Chemex

Chemex

Chemex makes these wonderful hourglass shaped glass coffee makers that are not only beautifully designed but eco-conscious.

Simply insert a filter in the top, add ground coffee and pour your hot water and let it drip. You’ll be amazed of the quality of the coffee and just how nice it is to not smell a plastic machine in your kitchen. Space is always an issue in New York City and Chemex offers a wide range of sizes that all fit back into your cabinet easily and cleaning them is a breeze.The Chemex combines a pour over filter cone with a beautiful glass decanter. The defining feature of this method is an ultra thick paper filter set flush against the walls. We generally recommend a medium or medium-coarse grind setting.

Begin by thoroughly rinsing the filter. This eliminates papery taste and preheats the server. After dumping this water, add ground coffee and even the bed. Use hot water to evenly wet all of the coffee (using about 10% of the total water volume) and start a timer. After 30-45 seconds pour the rest of the water in a slow and controlled motion. Aim to finish pouring around the 3:00 mark, with the last drop falling somewhere close to 4:00. Toss the filter and grounds, give the Chemex a few swirls, and serve.

Because the thick paper filter sits flush against the walls of the server, water flows through the grounds more slowly and the dwell time is longer than other pour over methods. This is helpful, as brewing a tasty cup is less dependent on the skill of the user and more on precise and well-chosen parameters. The Chemex highlights the “higher” and “brighter” notes in coffee and yields a clean, sweet cup.