Chemex

The pour over method of brewing coffee is a simple way to gain better control of your extraction and to experiment. All pour-over brewers share a common principle - manually pouring hot water over coffee grounds placed in a filter. There are a variety of products that allow single cup pour-over as well as brewing an entire pot.

Chemex Coffeemaker

Invented in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm PhD, the Chemex Coffeemaker produces clear, pure and flavorful coffee without bitterness or sediment. This pour-over method ensures that coffee only comes in contact with the specially designed filter and the non-porous glass. The specially designed Chemex Bonded Filter provides precise filtration as well as optimal infusion time. On display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, this classic is virtually unchanged in its 70 year history.

1. Place the Chemex Coffeemaker on a heat resistant surface.

2. Open the Chemex filter so that one side has one layer and the other side has layers and, position it in the coffeemaker so that the 3 layer side is toward the spout. Filters come in white and unbleached options.

3. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and set aside.

4. Select your favorite Longbottom Coffee and choose the Chemex (#8) grind. If you are grinding at home, you are looking for a medium-coarse grind just below what you might use for French Press.

5. At this point the water should have settled to a temperature of about 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour just enough water to wet all the grounds without them floating. This is the bloom.

6. Continue to add water to keep grounds wet and until you have the desired amount of brewed coffee. Generally try to keep the water 1/3 below the top of the coffeemaker.

Option 1: Pre-soak the filter with hot water. With the filter in place as above, pour hot water all around the filter to wet it. Dump the water, place the grounds in the filter and proceed as above.

Option 2: Pre-infusion. In the above process, the first wetting of the grounds creates a bloom or pre-infusion state. In this method, we keep the grounds in a “bloom” state throughout the pour. Instead of pouring and stopping, establish a continual slow pour throughout, keeping the water level about a half inch to one inch below the top of the coffeemaker. Experiment with a continual pour through the center of the grounds as well as pouring in a slow circular motion being careful to keep about 1/2” away from the sides of the filter.