Best Coffee for Chemex of 2026
The Chemex's thick bonded paper filter traps oils and fine particles, producing an exceptionally clean, sweet, tea-like cup. That rewards washed coffees with clear, well-defined flavors and can leave muddy or heavily roasted beans tasting thin. Here are the top 10 in our catalog.
Top 10 Coffees for Flash Brew, Ranked
Rankings based on expert ratings from our database of 151 washed light and medium roast coffees from 47 specialty roasters (average 4.63★), all rated 4.5★ or higher with sweet, floral, citrus, or other clean flavor notes. Limited to two coffees per roaster; decaf excluded.
What Makes a Coffee Good for Chemex?
The thick filter removes body-building oils, so what remains is clarity and sweetness. Washed coffees, which are fermented and rinsed of fruit pulp before drying, lead with crisp acidity and clean sugars, while light-to-medium roasts keep origin character without tipping into roasty bitterness.
Ethiopia (36 coffees) and Colombia (31 coffees) are the two best-represented origins on this list, both known for clean washed lots. Prefer a hands-on, thinner-filter approach? Compare with our pour over picks.
How to Brew Chemex Coffee
Medium-coarse grind, 1:16.7 ratio, and patience: the thick filter drains slowly.
- Rinse: Fold the filter with the three-layer side toward the spout, then rinse with hot water and discard it.
- Bloom: Add 30 g of medium-coarse grounds and pour 60 ml of 94°C water. Wait one minute.
- Pour: Spiral slowly to 200 ml, then 350 ml, then 500 ml, keeping the water below the filter collar.
- Draw-down: Let it drain fully; total brew time is roughly 4:30–5:30.
- Serve: Remove the filter by its top, swirl the carafe, and pour.
Follow our full interactive Chemex guide with a built-in timer →