To some, the Chemex looks just as beautiful empty as it does when it is full of coffee. Call us philistines, or maybe just in need of a good cup of coffee, but The Cortado prefers the latter. In the event you agree with us, here are the steps to making a proper brew with your Chemex.

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Coffee is fun to share, so let's assume you are brewing a couple of cups. First, bring two cups of water (16 ounces) to a boil. While you're waiting for the water to heat up, grab a Chemex filter (we know you want to use regular filters, but it matters here). Open the filter and pull the filter paper to the side so that you have one sheet on one side of the cone and three sheets on the other. Put the filter in the Chemex with the three sheet side facing the spout. Pour a little bit of warm water into the filter to slightly wet it, let the water drain into the Chemex, then pour that water out, leaving the filter in place. After getting the proper grind, put 6 tablespoons of coffee in the filter. Once the water is boiling, pull it off the burner and let it sit for a minute. Then pour just enough water over the grounds to get them all wet - if you are concerned about making sure you got every ground, gently stir the grounds. Let it sit for 45 seconds. You may see some bubbles - this is normal. Now slowly pour the water over the grounds in a circle until you almost reach the top of the Chemex. Let the coffee drain for a bit, then pour the rest of the water over the grounds in the same fashion and let it drain. Now remove and trash the filter and pour yourself a well-deserved cup. The "ritual" will take about four minutes, but we swear the coffee will be hot when you're done.