[This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission when you click on and purchase something through my links. There is no extra cost to you and my opinions are 100% my own! Read more in my full disclosure for more information.]

There is always a place for coffee! In my house anyways. Hot coffee, iced coffee, coffee frappes,
black coffee… You get the point. Recently I have discovered how to make coffee in a Chemex.

Supposedly this brewing process removes the bitter from the coffee. 

Call me a coffee snob!

[I guess that’s what I’ve become!] 

Before You Learn How to Make Coffee in a Chemex

You will need a Chemex coffee maker. I’ve never seen a Chemex coffee maker on a store shelf. Then again, because I own one I’ve never looked. 

And, I live in the boonies of Wisconsin so my shopping experiences are quite limited. In this
neck of the woods, Amazon is where it’s at. 

I personally have the Chemex 8A and love it. We received it as a wedding gift and to be honest – I had no clue what it was. I read every word of the owner’s manual and finally felt brave enough to make coffee.

Plus, it’s the perfectsize for two people! 

To keep the coffee from evaporating you can look into getting a cover for your Chemex. This cover fits all Chemex products. I don’t personally have this cover. I just leave my wet filter with the wet grounds in the opening to help keep the remaining coffee hot. 

If you want to go all out, you can even get a Chemex water kettle for heating your water! This beautiful, hand-blown piece of art is also functional and will add flare to your kitchen decor. 

Before making coffee in a Chemex you will want to make sure you have proper filters. I have not been adventurous enough to make cheap substitutions because the filters are mostly affordable….and I’m frugal so I use them twice…or three times! [Shhhhh! Don’t tell my husband!]

Now that you’ve collected all the Chemex coffee items it’s time to select your coffee! I buy a medium to dark roast from a local business and grind my beans before each batch of coffee. 

[Coffee Snob!]

Through much experimentation I have discovered that 11 seconds of grind with this grinder filled just below the rim makes the perfect grounds.

Yeah, ok, maybe I should see someone about my coffee snob problem…

How to Make Coffee in a Chemex

Now that you have gathered all your supplies you are well on your journey to enjoying the world’s best cup of coffee. 

The only thing I don’t like about my Chemex coffee maker is there are no measurements. On my 8-cup size there is a nodule partway down the beaker that I assume is a measurement but I’ve not taken time to find out how much. 

How to Make Coffee in a Chemex for 2

I take the pot from my traditional coffee maker I have stashed in storage under the counter and fill it with 6 cups of water. Then I pour those 6 cups of water into my electric water kettle and bring it to a boil. 

In the meantime, I fill my grinder to just less than level with beans and grind for the recommended 11 seconds. 

Open the paper filter into a cone shape and place it in the opening of the Chemex making sure the triple layer is over the pouring indentation. Keeping the triple layer over the pouring spout allows venting to occur so the coffee will actually drip. I also try to make sure the open side flap of the filter is to the right of the spout so I’m not pouring against it in the clockwise circular motion. 

Once you have the cone filter in place, dump in the grounds. 

Remove the boiled water from the heat and pour just enough over the grounds to wet them. Wait 30 seconds. This is called the “blooming” stage. Apparently this step allows the grounds to release the most desirable elements into the coffee. 

Disclaimer: Sometimes mine bloom for five minutes because just after I’ve poured the water over the grounds my boy starts crying… I haven’t noticed any ill effects from this. 

Next, pour more of your boiled water over the grounds in a circular motion (clockwise if you are in the northern hemisphere). Keep the water level below the top edge of the Chemex to prevent a huge mess!

Let it drip and continue pouring the remaining water over. 

While you are waiting on the coffee to drip, put piping hot water in your coffee mug to pre-heat it. 

After you’ve finished the brew, lift the filter by the opposite corners and fill your coffee mug. Replace the filter as it was to help keep the remaining coffee warm. 

When I’m finished with coffee for the day I let my Chemex sit on the counter and the grounds and filter get nice and dry. The next morning I gently shake the dried grounds into my garbage bucket and use the filter again!

How to Keep Coffee Warm in a Chemex

So I guess there are two things I don’t like about the Chemex. The second is it is difficult to keep coffee warm if you are an all-morning-sipper like me.

I take a kitchen towel and lay it flat on the counter – the long ways going with the counter. Then I set the Chemex right in the middle of it. I take the two corners nearest me and draw them around the Chemex to the back side. On the back side I gather up the second two corners and bunch them against the maker. With the second two corners secured under, I proceed to tie the first two corners in a knot around the neck of the coffee maker. 

This makes a nice insulated sleeve that will keep your coffee warm for a while. 

The instruction manual says you can place the Chemex maker directly on a glass top or gas burner on low. I don’t usually do this because I have a tendency to forget about it! 

If I have the oven on, I will sometimes set the maker on the stove top in front of the oven vent to stay warm. 

So if anyone has an Etsy shop and loves to sew, you should totally design and make insulated Chemex sleeves! 

Enjoy Your Chemex Coffee

Sometimes I like cream and maple syrup in my coffee. Sometimes I like it black. When I make my
coffee in a Chemex, it is undoubtedly delicious black. 

Now that you know how to make coffee in a Chemex, invite over your friends and share your gourmet coffee with them!