About the Chemex Coffee Maker

!±8± About the Chemex Coffee Maker

Created in 1941, the Chemex coffee maker was Peter Schumbohm's (1896-1962) most flourishing industrial design. He was influenced by the Bauhaus school, where form follows function, to which he applied his knowledge of physics and chemistry. The Chemex carafe is inspired by a temperature-resistant laboratory flask. The upper part of the flask holds the Chemex filter, thicker and heavier than conventional filters, that extends the extraction time of hot water (poured by hand) through the ground coffee. The fitted wood collar with leather tie add an elegant accent while making the flask straightforward to handle with hot coffee. An original Chemex carafe is on permanent exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

Today, Chemex remains very accepted among coffee purists, who appreciate the hands-on control of its extraction process. As opposed to the electric drip coffee maker, the Chemex manual brewing method and thicker filter permit the grounds to "bloom" (just wet enough to saturate without floating in water) for optimal extraction. Make use of the following simple instructions for brewing delicious coffee with your Chemex:

1. Open the Chemex-Bonded Filter into a funnel. One side should have three layers. Set the cone in the top of your coffee maker with the thick portion toward the pouring spout.

2. With regular grind or automatic grind coffee only, put one rounded tablespoon (about 7 grams) of coffee per 5-oz cup into the filter cone. If you desire stronger coffee, use additional coffee; there is never any bitterness in coffee brewed by means of the Chemex coffee brewing method.

3. When the water is boiling, remove it from the range until it stops boiling vigorously. It should at this time be at about 200°F, a perfect brewing temperature. Add a small quantity of water over the coffee grounds, just adequate to wet them without floating. This is essential since it enables the grounds to "bloom," so the pleasing coffee elements can be released.

4. After this initial wetting merely pour additional water, soaking the grounds every time, but keeping the water level well below the top of the coffee maker. Once the preferred amount of coffee is brewed, dispose of the used up grounds by lifting the filter out of the coffee maker. And that's it. You are now ready to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee!

You also may use the Chemex carafe and filters for making tea. Observe the same directives for brewing coffee, but in place of coffee, measure in your favorite loose tea, one level teaspoon per cup.