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The Chemex is an essential tool for every coffee lover, thanks to its unique blend of ingenuity and practicality. Since its invention in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, its design has remained untouched. Chemex-prepared coffee tastes remarkably similar to drip coffee but with more variability. To have the greatest results, you must grind your coffee beans more coarsely than you would for a ceramic drip and pay special attention to the pour rate.

step 1

Measure out the coffee beans by weight, then grind them until they are as fine as sea salt. The amount of coffee and water you use depends on the type of coffee you are making and how strong you like it. As a starting point, we suggest using 50 grams of coffee and 700 grams of water, which is about 25 ounces. From there, you can make changes based on your taste.

step 2

When using a Chemex, unfold the filter and insert it inside, ensuring the folded section faces the pour spout and lies over it. Prepare the container with boiling water and rinse the filter completely. Pour this water down the drain.

step 3

Pour the coffee grounds into the filter and gently shake it. This will make the bed flat, so the pour will be more even.

step 4

Pour twice as much water as you have coffee into the grinds, starting in the middle of the bed. Gently move to the outside, avoiding the filter's edges. The coffee will bloom, or expand, when you add that much water. Give it 30-40 seconds to finish. A robust bloom guarantees consistent saturation.

step 5

Pour the water in a radial pattern, using the center as a pivot point. Before swirling back towards the center, spiral toward the edges of the slurry. Try not to pour on the filter. Permit the water to trickle through the grounds until the slurry descends 1 inch from the filter's bottom. For this pour, you'll need roughly 200 grams of water.

step 6

Do the same pouring motion as in Step 5, this time adding water in 200-gram increments. For the second pour, wait until the slurry has dropped to within an inch of the bottom of the filter.

step 7

Allow the water to completely percolate through the soil. It just took around 2 minutes and 30 seconds longer than it should have to prepare a cup of coffee. If the brew went by too quickly, try adjusting the grind or pour rate. If the coffee brewed too slowly, try a coarser grind or a faster pour rate.