Thick filter. Clean cup. That’s the whole point.
The Chemex uses a thick paper filter that removes more oils than a standard pour over. That means a cleaner, brighter cup — but also a longer brew time, which you need to plan for. Guatemala’s dark chocolate and earthy depth handles the thick filter without disappearing. The result is full-flavored without being heavy.
Printable cheat sheet with ratios, temps, and grind sizes for every method. One page. Keep it on the counter.
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20g coffee : 320g water (1:16)
or 3 tbsp / 1.25 cups water
90–96°C / 195–205°F
4:00–5:00 min (thick filter = normal)
Medium-coarse, coarser than V60. The thick filter needs room to breathe. Think sea salt, not table salt.
Same as pour over — the Chemex filter is thick, not hot. 90–96°C keeps brightness without scorching the heavier body.
Rinse the thick filter with hot water. Place it in the Chemex, pour through, then dump.
Removes paper taste and preheats the glass. The rinse also seals the filter against the glass.
Add 20g coffee, level the bed.
Even saturation.
Bloom: pour 60g water, let it sit 30–45 seconds.
Fresh coffee off-gasses. The bloom gets it out before the main pour.
Main pour: add remaining water in a slow spiral, center out. Keep the water level below the top of the filter.
Don’t overfill. The thick filter is slower — you need headroom.
All water through by 5:00 is correct. Yes, it takes longer than you think.
The thick filter is doing its job. If it’s faster than 4:00, grind finer. If it’s still dripping past 5:30, grind coarser.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too slow | Grind too fine | Go coarser |
| Too fast | Grind too coarse | Go finer |
| Sour / under-extracted | Water too cool or grind too coarse | Increase water temp; grind finer |
| Bitter / harsh | Water too hot or grind too fine | Lower water temp; grind coarser |
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