Chemex Coffee Maker

For Christmas I was gifted a 6-cup Chemex coffee maker, and I am just now getting around to using it. I know what you're thinking, how could I call myself a lover of all things coffee and not want to immediately try using it?! 

I have no answer for you, I'm embarrassed enough. But I will say it's pretty much the best thing that has happened to me since learning how to do a pour over. 

A pour over is perfect when you just want to make one cup, but that's not always the case. The Chemex definitely takes the spotlight when I need to make coffee for more than one person (or multiple cups for myself). It's basically a super sized pour over, and let's be honest, I normally need more than one cup of coffee :).

The filters can be found at some specialty stores, not your average grocery store. I found these particular ones at Crate and Barrel, but they are on Amazon for about the same price - chemex coffee filters.

It's ready to make some magic! Tare your scale so you can keep track of the amount of water you pour in. This time I used about 64 grams of coffee and 710 grams of water, to make enough for a little more than 2 cups.

Just like for a pour over, let the coffee bloom first. Blooming coffee for a pour over or Chemex is easy, you pour just enough water to wet the grounds and ideally, not have anything drip out yet. Pour your water in the middle, about the size of a quarter, and then let it sit for 30-45 seconds. 

Why? Simply to let the grounds breathe. There are vents on coffee bags to let CO2 escape, to let the grounds "degas". When hot water hits freshly ground coffee, the rate of degassing increases and the grounds will noticeable puff up, pushing water away from them. If water doesn't touch the grounds, then you won't get good extraction, and you won't have good coffee. So bloom your coffee people!

After blooming, pour away! Keep the same circular motion that you use for a pour over, ensuring that all grounds are getting wet.

The heat from the water is fogging it up, but it just adds to the excitement of waiting for me. 

When you're done, remove the filter and toss it (or keep your grounds and sprinkle them on your garden dirt if you are looking to increase the acidity of the soil).

Use the little spout for pouring. This vessel makes me feel like I'm a greek goddess pouring from an urn or something...I don't know why, but it made me happy so I'm going to run with it. PS - the mugs I found at Crate and Barrel too, only $3.95 each!

And after pouring a full cup, look how much I have left over! I could even consider sharing! Luckily there was no one around, so I didn't have to waste any time wrapping my mind around this option.

Happy brewing!