about 4 grams....ALSO... 1 gram water = 1 ml water; and 1 cup of water = just under 240 ml water
STEPS:
1. Put water on boil.
2. Once your water comes to a boil, pop the chemex filter open so that it forms a cone. Half of the cone will have 3 sheets as a side, the other half will have only 1.
3.Place the chemex filter into the Chemex carafe. Be sure to place the filter in the carafe so that the side with the three sheets touches the side with the spout. You want the filter to evenly bisect the mouth of the carafe (see photo).
4. Rinse the filter by washing the dry filter with just a tad of the hot water. Only rinse against the filter surface that is touching the glass.
5) Once the rinse water has dripped all the way through, gently pour the rinse water out of the carafe without removing the filter. Be sure to do so by pouring rinse water out of the back of the carafe (not the front spout). This will help keep the filter secured in place. Now that the filter is rinsed, the paper taste has been washed out, the filter is suctioned to the glass, and the carafe is well heated.
6) Dump the ground coffee into the center of the filter cone.
7) Starting in the center then circling in one direction, very gently pour just enough water to wet the coffee grounds. The coffee will bloom up a little bit like a muffin top. You don’t want to rinse the sides of the filter with the water and you don’t want to pour straight in the center. You don’t want to see a lot of coffee dripping at the bottom at this point. Not yet. Allow to bloom like this for about 30 seconds. Once the bloom starts to subside, it’s time to start pouring again. If your coffee is really fresh, the bloom will be more dramatic, and take a little longer, if it’s on the older side, the bloom won’t puff up as much, and may only last for 10-15 seconds. Both are ok.
8) Begin to gently pour again. You want a steady stream, not too slow, not too fast. Again, you don’t want to rinse the sides of the filter with the water and you don’t want to pour straight in the center. Imagine a circle to trace somewhere between the center of the cone and the surface of the filter/carafe. It doesn’t matter if you go clockwise or counter clockwise, just go in one direction.
9) Once the water reaches 1-2 inches below the lip of the carafe, stop, and let the brewed coffee drip a bit, maybe about halfway down. Begin to pour again. You may have 2-3 pulses like this.
10) Once you have poured all your water, simply let the brewed coffee drip completely from the filter. The whole process should take between 4-5 minutes total, from first drop of water to hit dry grounds to final drip. If it goes way faster, your coffee grounds were too coarse. If it takes way way longer, your coffee grinds were too fine.
11) Remove the spent filter, give the chemex a twirl of the wrist to swirl your brew a bit, serve, and enjoy!
As always, adjust to taste:
If you want a stronger cup, use more ground coffee If you want a slightly more delicate cup, use a bit less ground coffee
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