Brewing guide
Chemex Pour-Over
An hourglass of borosilicate glass and a thick paper filter that yields the cleanest, most tea-like cup in coffee.
The setup
Invented in 1941 by chemist Peter Schlumbohm, the Chemex is one of the few coffee makers in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Its trick is the filter: bonded paper 20–30% heavier than a typical cone, which traps oils and the finest particles. The result is a strikingly clear, sweet, low-body cup.
You'll need:
- Chemex (the classic 6-cup is the most versatile)
- Bonded Chemex filters (the thick square ones)
- Gooseneck kettle
- Scale + timer
Because the filter is so dense, grind a touch coarser than you would for a V60 — otherwise the brew stalls.
Recipe — 30g coffee, 500g water
| Step | Time | Water | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloom | 0:00 | 60g | Saturate evenly, let it breathe |
| Pour 1 | 0:45 | +200g | Slow spiral to the outer edge |
| Pour 2 | 2:00 | +240g | Keep the bed level, avoid the paper |
| Drawdown | ~4:00 | — | Finish around 4:00–4:45 |
Seat the filter with the triple-fold facing the spout, and rinse it thoroughly with hot water first — Chemex paper is notorious for a cardboard taste if you skip this.
Try the timer
Chemex 30g recipe timer
Press Space to start/pause.
- 0sBloom+60ml
- 45sPour 1+200ml
- 2mPour 2+240ml
- 4mDrawdown+0ml
Common mistakes
- Skipping the rinse. A cold, unrinsed filter adds papery notes and chills the brewer.
- Grinding too fine. The dense filter clogs; you'll be waiting six minutes for a bitter cup.
- Pouring onto the paper. Water that runs down the filter wall bypasses the grounds and weakens the cup. Keep your pour in the central two-thirds.