Chemex Pour Over: How to Brew a Clean, Bright Cup

Chemex pour over makes a clean, bright, and balanced cup with little gear. The glass carafe stays out of the way and lets the coffee shine. A thick paper filter catches oils and fine grounds for a crisp finish. This guide covers the gear, the method, and how to dial in your brew.

Start with fresh, well-roasted beans and filtered water near 200 degrees. Weigh your coffee and water for a repeatable cup. The carafe holds one to eight cups, so scale the numbers to match.

Chemex Brew at a Glance

Here are the key numbers for a consistent Chemex pour over brew before you start.

A digital scale takes the guesswork out of every pour. Adjust the amounts to taste once you know the base. See our water temperature guide for the sweet spot.

What You Need

A short list gets you brewing Chemex pour over coffee with confidence.

• A Chemex carafe, 6 or 8 cup
• Chemex bonded paper filters, white
• Fresh coffee, ground medium-coarse
• A burr grinder for an even grind
• A kitchen scale
• A kettle, ideally gooseneck

Grind fresh for the best flavor. Our premium whole bean coffee gives a clean, bright base, and a good burr grinder keeps the grind even. Filtered water also helps your Chemex pour over taste clean and balanced.

How to Brew Chemex Pour Over

Follow the steps in order. Keep the timer running from the first pour.

1. Heat filtered water to about 200 degrees.
2. Set the filter in the Chemex with the triple fold toward the spout.
3. Rinse the filter with hot water, then pour the rinse water out.
4. Add 42 grams of ground coffee and shake the bed level.
5. Start a timer. Pour 84 grams of water to wet all the grounds.
6. Wait 45 seconds while the coffee blooms and releases gas.
7. Pour in slow, steady circles, keeping the stream near the center.
8. Add water in stages until you reach 700 grams.
9. Let the Chemex finish dripping, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
10. Lift the filter, swirl the carafe, and serve.

Dialing In Your Chemex Pour Over

Grind size follows your dose. Bigger batches need a coarser grind. For half a liter, aim near kosher salt. A bitter cup means grind coarser or pour less water. Dial one variable at a time so you know what changed. See our grinder guide for gear.

Brew time depends on the amount. A single mug drips in about 3 minutes. One full liter needs 5 to 6 minutes. Slow drips point to too fine a grind.

Chaff is the light, flaky skin on ground coffee. Lighter roasts carry more chaff. The flakes add little flavor but shift your brew time. Spoon grounds from the bin so most chaff stays behind. A quick shake of the grinder bin helps too.

The coffee bed shows how the brew is going. Pale, blond spots have steeped more than dark spots. Aim for an even pour and a thin, even layer on the filter. A flat bed at the end signals an even extraction.

FAQ: Chemex Brewing

For the best Chemex pour over, use a medium-coarse grind similar to kosher salt. A finer grind slows the drip and can make the coffee taste bitter, while a coarser grind may produce a weaker cup. Consistency is more important than the exact setting.

Start at 1 to 16, about 42 grams of coffee to 700 grams of water. Adjust to taste from there. A scale keeps the ratio repeatable. Weigh the water instead of measuring by volume.

No, but one helps. A thin spout gives a slow, steady pour and better control. The Chemex filter picks up much of the slack either way. Move slowly and let the bed settle between pours.

Rinsing removes papery, dusty flavors from the filter. Hot water also warms the glass. Pour the rinse water out before adding your coffee. This small step makes a real difference in the cup.

A light or medium roast shines here, bright and clean. Dark roasts brew bold and smooth. See our roast levels guide to pick yours.

More Ways to Brew

Brew with coffee worth tasting. Browse our premium whole bean coffee, roasted fresh and shipped within 1 to 2 business days.

Subscribe with the Blackout Coffee Club and save 19% on every order. Brewing for a group? Our bulk coffee keeps the carafe full.

Keep beans at their best with our coffee freshness guide. Trying other methods? See our AeroPress how-to.

Pair your pour over with a good plate using our coffee and breakfast pairing guide.

Learn how we source and roast on our About Blackout Coffee page. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.