The Chemex coffee maker (CHEMEX®) was invented by the eccentric German-born American chemist and doctor Peter Schlumbom in 1941. He immigrated to the US in 1935.
During his career, the scientific chemist developed more than 300 patents, ranging from shakers to cars. He focused on making everyday objects more functional, attractive and enjoyable to use.
Peter Schlumbom and his Chemex
During development, we sought not only to simplify the process of preparing the perfect cup, but also to make the vessel attractive. As a chemist, he studied and clearly understood the chemistry behind the extraction of aroma and caffeine from coffee beans.
Peter Schlumbom at work
If you want to make the most scientifically "correct" coffee, then you need this glass contraption.
It was his knowledge of chemistry that led him to invent Chemex double bond paper filters for perfect extraction every time. For the decanter, Schlumbohm was inspired by the Bauhaus school of design and non-porous laboratory glassware that would not introduce its own flavor into the drink. Using these elements, he sculpted an hourglass-shaped vessel that has now become a landmark invention in American history.
chemex invention
Made simply from a piece of borosilicate glass and adorned with a wooden collar and leather cord, the Chemex is pure in both form and function. It has been recognized and awarded by both the scientific community and the artistic and design community as an iconic object in the world of coffee.
stand about Chemex
Chemex can be found in museums around the world and is included in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Corning Museum of Glass and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The Museum of Modern Art featured it as one of the best works of design back in 1943.
The coffee maker was also selected by the Illinois Institute of Technology as one of the 100 best designs of our time. This is the only coffee maker to receive this honor.
Chemex classic
The coffee maker is on tour as part of a traveling exhibition around the world as part of the American News Agency Exhibition “Design in America”. In the fall of 1989, Chemex even visited the USSR with the “Design USA” exhibition.
Chemex has also been immortalized in a novel and film. Namely, in the 1957 novel From Russia with Love, James Bond declares his love for strong black coffee made in a Chemex during breakfast. Some say it was the James Bond character who gave Chemex its official reputation as a cool coffee maker.
Enjoy your coffee!
And remember that our brewing method is not a dogma and there is always room for experimentation - try different beans, change the grind size or water temperature, try adding a few ice cubes or slices of frozen fruit to the drink so that hot, freshly brewed coffee immediately cools and becomes especially sweet. Of all the brewing methods, Chemex produces the most aromatic coffee.
Brewing Guide: Chemex
- Chemex and paper filter
- A good coffee grinder that produces a uniform grind that suits your needs
- Kettle with a narrow spout for pouring
- Scales (at least kitchen scales) and a stopwatch (you can use the one on your phone)
- Fresh coffee beans or, in the absence of a coffee grinder, pre-ground coarse coffee
Brewing parameters:
- Total brew time: 4 minutes
- Coffee: 25 g – for two cups
- Water: 425 g
- Coffee to water ratio: in our case 1:17, but according to SCA recommendations you can take parameters from 1:14 to 1:20
- Grind: coarse, about the size of sea salt
- Temperature: 92-96°C
* The water temperatures shown here are recommended by SCA. You can use a lower temperature of water, but there is a possibility of getting too acidic, unsweetened, astringent, “unripe” coffee. If you take the temperature too high, you can burn the coffee. The taste will, at best, reflect the taste of burnt sugar and dark chocolate; at worst, the extraction will take place very quickly and the drink will be so bitter that it will be impossible to correct it.
Step 1
Insert a paper filter, placing it in a triple layer towards the neck. Wet the filter by pouring hot water to remove the papery taste and warm the flask
Step 2
Pour out the water without removing the filter
Step 3
Place the Chemex on the scale, pour the ground coffee into the filter and reset the scale
Step 4
Turn on the timer and pre-wet: carefully pour in 80 ml of water in a thin stream over 30 seconds, without touching the edges. For uniform extraction, all coffee particles must be moistened. Pre-wetting helps degas the coffee so that the escaping gas does not interfere with the interaction between coffee and water.
* The amount of water for pre-wetting and at all stages will change if you change the parameters - take more or less coffee.
Step 5
We continue to pour water either in a continuous stream at an average speed, moving in a spiral and without touching the edges, or pulsed with short breaks. It is important that the total brewing time does not exceed 4 minutes, and that the filter is half filled with water during the process.
* Why 4 minutes? Every 30 seconds, certain substances are washed out of coffee; by brewing coffee for longer than 4 minutes, we get over-extracted coffee, unpleasant tastes and substances that are not needed in the drink
Step 6
After all the water has spilled, remove the filter.
Step 7
Rotate the Chemex for a few seconds to saturate the coffee with oxygen. Serve in a warm bowl.
Step 8
Enjoy a delicious drink with friends!
* This instruction is a general example of how to create a profile or recipe for your favorite drink. Often working with the same device, changing the ratio of water, coffee and brewing time, you can find new tastes of your favorite grain. It is important not to be afraid to experiment, but to remember the basic rules, principles and sequence of brewing.
Chemex: origin and device
Chemex is a fairly simple but effective device. It was invented in the 40s of the twentieth century by Peter Schlumbom , a famous chemist. He was a big fan of the coffee drink and sought to find a way to prepare it without being distracted from work. The result is a simple and convenient device that allows you to obtain coffee characterized by excellent taste.
Initially, the constituent elements of the kemesk were a flask and a glass funnel , which can be found in large quantities in any laboratory. They were connected using a clamp and a garter. Originally the joint was made of leather, today it is made of plastic. There are also Chemixes that do not have such a compound; a regular glass pen takes its place. The device has a long spout through which ready-made coffee is poured.
