How to Caffeinate in the Wild - Episode 2 (Chemex)

Episode 2: Chemex

The Chemex is well loved in the specialty coffee community - because of its thicker filter it can produce light body and great clarity in the cup. There are also several sizes available and allow for brewing several cups at once. Although fragile and more expensive than other brewers, in the right "glamping" scenario, the Chemex can be a beautiful centerpiece for your campsite brunch! Designed by a German engineer in 1941, the Chemex has a long history and innumerable recipes! This is just one suggested recipe - you can adjust water temp, dosing, ratio, and brew time as you see fit. We suggest sticking with a coffee to water ratio of between 15-17:1, but the rest comes down to taste!

Gear: Chemex brewer, Chemex filter, water (just off boil), coffee, grinder, scale, timer
Total Brew Time: 4-5 mins
1) Boil water (rolling boil, then remove lid and let sit for about 30 seconds). If you have a thermometer, I suggest 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Weigh & grind coffee (I like a 16:1 ratio - for a couple cups, try 40 grams of coffee, 640 grams of water)
*Try grinding medium/coarse for Chemex (a bit finer than coarse salt). 
3) Insert filter & rinse - discard excess water
4) Add ground coffee to Chemex - flatten and make divot in the middle with your finger
5) Bloom - Start timer and add about 80 grams of water slowly and saturate all coffee grounds, letting sit for about 30 seconds.
6) Dose - add water until just below the top lip of the Chemex, let filter down, the top up until you get to 640 grams of water total (try to add all water by about 2-2.5 minutes total brew time)
7) Brew - allow all water to filter down, aiming for a total brew time of 4-5 minutes. *If brew time is too long, try grinding coffee slightly coarser; if brew time is too short, try grinding coffee slightly finer
8) Enjoy every sip!

Give it a try, or let us know your tried and true Chemex recipes in the comments.

Stay tuned for more brew tutorials.

How to Caffeinate in the Wild - Ep 2: Chemex from VSSL on Vimeo.