Perplexed -- Chemex Grind

Coffee preparation techniques besides espresso like pourover.
run23
Posts: 10
Joined: 9 years ago

#1: Post by run23 »

Pretty much every Chemex tutorial I've seen says (i) use a medium course to just under French Press grind and (ii) brew for 4 minutes. Using a medium course grind, the water pours through my Chemex (using 40 or even 50 grams of coffee on a Vario grinder, around 700 grams of water) in a little over 2 minutes, including the 30 second bloom. I get to 4 minutes only by using a medium FINE grind.

I'm honestly not as picky at drip/pourover as I am about espresso, and the way I'm doing it tastes fine to me. But it is just bugging me that my experience seems so different than the guides/videos I've looked at, and of course I'm always wondering if I can make the coffee better.

Now, maybe I just don't know what a medium-fine versus medium-course grind looks like (basing it online visual aids). Maybe I'll just have my coffee shop grind for me as a test.

Again, this is more of a theoretical annoyance than anything else, and I'd be curious to hear other Chemex users' experiences.

Thanks

MWJB
Posts: 429
Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by MWJB »

You can slow the brew down with a medium/coarse grind by breaking up your pour into evenly timed & weighed portions, the more portions the slower the drain. Check out the George Howell Chemex brew guides.

...or, as you are, grind finer & add the water in one whole addition after blooming. Some people have concerns over temperature drop as all the water drains through (pouring in pulses helps maintain a higher slurry temp).

If you go too fine the Chemex paper may become more prone to clogging, if so try a 02 or 03 V60 paper (tighter weave).

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SlowRain
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#3: Post by SlowRain »

Are you pouring slowly enough? I can pour a lot slower with my Kalita Wave Pot than with my old pouring kettle if I want to.

Matt44
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#4: Post by Matt44 »

What are your Vario grind settings (that is, if your Vario has the letter/number settings)? For Chemex, I grind at a 6H setting. With 700 grams of water, I use around 46 grams of coffee. I hit the 4-minute range pretty consistently.

Anyway, I'm pleased with the results. I also occasionally brew with a Kone filter, and go even finer on the grind with a 5E setting. Also, I replaced the ceramic burrs with steel. Good luck!

Mrboots2u
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#5: Post by Mrboots2u »

Using a hausgrind ( 1.4-5 turns ) I've been dosing 30g into 480-500g ( coffee dependant )
70g ( stir with a mini whisk ) bloom for 30 seconds - then all the rest of the water in by 1.30-45 total time ....
draw down between 3.50 to 4.30 ( coffee dependant )
Hitting tds 1.25-1/35 extraction yields 19.5-20.5
More importantly tasty and hassle free



*mini whisk and technique copyright @garydyke1 ( hasbean uk ) :)

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johnny4lsu
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#6: Post by johnny4lsu »

I've been using a 23-24 on my Baratza Encore for Chemex brews...Been coming out great!

run23 (original poster)
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#7: Post by run23 (original poster) »

Matt44 wrote:What are your Vario grind settings (that is, if your Vario has the letter/number settings)? For Chemex, I grind at a 6H setting. With 700 grams of water, I use around 46 grams of coffee. I hit the 4-minute range pretty consistently.

Anyway, I'm pleased with the results. I also occasionally brew with a Kone filter, and go even finer on the grind with a 5E setting. Also, I replaced the ceramic burrs with steel. Good luck!
I'm using 7A. I'm getting about 4 minutes there, maybe a little under, and could probably go finer. I'm just confused as it seems that the grind is finer than most recommend for a Chemex.

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[creative nickname]
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#8: Post by [creative nickname] »

Don't worry about brew guides; you should be dialing your grind size and contact time in to taste. If the brew is too sour for you, tighten the grind or slow the pour, or some combination of both, to extract more. If it is too bitter, then adjust in the other direction.
LMWDP #435

bmock
Posts: 58
Joined: 10 years ago

#9: Post by bmock replying to [creative nickname] »


+1

That's a great answer, it rings true to v-60 brewing too.

MWJB
Posts: 429
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#10: Post by MWJB »

If you log your brews, you'll likely find that the really good ones (for a given brew size) tend to fall in a reasonably predictable range of brew times, so I don't think that good brew guides are without value.

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