How to Brew Coffee with a Chemex: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve ever watched someone pour hot water through a glass funnel with a wooden collar and wondered how they make it look so effortless—and taste so good—you’re not alone. The Chemex isn’t just a pretty piece of glassware; it’s one of the most iconic manual coffee brewers, beloved for its clean, bright extractions. But there’s a method behind its minimalist design. Here’s how to use it properly, step by step.

To brew with a Chemex, you’ll need a gooseneck kettle, medium-coarse ground coffee (around 20–24g), and a 1:15 to 1:17 brew ratio. The standard process takes about 3:30–4:30 total brew time, including a 30–45 second bloom. Follow the full guide below to get it right every time.

Why the Chemex Design Has Stayed the Same Since 1941

The Chemex coffee maker has looked essentially the same since its invention in 1941 by German chemist Peter Schlumbohm. Its hourglass-shaped borosilicate glass body, paired with a wooden handle and leather tie, hasn’t changed—because it doesn’t need to. The design was once called 'the perfect synthesis of logic and madness,' combining function and aesthetic in a way that’s stood the test of time. Even today, it remains one of the most recognizable brewers in specialty coffee.

The Chemex uses a proprietary thicker filter—usually white, square-shaped, and designed to trap more sediment and oils than standard paper filters. This contributes to a cleaner, lighter-bodied cup, highlighting acidity and clarity over muted or heavy mouthfeels. Its shape also dictates how water flows through the coffee bed, making pour technique especially important.

What You’ll Need to Brew with Chemex

To get started, gather these essentials:

• Chemex coffee maker (6-cup, 8-cup, or larger)
• Chemex-brand paper filters (fits your Chemex size)
• Fresh whole coffee beans (medium roast to light roast recommended)
• Burr grinder (set to medium-coarse, similar to sea salt)
• Gooseneck kettle (for precision pouring)
• Scale (accurate to 0.1g and with timer or separate stopwatch)
• Fresh filtered water (ideally 93°C / 200°F)

While you can use other brewers or filters, using the correct Chemex filters and tools ensures proper extraction and avoids over- or under-extraction issues common with mismatched gear.

Step-by-Step: How to Brew Coffee with a Chemex

Follow these exact steps for a balanced, clean cup every time:

1. Heat your water. Heat filtered water to approximately 93°C (200°F). You’ll need roughly 15–17 times the weight of your coffee in water (e.g., 24g coffee → 360–408ml water).
2. Weigh and grind your coffee. Measure out 20–24g of fresh coffee beans. Grind to a medium-coarse consistency, resembling coarse sea salt.
3. Smell the dry grounds. Take a moment to note the coffee’s dry aroma before brewing—it’s your first sensory clue about the roast and origin.
4. Prepare the Chemex filter. Take one Chemex filter (designed with 3-layered and 1-layered sides) and fold it so the three-layered section is aligned with the pouring spout.
5. Rinse the filter. Place the folded filter in the top of the Chemex. Pour hot water through the filter to rinse it—this removes paper taste and preheats the vessel. Discard the rinse water.
6. Add coffee grounds. Put the freshly ground coffee into the rinsed filter, making sure the bed is level and evenly distributed.
7. Start your bloom. Begin your timer. Pour just enough hot water (about twice the weight of the coffee, e.g. ~50g) to saturate all the grounds. Let it sit for 30–45 seconds. This blooms the coffee, releasing CO₂ and improving extraction.
8. Begin the first pour. After the bloom, slowly pour more hot water in a steady spiral, starting from the center and moving outward, avoiding the edges. Add water up to about ⅔ of your target brew weight (e.g., ~240g) over 30–45 seconds.
9. Continue the second pour. After the first pour settles, add the remaining water (to reach your total target, e.g., 360–408g total) in stages, maintaining a steady flow rate. The total brew time should land around 3:30–4:30 minutes from bloom start.
10. Let it drain. Once all water has been poured, allow the coffee to fully draw down through the filter. Total brew time includes this drawdown period.
11. Remove the filter. Once dripping has stopped, lift out the filter with the spent grounds and discard.
12. Serve your coffee. Pour the brewed coffee into preheated cups or a server. Enjoy it black or with milk, as preferred.

The entire sequence—from bloom to final drawdown—should take around 3:30 to 4:30 minutes. If it’s too fast, try a finer grind or more coffee. If it’s too slow, adjust coarser or reduce dose.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the ideal grind size for Chemex brewing?

The recommended grind size for Chemex is medium-coarse, similar to coarse sea salt. This helps ensure proper extraction without over-extracting or causing excessive resistance that slows the brew too much.

How much coffee should I use in a Chemex?

A standard single-serving brew uses around 20–24g of coffee. For an 8-cup Chemex, you might use up to 30–40g depending on your desired strength and batch size.

What water temperature is best for Chemex?

Use water heated to approximately 93°C (200°F). This temperature range is ideal for extracting the right balance of acids, sugars, and aromatics without scorching the grounds.

Do I really need to rinse the Chemex filter?

Yes. Rinsing the Chemex filter with hot water removes any papery taste and preheats the brewer, which helps maintain a stable brewing temperature throughout the pour.

How long should a Chemex brew take?

Total brew time—including bloom and drawdown—should be around 3:30 to 4:30 minutes. If it takes much longer or shorter, adjust grind size or coffee dose accordingly.

Can I use any coffee in a Chemex?

Yes, but lighter to medium roasts tend to perform best, highlighting the Chemex’s clarity and brightness. Darker roasts can taste thin or overly bright due to the filter’s light-bodied extraction style.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Chemex Brewing

For Chemex brewing, we recommend FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera and Yirgacheffe beans. Ethiopia Humbera offers bright citrus, jasmine, and stone fruit notes with a crisp, tea-like body—perfect for highlighting the Chemex’s clean extraction. Yirgacheffe delivers floral tones, lemon zest, and a juicy acidity that shines through the filtered pour-over. Both beans showcase the clarity and balance the Chemex is known for. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.