Last year, while doing research for this article in Sierra Magazine detailing ways to lower your personal coffee carbon footprint ( a slightly futile activity, it turns out), I decided to take my own advice and replace my paper coffee filters with cloth. If you’re a fan of ultra light-bodied, delicate and subtle coffees, then the cloth filter might not be for you. Personally, while I like the classic Chemex brew, I’ve been impressed by the consistency and depth of flavor that can be achieved with the cloth filter. Brew the coffee. Pour just enough water to fully saturate the grounds and let the coffee expand and bloom for 30 to 45 seconds. Then pour the rest of the water in a slow, circular fashion, until you've filled the top nearly full. As the water starts to drain, continue adding the remaining water. It’s essential to buy the right filter, so you get the best extraction possible, resulting in better-tasting coffee. I love the Chemex, and it’s one of my favorite coffee brewers. The first cup of coffee I brewed with the Chemex was with a circle filter, and it looks like this:

For regular use: After rinsing, store it in a glass filled with water in the fridge to prevent mildew and foul smells. Choppin, A. (2019, July 18). Fines: An open-ended discussion. Retrieved from https://www.baratza.com/fines-an-open-ended-discussion

FAQs

Learn how to brew coffee in your Chemex! I’ve got tips on brewing, filters and the simplest way to clean your Chemex. Make sure to watch the video tutorial at the end for for step-by-step instructions on brewing a wonderful cup of Chemex coffee. But why are there so many Chemex filter types? And how are they different? I now know what I didn’t years ago, and I want to help you. This is great because now you know that it doesn’t matter which Chemex filter to buy. Let’s talk a bit more about why you might want to buy one over the other: Why should you buy one over the other? One thing I absolutely love about the circle-shaped paper filter is how perfectly it fits onto my Chemex brewer for consistent extraction every time. Pre-folded circles are especially convenient if you’re looking for an easy brewing experience without any mess or spills.

Cost and budgetalso need to factor into your decision-making process since some types of filters can be more expensive than others.

Start a timer and slowly pour filtered water equalling double the weight of the coffee (about 3 oz or 84 g). If you don’t mind about these reasons, the circle filter will be the best fit for you, because most of the time, it’s the cheaper buy. I meant to mention something re cleaning. I rinse my Chemex with water after each use but no soap. About once a month or whenever I notice any staining, I fill the pot with 1/4-1/3 white vinegar and remaining to the brim with hot water and let it sit for an hour or more and then rinse. This works similar to descaling a coffee maker. At any rate, an option to soap. Aloe, R.M. (2021, March 12). Fines in Coffee Grinds: Searching for a Source. Retrieved from https://towardsdatascience.com/fines-in-coffee-grinds-searching-for-a-source-326c3eba2bb4 The Classic Chemex Filter is available either in bleached white or natural brown. It has been noted that the natural brown filters can hint at a papery or woody flavour to brewed coffee. So if you want to go that route, we recommend giving them a good pre-rinse with hot water before adding ground coffee, especially if you are brewing a lighter coffee with subtle flavours.

If one REALLY prefers the Circle over Square and the Square is cheaper, one can always cut the square into the circle shape.

As for the square versus circular filters, there’s really no difference. Though I do find the little points on the square make it easy to lift out. And of course I went with natural, because I always choose unbleached anything if possible. What is the best Chemex grind size? We can attest that unbleached filters have a noticeable flavour, but you can largely eliminate this by pre-wetting them with hot water, which you should be doing anyway. We’d recommend the bleached filters for very subtle and complex light roasts, but in any other case, the flavour of the coffee will far surpass the flavour of the filter. Durability and Environmental Concerns Unfold the coffee filter with the three-fold side facing the spout. This is important to prevent the filter from collapsing into the spout when it gets wet. Works well with all types of roasts- even tea! Allowing you to make the perfect and most pure cup, every time If you’re worried about the environmental impact of your coffee habit, one simple way to make a change is to switch to these organic hemp coffee filters. Like cotton filters, they brew a delicious cup with a medium body, robust aroma, and clean flavours. But compared to cotton, they are twice as strong and require half as much water to grow ( 5). That means hemp filters are even better for the planet and will last longer – saving you money in the long run.

Chemex filters are designed with a particular purpose in mind – extracting the best flavor from your coffee beans. The Chemex brewing system is a simple, elegant way to make coffee at home. So simple, in fact, that all you need to use is your Chemex brewer and good quality beans.Alright, here’s the most annoying part of these cloth filters: cleaning. And it’s really not that annoying.