How do you make Chemex coffee?
Quick answer
For a reliable 2-cup Chemex, use 30 g medium-coarse coffee and 480 g water at about 94 C / 201 F: a 1:16 ratio. Rinse and position the thick filter, bloom with about 60 g water for 45 seconds, then pour in two controlled stages. Aim for a total brew time near 4:30 and change only the grind if the cup tastes wrong.
Chemex is a manual filter method, but it does not behave exactly like every other pour-over. Its paper filter is thicker than a typical cone filter, so it holds back more fine particles and oils. That can make the cup feel especially clean and transparent. It also means flow is sensitive to filter placement, grind, and how much water sits above the coffee bed.
The goal is not to copy a dramatic pouring pattern. Start with one measured recipe, note the drawdown time and taste, then make one small adjustment for the next brew. The coffee ratio calculator can scale the dose for your carafe before you start, and the Chemex timer preset keeps the same phases every time.
What you need
- Chemex brewer and matching paper filters. Choose filters made for the size of your brewer. Open the filter so the thicker, multi-layered side faces the spout; this keeps the air channel open.
- A kettle or pot for water. A gooseneck kettle makes the circular pour easier, but steady, low pours matter more than kettle shape.
- A scale. It gives you the coffee dose and the poured water weight. A 30 g coffee dose and 480 g water is much easier to repeat than “two scoops.”
- Fresh coffee and a grinder if possible. Ask for medium-coarse grounds when buying pre-ground coffee. Fresh grinding gives you more control, but it is not a requirement for learning the recipe.
- Timer and mug. A timer reveals whether the issue is flow or strength, rather than forcing you to change coffee, water, and technique together.
Chemex cup markings are not the same as standard 240 ml kitchen cups. Treat the number on the brewer as a capacity hint, then decide the actual water amount by weight. For example, 480 g water makes roughly two 240 ml servings before normal coffee retention in the grounds.
Starting parameters
| Variable | Starting point | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ratio | 1:16 | Clear but not thin for a balanced filter brew |
| Coffee | 30 g | A practical dose for 480 g water |
| Water | 480 g | About two mugs before brew loss |
| Water temperature | 94 C / 201 F | A stable all-purpose starting point |
| Grind | Medium-coarse | Helps the thick filter flow without rushing |
| Total time | About 4:30 | A diagnostic reference, not a score |
A 1:16 ratio is a starting point, not a law. If the cup tastes balanced but you prefer more concentration, try 1:15 next time. If it tastes balanced but too heavy, try 1:17. Do not call a cup weak simply because it is lighter-bodied than French press: filter paper deliberately changes texture. Use the coffee-to-water ratio guide when you want to calculate another dose without changing the extraction variables at the same time.
Grind size: medium-coarse, then taste
Start a little coarser than a V60 recipe and a little finer than a very coarse French press grind. It should resemble coarse sand rather than powder. Chemex filters add resistance, so an overly fine grind can stall the brew and create a dry, bitter finish. A very coarse grind can let water pass too quickly and leave the cup sharp, thin, or sour.
Use time only as a clue. A 480 g batch finishing far before four minutes can be fine if it tastes balanced, but it is worth checking for channeling or a too-coarse grind. A batch that takes well beyond five minutes often needs a coarser grind or a less restrictive filter placement. The grind size chart helps you name the next small adjustment across methods.
Do not transfer a numbered grinder setting from another grinder. Burr geometry, zero point, wear, and calibration all change what a number means. “Medium-coarse” is a useful starting direction; taste and drawdown tell you whether to move one small step.
Step-by-step Chemex recipe
1. Fold, place, and rinse the filter
Open the filter into a cone and place the thicker side toward the spout. Make sure the filter is not sealing the spout: air must leave the carafe as coffee drains. Rinse the filter with hot water if you want to warm the brewer and remove paper flavor. Discard the rinse water without moving the filter.
This setup step matters because a blocked air channel can make a normal grind look too fine. Before changing the recipe, check that the filter is sitting flat and the spout side has room for air.
2. Add 30 g coffee and level the bed
Put 30 g medium-coarse coffee in the rinsed filter. Give the brewer a gentle shake to level the bed. A level bed is not cosmetic: it gives water a more even path through the grounds. Tare the scale with the Chemex on it.
