The Chemex is one of the most distinctive brewers in home coffee. Its thick bonded paper filter removes oils and fine particles almost entirely, producing a cup that is cleaner and brighter than most other pour over methods. This guide covers everything you need to know - grind size, water temperature, step-by-step technique and how to get the most from your beans. For the full picture of home brewing methods, read the Complete Home Coffee Brewing Guide.
What is a Chemex and how does it work?
The Chemex is a pour over brewer designed by chemist Peter Schlumbohm in 1941. It is a single hourglass-shaped glass vessel - the top half holds a thick paper filter and the ground coffee; the bottom half collects the finished brew. Hot water is poured slowly over the grounds and gravity pulls the coffee through the filter into the vessel below.
What makes the Chemex distinctive is its filter. Chemex bonded paper filters are 20–30% thicker than standard pour over filters. That extra thickness slows the brew slightly and catches coffee oils, fine particles and sediment that would pass through a thinner filter. The result is a cup with exceptional clarity - clean, light and bright, with no sediment at the bottom.
How is Chemex different from a V60 pour over?
Both the Chemex and the V60 are pour over brewers that use paper filters and slow, circular pours. The key difference is the filter. A V60 uses a thinner filter, which allows some coffee oils and micro-fines to pass through, giving the cup slightly more body and texture. A Chemex filter removes almost all oils and sediment, producing a cup with higher clarity - noticeably cleaner and often lighter on the palate.
The Chemex brew time is also slightly longer: 3.5–4.5 minutes versus 3–4 minutes for a V60, because the thicker filter creates more resistance. Neither method is better. They produce different cups. If you want more body, a V60 suits you. If you want maximum clarity and brightness, the Chemex delivers. Read the full V60 pour over guide to compare both methods in detail.
What grind size should I use for a Chemex?
Use a medium-fine grind - very slightly coarser than you would use for a V60. Because the Chemex filter is thicker and creates more resistance, a grind that is too fine will slow the flow rate significantly and produce an over-extracted, bitter cup. A grind that is too coarse will rush through and taste thin and sour.
Aim for a consistency similar to coarse sand or slightly finer than table salt. If your brew is taking longer than 4.5 minutes or tastes bitter, grind slightly coarser. If it runs through in under 3 minutes or tastes weak and sour, go slightly finer. Small adjustments make a meaningful difference - change your grinder by one or two clicks at a time and taste the result before changing again.
How do I make Chemex coffee step by step?
Start with a ratio of 1:15 to 1:17 - for example, 30g of coffee to 450–510ml of water at 90–96°C. Fold the Chemex filter so three layers face the spout and rinse it thoroughly with hot water, then discard that rinse water. Add your ground coffee and level it gently.
Begin the bloom: pour twice the weight of coffee in water (60ml for 30g of coffee) and wait 30–45 seconds. This releases trapped gases and prepares the grounds for an even extraction. After the bloom, pour in slow, steady circles - 2–3 pours spread over the remaining water. Keep the water level consistent and do not let the grounds dry out between pours. Total brew time should be 3.5–4.5 minutes. Once the filter has fully drained, remove it and serve immediately.
What coffee works best in a Chemex?
Light roasts and single-origin coffees suit the Chemex particularly well. Because the thick filter removes oils and sediment so thoroughly, delicate flavour notes - florals, stone fruit, tea-like acidity - come through cleanly without interference. Coffees with complex acidity or bright, nuanced profiles shine in the Chemex in a way they cannot in methods with more body.
Yemeni naturally processed coffees are an excellent choice. The natural processing method - where the coffee cherry is dried whole - develops pronounced fruit character: berry, dried fruit and raisin. The clean Chemex cup highlights these notes without bitterness or muddiness. Darker roasts can work but may taste flat, since the filter removes the oils that give darker roasts their characteristic richness. Explore the Hamdan Coffee range for single-origin options well suited to the Chemex.
"We make the coffee simple as it is. We don't bring it as a juice - too many syrups, too much flavour, too much sweetness. The source of coffee should speak for itself."
- Ameen, Founder, Hamdan Coffee
That philosophy maps directly onto what the Chemex does. The thick filter strips away everything that might obscure the bean - oils, fines, sediment - and leaves only the clearest possible expression of the coffee itself. The source speaks, without interference.
Why does Chemex coffee taste different from other pour over methods?
The difference comes almost entirely from the filter. Chemex bonded paper filters are 20–30% thicker than standard pour over filters. They remove cafestol - the main coffee oil - and fine particles almost entirely. Cafestol contributes body and mouthfeel; without it, the cup feels lighter and cleaner on the palate.
This is not a flaw - it is a design choice that produces a particular style of cup. Chemex coffee tends to taste brighter, with higher perceived acidity and more distinct flavour clarity. Subtle notes that might be masked by body in other methods become easier to identify. If you have ever tasted a coffee that reminded you of fruit juice or tea, it was likely brewed through a method with high clarity - and the Chemex consistently delivers this style.
What are the most common Chemex mistakes?
The most common mistake is skipping the filter rinse. An unrinsed Chemex filter imparts a papery taste to the cup. Always rinse with hot water and discard it before adding coffee. The second common mistake is pouring too fast. The Chemex rewards patience - slow, circular pours give the water time to extract evenly. Rushing produces an uneven extraction and a flat-tasting cup.
A third mistake is using the wrong grind size: too fine and the brew stalls and turns bitter; too coarse and it tastes thin and under-developed. Finally, many people skip the bloom or shorten it. The 30–45 second bloom matters. Skipping it leads to uneven extraction and a less consistent result. Take your time with each stage and the Chemex will reward it.
