Chemex — brewing guide

The Chemex is a percolation brewer defined by its filter: bonded paper 20–30% heavier than a standard cone filter. That thickness slows the flow and traps oils and nearly all fines, producing the clearest, most tea-like cup in coffee — at the cost of body. Everything about brewing a Chemex flows from compensating for that filter.

Because the paper restricts flow so aggressively, grind coarser than you would for a V60 — medium-coarse — or the bed will stall and over-extract. The deep cone also builds a tall bed at larger batch sizes, so keep pours slow and staged to avoid compacting it. Set the folded, multi-layer side of the filter against the pouring spout so the air channel stays open and the brew can breathe.

Temperature and ratio behave like any percolation brew: 92–96 °C, around 1:16. Expect a longer total time than a V60 — four to five minutes for a standard batch is normal, and chasing a faster drawdown by grinding fine is the classic way to ruin one. The Chemex rewards patience and punishes force.