medium-coarse grind · 600-900 microns
Baratza Encore grind setting for Chemex
Start at 20 on the Baratza Encore for Chemex, and stay inside 20-25. Brew at 1:16 for 4-5 min.
Manual says 20. Baratza's Chemex guide starts at 25.
- Ratio
- 1:16
- Time
- 4-5 min
- Water
- 92-96 C
Taste, then fix
If it tastes wrong
| It tastes | Why | Do this on the Encore |
|---|---|---|
| Sour, thin, sharp | Under-extracted: water ran through too fast | Go 1 to 2 steps finer so the drawdown slows |
| Bitter, dry, astringent | Over-extracted or the bed choked | Go 1 to 2 steps coarser so the drawdown speeds up |
| Sour and bitter at once | Uneven extraction: channeling or a stalled bed | Keep the grind, pour gentler and more evenly, swirl the bed flat |
| Drawdown far past target time | Grind too fine or too many fines | Go 2 steps coarser; check the burrs are clean |
| Weak but balanced | Too little coffee for the water | Tighten the ratio half a step, e.g. 1:16 to 1:15.5 |
What you are aiming for
Chemex filters are thick and slow, so the grind runs coarser than a V60. Too fine and the filter clogs.
On the Baratza Encore, 20 is the documented start. If your grounds look much finer or coarser than this, your grinder may be calibrated differently: trust the taste, then the number.
Fix the beans too
Better Chemex starts with fresher beans.
The right grind only gets out what the beans have. A subscription keeps fresh coffee arriving before you run out.
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More Baratza Encore settings
Questions
What grind setting should I use on the Baratza Encore for Chemex?
Start at 20 on the Baratza Encore for Chemex, and stay inside 20-25. Brew at 1:16 for 4-5 min.
My Chemex tastes sour on the Baratza Encore. What do I change?
Sour means under-extracted. Go 1 to 2 steps finer so the drawdown slows. Change one thing at a time and taste again.
My Chemex tastes bitter on the Baratza Encore. What do I change?
Bitter means over-extracted. Go 1 to 2 steps coarser so the drawdown speeds up.
Source
assets.breville.com, baratza.com, baratza.com, baratza.com. Settings are starting points; two grinders of the same model can sit a step or two apart.