It's no question that Chemex coffee has reached great popularity in the past few years. But if you're not too familiar with it, you may wonder what's the big deal about this big trend. Simply put, Chemex brewed coffee tastes better than many other coffeemakers because of the unique filter, all glass construction, and the unique shape of the device. The all-glass construction imparts no additional flavors into your cup, ensuring that what your tasting is 100% coffee. If you enjoy clean tasting coffee with a bright flavor, you will really enjoy using a Chemex.

Chemex coffee is widely considered the better choice for people who are looking for a smoother cup with less bitterness and don’t mind the lack of body. It leaves you with sort of the opposite impression of a french press. The resulting brew is very bright and clear as opposed to thick and heavy. 

How about drip coffee then?

Chemex coffee is brighter and cleaner than drip coffee, which many people will find more appealing. That being said, Chemex coffee leaves a lighter impression than drip coffee because the unique filter removes much of the sensation of heaviness (referred to as body). Drip coffee uses a standard filter and a medium to medium-fine grind. This allows the water to flow through the coffee quickly. Regular coffee filters pull out small sediment and most of the coffee oil, but to a much lesser extent than a Chemex filter.

How does it actually work?

The Chemex works similarly to a pour-over with the exception that the filter is inserted in the brewing vessel itself. The Chemex has a slender design and uses a dense filter which slows down the flow of water compared to other pourover type methods. Coffee grounds are placed in the filter and water is passed through slowly. The resulting brew is contained in the bottom of the vessel, ready to be served.

Because of the restricted flow, the total brewing time is longer than some other methods. However, this longer infusion time allows more time for the flavors to develop.