Chemex Handblown
The Chemex Handblown Series: the classic Chemex shape blown by hand in small batches. Sizes, how it differs from the Classic, how to brew with it and care.
Contents
What is the Chemex Handblown?
The Chemex Handblown Series is the Chemex pour-over made by hand by glassblowers in small batches, using glass blown in Croatia. It has the same hourglass shape, wooden collar and leather tie as the Classic and uses the same Chemex filters, but comes in its own sizes: 3, 5, 8 and 13 cups.
At a glance
- Ratio
- 1:17
- 45 g : 750 g
- Grind
- Medium-coarse
- Water
- 93 °C
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Origin
- United States
Method
Fold the filter
Fold a Chemex filter into a cone and seat it with the three-layer side against the pouring spout.
Rinse and warm
Rinse the filter with hot water, then pour that water out through the spout.
Add the coffee
Add 45 g of coffee, ground medium-coarse, and shake it level.
Bloom30 s
Pour 100 g of water at about 93°C (200°F) to wet all the grounds and wait 30 seconds.
Pour in stages
Pour in slow circles to 200 g, then add more every 30 seconds, or as the level drops about a centimetre, until you reach 750 g.
Serve
Lift out the filter, swirl and pour, holding it by the wooden collar.
The Chemex Handblown is the Chemex pour-over made by hand. Chemex says each one is produced in small batches by glassblowers, using glass blown in Croatia. It keeps the familiar hourglass shape, wooden collar and leather tie, and brews in exactly the same way, through the same thick Chemex filters. What changes is how it’s made, and the sizes. Here’s how it compares with the Classic and how to brew with it.
The short version
- The Chemex, blown by hand in small batches.
- Same shape, collar, tie and filters as the Classic.
- Its own sizes: 3, 5, 8 and 13 cups (Chemex counts in 5 oz cups).
- Brews exactly like any Chemex.
How is it different from the Classic Chemex?
| Handblown | Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Made | By hand, by glassblowers, in small batches | By machine |
| Glass | Blown in Croatia | Borosilicate, made in Taiwan and Germany |
| Collar | Wooden collar and leather tie | The same |
| Filters | Chemex bonded filters | The same |
| Sizes | 3, 5, 8, 13-cup | 3, 6, 8, 10-cup |
Sweet Maria’s, reviewing the 8-cup, found it denser and heavier than the machine-made Chemex, and noted it’s blown into a mould.
What sizes does it come in?
| Size | Holds |
|---|---|
| 3-cup | Three 5 oz cups |
| 5-cup | Five 5 oz cups |
| 8-cup | 40 oz |
| 13-cup | 65 oz |
The 5-cup and 13-cup are only made in the Handblown range; the Classic and Glass Handle come in 3, 6, 8 and 10-cup sizes.
Is it really in a museum?
Chemex says the clarity of the blown glass and its workmanship earned the Handblown a place in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Museum of Modern Art’s own collection includes a 1941 Chemex.
How do you brew with the Handblown?
Exactly as with any Chemex. This is Counter Culture Coffee’s recipe, the same one on our main Chemex guide:
- Fold and seat the filter, three-layer side to the spout, and rinse it.
- Add 45 g of coffee, ground medium-coarse.
- Bloom with 100 g of water at about 93°C and wait 30 seconds.
- Pour in stages to 750 g, adding more every 30 seconds or as the level drops.
- Lift out the filter, swirl and pour by the collar.
750 g suits the 8-cup and 13-cup. For the 3 or 5-cup, scale it down: keep to about 1 g of coffee for every 17 g of water. Pre-folded square filters don’t fit the 3-cup, so check the filter box for your size.
How do you clean it?
Throw away the filter and grounds. Untie the leather tie and take off the wooden collar before washing the glass, and wipe the collar with a damp cloth rather than soaking it. Handmade glass deserves a gentle hand: washing by hand with a bottle brush is the safest option.
General guidance only. It’s glass, so handle it carefully when hot and follow the instructions that come with yours.
Should I buy the Handblown or the Classic?
- Buy the Handblown if you’d like a handmade Chemex, or need the 5 or 13-cup size.
- Buy the Classic if you want the same brew in a 6 or 10-cup size.
- Buy the Glass Handle if you’d rather have a handle than a collar.
Handblown vs other brewers
- Chemex Classic: the machine-made original shape.
- Chemex Glass Handle: a glass handle instead of the collar.
- V60: a single-cup pour-over with a finer grind.
- French press: a heavier, fuller cup.
Explore every pour-over in the pour-over chapter.
What you’ll need
Words in this guide
Questions & answers
What's the difference between the Chemex Handblown and the Classic?
The Handblown is made by hand by glassblowers in small batches, with glass blown in Croatia. The Classic is made by machine. Both have the same hourglass shape, wooden collar and leather tie, and both use Chemex filters. They also come in different sizes.
What sizes does the Chemex Handblown come in?
3, 5, 8 and 13 cups. Chemex measures in 5 oz cups; it lists the 8-cup at 40 oz and the 13-cup at 65 oz.
Is the Chemex Handblown in a museum?
Chemex says the clarity of the blown glass and its workmanship earned it a place in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Does the Chemex Handblown use the same filters?
Yes, Chemex bonded paper filters, folded with the three-layer side against the spout. Pre-folded square filters don't fit the 3-cup Handblown, so check the filter box for your size.
How do you clean a Chemex Handblown?
Untie the leather tie and take off the wooden collar, then wash the glass. Wipe the collar with a damp cloth rather than soaking it.
Sources
- Handblown Series. Chemex Corporation
- CHEMEX 8-cup Handblown pour-over coffeemaker. Chemex Corporation
- CHEMEX 13-cup Handblown pour-over coffeemaker. Chemex Corporation
- Getting started. Chemex Corporation
- Quick + easy Chemex. Counter Culture Coffee
- Chemex coffee brewers. Sweet Maria's
- Chemex FS-100 filters. Ozone Coffee
General guidance only. Not medical, food-safety or professional advice. Always follow your equipment's own instructions.