The Chemex Method

  • You’ll need

    Chemex brewer

    cone filter

    grinder

    40 grams of your favorite Bold Bean whole bean coffee

    kettle filled with 600 grams of water

    timer

  • Directions

    1) Rinse Filter

    Open the filter by creating a cone with three paper layers on one side, and one layer on the other. Place the open filter in the top of your brewer, thick side centered with the spout. Rinse the filter with hot water, about 200 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, to remove the papery taste, then discard the rinse water.

    2) Weigh Coffee

    Measure out 40 grams of coffee.

    3) Grind Coffee

    Grind your favorite Bold Bean coffee at a medium grind, or around a 20 on a Baratza Encore grinder. This type of grinder gives a more consistent grind, brewing a better cup overall. 

    4) Distribute Coffee

    Add grounds to the Chemex and shake the brewer ever so slightly to evenly distribute the grounds in the filter, creating a flat bed of coffee.

    5) Start the Bloom

    Start a timer. Pour about 90 grams of hot water onto the coffee bed in concentric circles to fully saturate the grounds, starting in the middle of the bed and working out toward the edges. The key here is to let the water drain from the first drops of brewed coffee, not from the filter. Let the wet grounds “bloom” for 30 seconds, and when doing so, take time to experience the bloom. Watch and smell it for a glorious half minute.

    6) Begin Brew

    After your 30 second bloom, begin pouring water slowly in the middle of the bloom until it appears to break.

    7) Continue Brew

    Continue slowly pouring in a clockwise motion toward the edge of the filter. IMPORTANT: don't pour directly onto the filter at this point. The water could bypass the grounds completely and end up falling straight into the carafe, minimally brewing the coffee.

    Keep an eye on your timer. You’ll want to extend your pour to last 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Slow your pour and take brief pauses to allow some of the coffee filter through before adding more water. 

    After finishing your pour, keep an eye on the time. The brew will finish dripping around 4 minutes. If the brew moved faster or slower, taste the coffee, then adjust variables such as grind size and pour speed next time.

    8) Serve

    Give the brew a quick swirl in the Chemex, mixing all the components of the method. Serve and enjoy!