In order to brew coffee using this device, you will need a four-layer paper filter .
The invention turned out to be in demand and brought its creator popularity and considerable income. Even after all these years, Chemex remains in demand in the coffee industry.
Creator of Chemex
The extravagant American inventor, German by birth, lived in grand style and was literally bursting with discoveries. Having several thousand inventions to his name, he was scrupulous about saving his own time and valued convenience. A lover of food and drink, he was, among other things, a fan of coffee and sought, with the persistence of a real chemist, the formula for the ideal drink.
Subsequently, it was the Chemex, ingeniously composed of laboratory glassware and combining the simplest methods of filtration and extraction, that entered the list of world gastronomic achievements in the field of coffee brewing.
By the way, the chemist himself especially singled out this brainchild of his. Driving around New York in his Cadillac convertible, he bolted a gold-plated Chemex to his front door as a talisman.
Advantages of the design
The main advantages of Chemex for true coffee connoisseurs include:
- Easy to use. It will help you create a delicious drink anywhere - at work, at home, in the office, on a hike, on vacation. All you need is the Chemex itself, coffee raw materials and hot water.
- Excellent taste. Coffee brewed in this way reveals the nuances of the drink much more fully than modern electric coffee makers or advanced specialized equipment with many functions.
- Easy to clean. In order to return the Chemex to its original purity, it will be enough to remove the used filter and rinse the flask.
Features of coffee prepared in a Chemex
When starting to brew a coffee drink using a Chemex, you need to consider the following points.
- In a Chemex you should brew only natural coffee from high-quality beans. Monosorts will be the best option for this, but mixtures should be abandoned, because This method of preparation reveals the coffee, reflecting all its flavor notes and shades.
- Brew coffee freshly roasted and freshly ground , because... Beans that have been sitting for more than two months after roasting lose their taste, and in this case you will not be able to get a good coffee drink.
- Coffee prepared in a Chemix turns out to be very hot, but due to the large volume of the flask and the wide funnel, it cools down quickly, which not everyone likes. Cooled coffee loses its taste.
Help with opening “Coffee to Go”.
Features of brewing coffee in a Chemex
Despite the simplicity of the device, there are certain rules for preparing a coffee drink using it. First of all, we must not forget about the following important points in preparing coffee, which directly affect the result.
Grinding
When preparing coffee in a Chemex, you should use a coarse grind . The ground coffee should have the appearance of sea salt . Subsequently, you can adjust the degree of grinding based on the preparation time of the coffee drink and your preferences.
Dosage of ground coffee
The optimal amount of coffee for a standard-sized Chemex (designed to make 3 cups of coffee) is 30 grams.
In general, the following ratio is correct: 60 grams are required for 1 liter of water. grains _ Based on these proportions, you can calculate the amount of coffee for each individual case.
Water temperature
Temperature has a significant impact on the taste of the finished drink. Depending on the type of coffee used for preparation, different temperatures are required. In this regard, it is worth experimenting, changing the temperature by one or two degrees to achieve the desired combination of flavors.
In order to brew coffee using a Chemex, the water must have a temperature of about 93 - 950C . You can get the required temperature as follows: remove the kettle with boiled water from the stove and let it cool for 1 minute.
What is Chemex
This is a no-cook coffee option in which extraction occurs by treating the coffee powder with hot water. Due to the small number of dishes and the ease of the Chemex device, the method is considered low-tech.
The method itself was invented in 1941 by chemist Peter Schlubohm, who used laboratory glassware at hand to prepare his favorite coffee at work. By connecting an Erlenmeyer flask with a glass funnel, the chemist obtained a device shaped like an hourglass, into which a filter was installed, coarsely ground grains were poured, and boiling water was poured. The sleek shape of the Chemex is especially prized: it has been on display at the Museum of Modern Art since 1944.
The English name itself - chemex - refers to the original purpose of the dishes (chemistry - chemistry). In Russian it could be called a chemist, especially since something similar to laboratory experiments when brewing coffee powder is visible.
Sequence when brewing coffee
- Install the paper filter into the device.
A four-layer filter should be used. It must be opened in such a way that, on the one hand, you get one layer, and on the other, from the side of the recess-nose, three.
- Heat the water to the required temperature.
- We spill the filter with water (you will need from 100 to 200 ml).
- The water drains without removing the filter from the Chemex.
- Pour in 30 grams of freshly ground coffee. A small, even mound of coffee should form. We make a small hole in it.
- To start the extraction, during which the coffee begins to open, pour a small amount of water into the Chemex .
- We wait for the water to be completely absorbed (about 30 to 40 seconds).
- Fill with water using one of the following methods.
One-time.
Water slowly pours through the coffee. The entire process will require 4 to 4.5 minutes, which will allow the coffee to brew.
Interval.
Slowly pour in one part of the water in a circular motion, as if drawing a spiral. When there are a few centimeters left to the edge, you need to stop adding water and wait until it is in the flask. After this, add another portion of water.
Gradual.
This method is an intermediate option between one-time and interval cooking methods.
- We wait until all the poured water seeps through the filter , after which we remove it and throw it away along with the coffee grounds.
- Shake the finished coffee drink , thereby saturating it with oxygen.
Chemex design
The basis of the design is an ordinary flask and a glass funnel. These two parts are attached to each other using a garter and a clamp. Initially, the elements were exclusively leather, but now plastic is often used to make connecting parts.
The device is equipped with a recess with a spout. This is necessary for air to escape. Also, thanks to its presence, pouring the drink is much more convenient. The kit includes paper filters intended for one-time use. Despite the simple design of the Chemex, the coffee it produces is delicious and incredibly aromatic.
