Let's talk about Chemex history, advantages & disadvantages. Also some tips & tricks how to brew with Chemex and get a perfect cup with it.

About

Chemex is a filter coffee brewing tool which looks just like a hourglass.

It was created in USA in 1941 by a German chemist. Being a chemist, he studied and understood clearly the chemistry behind the extraction of flavor and caffeine from coffee beans.

Nowadays, you can see Chemex not only in coffee shops or coffee lovers homes but also in Hollywood films or even modern museums!

Why is it good?

  • Chemex is long-lasting, it is made from glass and it is easy to clean.
  • You have to use it with paper or metal filter, which is really easy and with that you can get very clean (paper filter) or full body (metal filter) flavor (we have a post about those filters differences in our profile).
  • It is the greatest choice to serve coffee for a family because you can get a huge amount of filtered coffee.

Disadvantages

  • Well, to get the best coffee with Chemex you have to use scales.
  • Also it is not friendly for travelling and it can break easily.
  • It takes a little more time and effort to make coffee than with French Press or Aeropress.

Tips & tricks

  • Grinding size for Chemex is important. It should be medium-coarse level for paper filter and medium for metal one.
  • Do not forget to rinse a paper filter before putting your coffee in it to avoid paper taste. Also same rule is applied for metal filter as well.
  • Also when making Chemex coffee, the process should take about 4-5 minutes.

Recipe

Our favourite Chemex recipe can be found here for metal filter and here for paper filter. If you'd like you can customize it to your taste and likings!