The Chemex Coffee maker is a true icon of pour over / alternative brewing . The iconic coffee brewer, with a timeless design, was invented in 1941 by Dr Peter Schlumbohm who throughout his career he developed over 300 patents,. The original unit is now housed in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) as part of the permanent design collection. It was also was also selected by the Illinois Institute of Technology as one of the 100 best designed products of modern times.
The Chemex coffeemaker is an elegant glass coffee maker, in a one-piece hourglass shaped vessel made of high quality, heat resistant glass. The traditional model comes to you with a polished wood collar and leather tie. The collar serves as an insulated handle around the middle of the coffeemaker.
There is also a glass only brewer with handle. They brew a clean cup and maintains body and balanced floral notes. The coffeemaker is both easy to use and beautifully designed to complement any kitchen or cafe bar. All you need is freshly ground beans, chemex filters and either a Chemex 6 cup or Chemex 3 cup (just two of our favourite sizes)
Chemex ratio is the coffee-to-water ratio. This will depend on the roast profile of the beans used, and personal taste, however we recommend starting with a 1:17 coffee-to-water ratio when brewing with the Chemex.
So using a 17 to 1 brewing ratio, a brewer will have 510 grams of water for every 30 grams of ground coffee. Or for even math, just use 500 grams of water. Once you know you have the correct amount of coffee and water, you can focus in on perfecting your grind.
Make sure to pair your Chemex with one of our home coffee grinders or manual hand grinders for consistently delicious coffee! Some of our favourite home brew grinders are the Baratza and
Eureka automatic grinders. When it comes to our personal favourites from hand grinders look no further than the Comandante, Porlex and Timemore range!
More broadly, pour over filter coffee is one of the gentlest ways to brew coffee and pour over is one of the preferred methods of brewing, as this brewing process provides the most clarity of flavour.
A coffee pour over kit generally consists of pour over chemex coffee maker and Chemex coffee filters, gooseneck kettle, coffee scale, coffee grinder and your favourite beans! Due to the relatively low cost to purchase the equipment used in filter brewing, pour over is the perfect home setup especially if you are on a budget.
Coffee Chemex history is both interesting and long. They are a family owned company with their headquarters located in Western Massachusetts. It is there that they manufacture the coffeemakers, Chemex bonded filters, Handblown water kettle and Chemex accessories to be distributed worldwide with the iconic Chemex has remained unchanged for 70 years and counting. Chemex in Australia is slowly becoming a recognised brand name and iconic part of the local coffee industry, especially in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Chemex filter paper tends to be thicker than the V60, as it is triple bonded. This encourages a slightly larger grind size in order to achieve similar extraction times. Larger grind particles can encourage a more complex extraction giving a high extraction and clarity of flavour (albeit at the expense of a fuller body).
What style of alternative brewing do you enjoy the most? We’ve got all your brewing styles down pat whether you prefer black coffee like an Aeropress, Syphon, Batch Brew, French press, Chemex, Pour Over, Moka Pot or something a little cooler like a Cold Brew / cold drip! If you prefer more of a milk based beverage (absolutely) you might pair your Portable Coffee with a manual Milk Frother
from our range to get you that delicious creamy morning brew! Now of course we have everything you need to make your coffee experience the best it can be including, Coffee Scales
, Pour Over Stands, Filters
, Manual Grinders, Gooseneck Kettles, Coffee Servers and Cupping Tools and Coffee Cups if you’re into some taste testing! For our non- coffee drinkers we have a wide variety of Tea Gear which you’ll love! Happy brewing!
HOW TO: Chemex Coffee, what you'll need.
- 30 - 45g medium grind coffee
- 460 - 700g filtered water heated to 90-96°C (plus more for rinsing)
- 3, 6, 8 or 10 cup Chemex - we used the 6 cup Chemex
- Grinder: we used the Timemore C2
- Kettle or something to boil your water – we used the Fellow Stagg EKG electric
- Scales: we used the Timemore Blackmirror scales
- Timer: if your scales don’t have one built in
- Spoon
Recipe
- Brew Ratio: 1:15
- Coffee: 30-45g grams
- Grind coffee: Medium coarse
- Water: 450ml - 675ml at 94 Degrees Celsius
- Brewer: Chemex
- Filter: Chemex Filter Paper
- Filter prep: Rinsed with hot water
Coffee Guide
- Fold filter paper and place in Chemex with 3 fold sides closest to the spout.
- Thoroughly rinse the paper filter with hot water from your gooseneck kettle.
- Pour water out without removing filter paper.
- Add 45g of freshly ground coffee and shake to settle.
- Place Chemex on scale and zero.
- Start timer.
- Add 75g of water. Allow to bloom then gently stir to evenly saturate.
- Pouring your gooseneck kettle slowly in circles, add 300g of water.
- Allow 30 seconds to brew.
- Add final 300g of water.
- Adjust grind size to achieve total brew time of 4-5 min.
- Serve into a pre-warmed cup
- Enjoy your coffee!
Is the chemex better than the french press?
The Chemex and French Press both use different brewing styles. The Chemex is similar to your typical pour over brewing, freshly ground coffee beans are placed in filter paper and hot water is poured over the grounds to organically extract only the best flavours of the coffee. The French press uses more of an immersion process in which the grounds are completely saturated within the server, the grounds are then pushed to the base of the server by a filter. Chemex usually produces a cleaner, sharper and less acidic profile when compared to the full body and rich flavours the french press produces.
Why should I buy the chemex?
The chemex is a beautifully designed brewing unit which provides a sharp and clean cup of coffee time and time again. The chemex was designed in 1941 and unlike any other brewing unit has not undergone any design alterations. This is an example of how well the chemex has been designed and built. The chemex is almost a centerpiece for any kitchenette or bench space as its design brings a modern and aesthetic touch when compared to other pour over units.
What's the difference between circle and square chemex filter papers?
Believe it or not, the difference is minimal. The circle and square filter papers are used on individual preference. There is no difference in terms of materials nor is there any better or worse when it comes to brewing. It is literally a matter of your preferred shape.
What’s the difference in white and brown chemex filter papers?
The material properties are identical. The key difference is that the white filter papers undergo an oxidizing process where the filter paper is cleansed then has a series of hot baths to remove the ‘papery’ taste the natural brown filters can have. So the white is bleached to provide a cleaner taste to allow every flavour of coffee to be tasted, the brown might have a few hints of the filter. In saying this ensure that prior to brewing you pre-rinse all your filter paper with hot water for the optimal flavour extraction!
