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Making pourover coffee and need a Chemex recipe? Here’s the Chemex ratio: this simple formula makes for a perfect cup of coffee every time.
Wondering how to make coffee in a Chemex coffee maker? All you need is that Chemex ratio, which makes a perfect cup of coffee every time. Here is is:
Chemex ratio:
1 gram coffee to 15 grams water
This Chemex ratio doesn’t meant much until you understand how many grams of coffee make 1 cup of coffee! Here are a few more things to keep in mind:
- 1 cup of Chemex coffee: Use 20 grams of coffee beans (about 3 tablespoons) and 300 grams water. (20 x 15 = 300)
- 2 cups of Chemex coffee: Use 34 grams coffee beans and 510 grams water. (34 x 15 = 510)
- 3 to 4 cups of Chemex coffee (max): The maximum grams of coffee you can use in a standard 6-cup Chemex is 50 grams, which makes about 3 to 4 cups, depending on how large your cups are. Use 50 grams coffee and 750 grams water. (50 x 15 = 750)
Keep in mind, you can flex between 15 to 16 grams water per gram coffee depending on your taste in coffee. Use whatever fits your personal taste! Alex and I have found that our perfect Chemex recipe is the ratio of 34 grams coffee and 520 grams water — which you’ll see in the recipe below.
Note: You can use a Chemex to make our Chemex Iced Coffee or Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee, too!
Need a Chemex recipe?
The Chemex ratio table above is great if you’re a seasoned Chemex pro and you don’t need a recipe for how to use it. But what if you’re just starting out? Don’t worry: we’ve got a full recipe AND a video to show you how it’s done — scroll down! And for more detailed information, see How to use a Chemex Coffee Maker.
More about coffee
Outside of how to use a Chemex coffee maker, we’ve got a series on how to make coffee using all sorts of gadgets!
- How to Use an Aeropress
- How to Make Iced Coffee
- All of our Coffee Methods & Resources!
- How to Make Cold Brew Coffee
- How to Make Coffee: 4 Ways
Chemex Ratio: Coffee Beans to Water
Making pourover coffee and need a Chemex recipe? Here’s the Chemex ratio: this simple formula makes for a perfect cup of coffee every time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Pourover
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 34 grams light or medium roast coffee beans*
- 520 grams filtered water (the flavor is best with filtered water)
Instructions
- Heat a pot of filtered water to 200 to 205F. We use an electric kettle that shows us the exact temperature. You could also use a teapot on the stove — just heat to boiling, then let the water cool down for a few minutes.
- Use a food scale to weigh out 34 grams of coffee, then grind it to a medium coarse grind (about the size of kosher or sea salt). We use an electric burr grinder to get a consistent grind.
- When the water is heated, place the filter in your Chemex (see the video below for exact instructions). Pour in just a bit of water to wet the filter, then pour out the water into the sink. Place the ground coffee into the Chemex and shake it to level it out.
- Place the Chemex on the food scale and tare it so the scale reads 0. Slowly pour in 70 grams of water in a circular motion. Then stop and wait for 1 minute: this allows the coffee to bloom (you may have to tap your scale once so that it doesn’t time out!).
- Then slowly add the remaining 520 grams water in two batches, pouring very slowly in concentric circles, pouring right onto the coffee and not touching the coffee filter. Fill to about ½ inch from the top (it will likely be around 400 grams water), wait for the water level to go down a bit, and then fill the remaining water up to 520 grams.
- After a few minutes, all of the water will filter through the coffee grounds into the pot below. Remove the filter and discard it (we compost ours). Enjoy!
Notes
*In our large Chemex, the most you can make at one time is 50 grams of coffee and 800 grams water, which makes about 3 to 4 cups of coffee. To scale up or down, just use our magic ratio: 15-16 grams water to 1 gram of coffee.
Last updated: December 2020
Thank you for your awesome video regarding the Chemex Coffee maker. Please let me know the maker and style of your grinder.
Thank you
Paula
Hi! The one pictured is from Bodum, but it broke down on us: https://amzn.to/3Oz3JUG
We now use the OXO grinder: https://amzn.to/44NE1BG
Hi – What number grind do you use on the OXO grinder for Chemex? I have the same one and am not sure which number to use for medium course.
Thank you
I use a 9!
Thank you so much. It gives me a great starting point.
Any way you could convert your recipe to tablespoons and ounces for those without a scale?
Google is converting it to 2.2 tablespoons that can’t be right?
Hi! It would be about 6 tablespoons of coffee grounds and 17 1/2 ounces of water.
Thank you so much!! Is that 6 tablespoons of ground or whole bean?
Hi I’m confused, if I understand correctly total water 520g and coffee 34g.
Next it says pour 70g over coffee and wait one minute before adding remaining 520g of water in 2 batches. So if you pour 70g to bloom the grounds wouldn’t there be only 450g left. So is the total water 520 or 590 g? I know I’m probably wrong here with my calculations so please help me out?
Marilyn
Sorry for confusion! 520 grams of water total — We usually do: 70g for the bloom, 280g for the second pour, 170g for the third pour.
I always do a 1:15 ratio of beans to water, but I’ve noticed that with using the Chemex filters, my amount of coffee is noticeably smaller than when I typically did it with a V60 or my old, smaller chemex where I used a regular filter. It seems maybe I’m having even more saturation with the filter and it’s throwing off my ratio. Suggestions?
Are you presoaking your filter? The 1:15 works great for us.
I rinse the filter with the freshly heated water in order to wet it and get the inside hot, and then I dump the water. I think I wasn’t using enough water originally??
Hi! I have this (https://www.target.com/p/bodum-8-cup-34oz-pour-over-coffee-maker/-/A-53664362?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Appliances%2BShopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Appliances&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9033313&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1247068&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz4z3BRCgARIsAES_OVexLdKYFIPy5fflnCXNXubZQO2gL6SjHD1dg0iALompBrKj3raxQ6oaAvr9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) which essentially works the same I believe except it comes with a filter. Can I use this recipe in the same way or is it important to adapt for the non-paper filter? Thanks!
We have this coffee maker as well! I prefer a slightly more coarse ground for the coffee, but the recipe should be the same. It’s also helpful to pour more slowly so that it doesn’t move through the filter too quickly. After making a batch or two, you can increase or decrease the amount of water a bit for stronger or weaker coffee. Make sure to wash the filter quickly so it doesn’t dry and clog up.
What is your favorite type of coffee to drink \ what do you suggest? We are on the lighter side of coffee generally –
Hi! We have fallen in love with single origin roasts from artisan roasters. Here in Indy we support local roasters Tinker St and Blue Mind.
Hello,
When you say large Chemex are you referring to the 10 cup?
Sorry, no — just a 6 cup Chemex