If you are brewing a smaller batch, keep the same 1:16 ratio rather than guessing. For 360 g water, use 22.5 g coffee; for 600 g water, use 37.5 g coffee. The ratio calculator does those numbers without changing the method preset.
3. Bloom with 60 g water for 45 seconds
Start the timer and pour about 60 g water, roughly twice the coffee weight. Make sure every dry patch is wet, then give the brewer a small swirl only if needed. Wait 45 seconds. Fresh coffee may expand and release bubbles; a quiet bloom does not automatically mean failure, especially with older or pre-ground coffee.
The bloom is a short preparation step, not a chance to chase foam. Your useful signals are whether the bed is evenly wet and whether the next pour drains predictably.
4. Pour to 300 g, then pause
After the bloom, pour steadily in small circles until the scale reads about 300 g. Keep the water level moderate instead of filling to the rim. Aim the stream at the coffee bed, not directly against the paper wall, which can send water around the grounds.
Let the level fall slightly before continuing. The pause keeps the bed from floating too high and makes it easier to see whether the drawdown is unusually slow.
5. Finish at 480 g and let it draw down
Pour the remaining water to 480 g. A gentle final swirl can flatten a domed bed, but do not stir aggressively: too much agitation creates fines that can slow a thick filter. Let coffee drain until the stream becomes occasional drips, then remove the filter and discard it.
The finished bed does not need to look perfectly flat to taste good. Record the total time only after you taste the cup. A neat-looking bed is less important than a cup that is sweet, clear, and comfortable to drink.
What the cup should feel like
Compared with a French press, Chemex usually has less sediment and less oily body. Compared with V60, it often feels softer and more filtered because of the paper. That is a texture difference, not a quality ranking. Light and medium roasts are easy starting points because their aromas remain clear through the filter, but any roast can work when the ratio and extraction are adjusted.
Taste the coffee after it cools for a few minutes. Hot coffee can make bitterness or acidity feel sharper than it will later. If it is pleasant after cooling but too strong for your preference, dilute the finished cup with a little hot water instead of changing the grind. If it is sour and thin before dilution, change extraction.
Troubleshooting one variable at a time
| What you taste or see | Likely first cause | Next change |
|---|---|---|
| Sour, thin, fast drawdown | Grind too coarse or water too cool | Grind one step finer |
| Bitter, dry, slow drawdown | Grind too fine or filter flow blocked | Grind one step coarser; check spout side |
| Watery but not sour | Ratio too high for your preference | Move from 1:16 to 1:15 |
| Muddy or stalled | Too much agitation or many fines | Pour more gently and grind coarser |
| Paper-like flavor | Filter not rinsed or brew too cool | Rinse filter and verify water temperature |
Use the coffee troubleshooter if you want a single next experiment. It is more useful to log “coarser grind, same ratio” than to replace the coffee, water, ratio, and temperature all at once. Save a successful recipe in the private journal; it remains on your device and does not require an account.
Chemex, V60, or French press?
Choose Chemex when you want to brew more than one cup and prefer a clear, filter-forward texture. Choose V60 when you enjoy closer control over pour rate and want to learn how small changes affect the cup. Choose French press when you want a fuller body and no paper filters. None is the universally “best” method: the brewer should fit your daily routine and preferred texture.
Use the existing pour-over guide for the common workflow and the V60 recipe for a cone-dripper alternative. A dedicated comparison belongs in a later, source-complete content pass rather than as a link to an unfinished page.
Common questions
Do I need a gooseneck kettle for Chemex? No. It makes a slow, even pour easier, but a regular kettle works when you pour steadily from low height and avoid flooding the filter wall.
Why is my Chemex taking so long to drain? First check filter placement at the spout, then grind one step coarser. A blocked air channel or too many fine particles can make the same recipe stall.
Can I make one cup in a large Chemex? Yes, but a very small bed is harder to control. Keep the 1:16 ratio, pour gently, and expect a different drawdown than a fuller batch.
Should I use a different ratio for dark roast? Start with the same 1:16 recipe, then lower water temperature slightly or use a coarser grind if the cup tastes bitter. Change one variable first.