How to make coffee using the Chemex method

There are many legends surrounding coffee as if it were a popular myth or even a cult. But why is coffee one of the most popular drinks in the world and why is it so irresistible? Many have wondered about its secrets. We could smoothly say that the culture of coffee has spread all over the world and that each country has its own habits, its own preparations and different types of coffee.

So, let's see how to prepare a good coffee at home using the Chemex method. 

What do you need to make coffee at home? For the brewing, you may need the following coffee accessories:

• Pour-over brewing device (Chemex-type brewing vessel)
• Goose-neck spouted water kettle
• Burr grinder
• Filter (either paper or metal, to fit brew method)
• Fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee or medium-coarse beans.
• Hot water
• Scale
• Timer

STEP 1: THE COFFEE BEANS

The fresher and better sourced your beans are, the easier it will be for you to brew the best coffee. The type of coffee you choose is undoubtedly an essential starting point.

STEP 2: THE RATIO OF WATER TO COFFEE

The ideal measurement for the perfect coffee is 1:17 ratio for coffee to water. In this way your cup won’t be too strong, nor too weak, but just as it should be. A 1:16 or even 1:15 ratio could grant a more intense taste. In other words, 2 tablespoons of ground coffee correspond to 177 ml of water. These are the standards for a good cup.

STEP 3: GRIND THE COFFEE

For a fresh and delicious coffee, you should be grinding your beans right before brewing. This will allow you to properly extract all the fragrant aromas and flavours of the beans. You will set your grinder in the way that best fits your brewing method.

Extracting the right amount of flavour from your coffee beans is not so obvious: if you are not careful enough, you can under or over extract your coffee. To make it right, you should pay attention to three different variables: water contact time, water temperature and turbulence, which you can achieve from the natural agitation of the water hitting the coffee grounds, while stirring with a spoon during the pour-over method.

STEP 4: BOIL THE WATER

Bring the water to a boil and let it cool for one minute, so it may reach a usable temperature. Water is a rather determining factor in brewing a perfect tasting coffee and it is important for it not to contain any visible impurities. While waiting, you may complete the next step!

STEP 5: PLACE THE FILTER

There are three different filtering methods you can adopt. Metal coffee filters as those which are used in the Chemex  may let in more insoluble solids, giving your coffee more body and a cloudy appearance. A middle ground can be found in the cloth coffee filter, which might let in some oils and solids for a less cloudy coffee. However, they can be impractical as they are not easy to clean.

The most common type – the one that more than 90% of people use – is the paper coffee filter. Since it may confer a papery taste to your coffee, all you need to do is pour some hot water on it and let it sit for a couple of minutes before use.

STEP 6: PLACE THE COFFEE IN THE FILTER

It’s brew time! Take your ground coffee and scoop it into the middle of the newly rinsed filter.

STEP 7: POUR AND WAIT

Go with the first pour, the so-called bloom pours, a relatively short one adding to the filter just twice the amount of water as coffee. If freshly roasted and ground, the coffee will soon start bubbling and foaming. Resume pouring after 30 to 45 seconds.

STEP 8: CONTINUE POURING

Right when the bubbles stop, resume your pouring over the next three minutes, slowly and patiently guiding the stream of water in a spiral motion over the grounds to saturate them. You may need to stop from time to time, to allow the foam and water to subside. This pacing allows you to extract a better and less bitter flavour.

STEP 9: ENJOY YOUR COFFEE

Lift the funnel, filter off the mug and dispose of the grounds. Time for you to enjoy the result of your efforts!