How to Brew: The Chemex (The War Time Vessel)
The popularity of the Chemex emerged simultaneously with the popularity of third wave coffee. Contrary to other methods (basic pour overs, French Presses, etc.), the Chemex looks like a revolutionary new brewing method. Its popularity in stores like World Market, the aesthetic design, and the cozies made on Etsy to keep its base warm have made it seem like it is a thoroughly modern means of brewing. Its beautiful design simply “fits” with the feel of Third Wave coffee. But its history runs deep, emerging within a generation now almost entirely lost to us and between nations involved in the great conflagration of global conflict.
The Chemex was invented in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, a German inventor who, after having been conscripted into German Military during WWI, returned to Germany and left his family’s successful business in order to understand what caused “the mess of a war.” Though there is no record of Schlumbohm having been a total pacifist, he had, at one point, called for the abolition of the German military. Clearly the war left a deleterious impact on the inventor, in which Germany had lost much of his allegiance. In 1936, Schlumbohm permanently immigrated to New York City. Though the patent designer made no explicit rationale for having left Germany during the rise of German fascism (perhaps due to the likelihood that family remained in Germany), his anti-war statements and his affiliation with interwar Bauhaus design logic, which the Nazis opposed.
Indeed, the Chemex might best be considered a protest vessel at various levels. Not only did it emerge in the U.S. in the midst of two of history’s greatest conflagrations, but it simultaneously was born at a time in American history when coffee itself was beginning to become highly industrialized.
Instant coffee, which is generally considered to have been invented in 1903, exploded in demand during both world wars. At the same time, coffee roasters began focusing on both the development of highly predictable blends and pre-ground coffee, thereby making home grinding unnecessary. The World War II era essentially “re-engineered” coffee into an industrial and convenience product, akin to how home cooked meals were being replaced by instant dinners. One no longer needed to roast his own beans, grind his own beans, or have any concern for the kind of coffee he was buying. Industrialism had sorted all that out with a ready to brew product and we drank it up! Schlumbohm’s invention, by contrast, was designed to resist this engineering, unifying both the artisan nature of the vessel with the artisan nature of coffee. As he stated, “A coffee maker must make coffee.”
The popularity of the Chemex signifies modernity's often unconscious rebellion against mechanization. Though today most of those who use a Chemex do not roast their own beans, almost all users pay attention to origins, blends, flavor profiles, burr grinding, proper water to coffee ratios, and bean freshness. The Chemex has stood the test of inter-war modernization (and all that is implied with it) and, at least for a subset of the population, has retained its place as a favorite and even preferable brewing vessel.
Note: The Chemex is by all technicality a pour-over, but differs from what many think of when they think of pour-over set ups. For one, it is glass, not ceramic. Second, it typically serves two or more people instead of the single cup options associated with pour overs.
How to Make a Chemex Coffee
Step 1: Heat filtered water to between 200-205 degrees.
Step 2: Place Chemex style paper filter into the Chemex. It should be folded with three layers laid on the spout. Slowly rinse the entire filter with hot water. Let this drip and then dump.
Step 3: Grind coffee to a medium-coarse grind (like coarse salt). For a 1:16 or 1:18 ratio using a 6-cup Chemex, use 53g of coffee to 47g for 850g of water, respectively.
Step 4: Add coffee to the filter and flatten it with a quick shake.
Step 5: Bloom the coffee by slowly saturating the grounds. Do this in a circular motion until all the grounds are saturated. Let the coffee bloom for 30-45 seconds. As it releases the first batch of water, it will turn into a “brick.”
Step 6: As with a pour over, pour slowly in a circular and methodical motion. Let all coffee drain through before removing the filter.
