Chemex Coffee Reimagined: The Vandola Clary Pour Over Experience

Chemex Coffee Reimagined: The Vandola Clary Pour Over Experience

There’s something special about making coffee by hand. The quiet pour, the aroma filling the air, and that first sip of a perfectly balanced cup. For many home brewers, the Chemex coffee method captures that ritual beautifully, simple, elegant, and precise.

But even with the right method, many people struggle to get café-quality results at home. Sometimes it’s the freshness of the beans, sometimes it’s the brewing equipment. The truth is, great coffee isn’t just about the grind or the ratio, it’s about how all the elements work together to highlight flavor and balance.

That’s where the Vandola Clary Pour Over comes in, a handmade ceramic brewer from Costa Rica that elevates the Chemex experience. Crafted by artisan don Mainor, each Vandola takes about a month to make, blending functionality, tradition, and artistry into a single brewing piece.

Let’s explore what makes this unique brewer a favorite among coffee enthusiasts and how you can make the most of your home coffee ritual.

Why Chemex Coffee Has a Cult Following

If you love pour-over brewing, you’ve probably heard of the Chemex, a timeless glass brewer known for its clean, crisp cup. Developed in the 1940s, it’s still a favorite among home brewers and baristas because it emphasizes clarity and sweetness.

Chemex coffee stands out because:

  • It uses a thick paper filter that removes oils and sediment, creating a bright, pure flavor.

  • The slow, controlled pour enhances extraction and brings out delicate notes.

  • Its visual beauty makes it both functional and decorative, coffee as art.

But while the Chemex is a design icon, coffee lovers have long explored ways to personalize the experience, and that’s where the Vandola adds a whole new dimension.

Meet the Vandola: A Costa Rican Twist on Chemex Coffee

Handcrafted by Costa Rican artisan don Mainor, the Vandola Clary Pour Over blends traditional ceramic craftsmanship with modern coffee precision.

Unlike the glass Chemex, the Vandola is made with thick clay walls that naturally retain heat, keeping your brew warm for longer. The shape allows for even extraction, while still using the same Chemex paper filters, so you get that clean, well-balanced profile every time.

Each Vandola is completely unique, shaped and glazed by hand, with subtle imperfections that make it one of a kind. It takes nearly a month to create each piece, from shaping to drying, firing, and finishing.

The result is a brewer that’s not only functional but also meaningful, one that connects you directly to the origin and craft behind every cup.

The Problem: Freshness Is the Missing Ingredient

Even with the best pour-over brewer, one common challenge remains, freshness. Many home brewers invest in equipment but use beans that were roasted weeks (or months) ago.

By the time you brew them, much of the coffee’s aroma and sweetness has faded. That’s why your cup might taste flat, even when your technique is spot-on.

In short: great tools deserve great coffee.

The Solution: Fresh, Small-Batch Roasting for Clarity and Balance

To get the most from your Chemex coffee or Vandola brew, start with freshly roasted beans. Locally roasted coffee retains the essential flavor compounds that define each origin and process.

At Manural, our beans are roasted in small batches in Dubai, ensuring every cup you brew at home tastes as bright and nuanced as it’s meant to. We source directly from family farms and partner growers in Tarrazú, Costa Rica, a region known for its high altitude, volcanic soil, and exceptional cup quality.

When you combine fresh beans with a precision brewer like the Vandola, the result is café-quality flavor in your own kitchen, clean, balanced, and deeply aromatic.

How to Brew the Perfect Chemex Coffee (or Vandola Pour Over)

Brewing with the Vandola is as simple and satisfying as using a Chemex, but with a bit more warmth and soul. Here’s a quick guide to help you make the most of it:

  1. Use Fresh, Filtered Water
    Aim for 90–96°C (just off the boil). Good water is 99% of good coffee.

  2. Grind Size
    Go for medium-coarse, like sea salt. If your brew tastes sour, grind finer; if bitter, go coarser.

  3. Filter and Rinse
    Place a standard Chemex paper filter in your Vandola and rinse it to remove paper taste.

  4. Coffee-to-Water Ratio
    Use about 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water.

  5. Bloom and Pour
    Start by pouring just enough water to wet the grounds. Wait 30 seconds for them to “bloom.”
    Then, pour slowly in circles until you reach your desired weight.

  6. Enjoy Slowly
    The clay will hold the heat, sip and savor the layers of flavor as they evolve.

💡 Pro Tip: Try a fruity Costa Rican roast (Fruity Chocolate) with your Vandola, it pairs perfectly with the clean, balanced profile that Chemex filters bring out.

Why the Vandola Is More Than a Brewer

The Vandola isn’t just about performance, it’s about connection.
It tells a story of craft, patience, and heritage.

Each piece represents:

  • Tradition - made by hand using techniques passed down through generations.

  • Sustainability - crafted locally with natural materials.

  • Community - supporting Costa Rican artisans and coffee culture.

When you brew with it, you’re not just making coffee, you’re taking part in a story that began in the mountains of Tarrazú.

Bringing It All Together

If you love Chemex coffee, the Vandola Clary Pour Over offers a new way to experience it, richer, warmer, and more connected to its roots.

Pair it with freshly roasted specialty beans and you’ll unlock the kind of flavor clarity you thought was only possible in a café.

Because in the end, coffee is more than a drink, it’s a ritual, a craft, and a connection to the people and places behind every cup.

☕ Explore the Vandola Clary Pour Over, handmade in Costa Rica, freshly paired with locally roasted beans in Dubai. Discover balance, flavor, and soul in every brew.

Back to blog