The Aeropress hit the coffee scene in 2005. While the inventor, Alan Adler, was trying to completely change the specialty coffee world, it was only a matter of years before the Aeropress became a main staple of the specialty coffee industry. There is even a world championship that has around 3,000 competitors annually.
There are many reasons that the Aeropress is a favorite of both coffee professionals and the everyday coffee drinker.
First, it’s different than most any other coffee maker on the market.
Second, it travels super well. It’s light weight. Most of the parts fit inside each other. Some smaller hand grinders can also fit inside the plunger.
Third, it’s super versatile. While the Aeropress can’t produce the amount of pressure needed to make true espresso, it can make an espresso-like drink that can be used in americanos and latte style drinks. It can also be used to make a really good plain cup of coffee. The recipe possibilities for the Aeropress are endless.
We’ll teach one of our favorites, but the Aeropress gets even more fun when start making your own.
1. PARTS & TECHNIQUE
Because of the experimental nature of the Aeropress there are fewer standards of technique than there are with other methods, but there are still a few things to note. The first thing to know about the Aeropress are the different parts. There are three parts of the Aeropress that will always be used.
A. The Piston: this is the plastic tube that is open on both ends and has a wider on the bottom which allows it to sit on a cup.
B. The Filter Cap: this is the black plastic piece that is full of holes, holds a small circular filter, and locks onto the the piston.
C. The Plunger: this is the other plastic tube that has a flat, rubber surface on one side of the tube. This piece is used to push the water through the filter.
Almost all Aeropress recipes can be separated into two basic categories: traditional and inverted. I’ll provide a brief description of of those methods.
Traditional: The piston with the filter cap and filter attached is set on top of the cup that the coffee is going to be pressed into. Coffee grounds are put into the piston. Water is then added to the piston. The plunger is then used to press the coffee through the filter and filter cap and into the cup.
Inverted: The plunger is pressed slightly into the piston and then the back of the plunger is used as the base to set on the counter. Coffee is then out into the piston and then water. The filter and filter cap are then attached to the piston. The entire Aeropress is then flipped onto the cup and the coffee is pressed through the filter and filter cap into the cup.
Other points of technique
· The filter paper for the Aeropress is so small that rinsing it is not necessary unlike pour overs.
· Bloom pours can be used if you want, but not every recipe will include a bloom.
· Some people have said that you shouldn’t push the plunger all the way down, but stop once you start hearing a “hiss” that comes when you’re pushing more air than water through the filter. It’s been suggested that bit of coffee that comes from that part of the push is super acidic. That’s a lie. Push all of the coffee and air out.
· The normal ratios of coffee to water can be used, but don’t need to be. One of my favorite recipes uses a 1:10 ratio, much stronger than the pour over standard of 1:16.
· Grind size will change depending on the texture that you are trying to achieve. For a richer, espresso-like texture you a finer grinder. For a cleaner, thinner texture use a courser (pour over setting) grind.
· Water temperature will affect the recipe in the same way as pour over.
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OUR RECIPE
Setup: We use the traditional method, so set the Aeropress on the cup or container that you will be brewing into. Don’t use a paper cup because it will collapse under the pressure of the pressing.
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Grind 18g of beans on a very fine setting.
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Heat water to 97 degrees Celsius.
1. 0:00-0:20 – Pour 100g of water into the piston, making sure all of the grounds are wet.
2. 0:21-1:00 – Wait.
3. 1:01-1:20 – Pour 150g of water into the piston then swirl it around a little bit.
4. 1:21-1:25 – Place the plunger into the piston so that it creates a seal that keep the water from going through the filter.
5. 1:26-2:00 – Wait.
6. 2:01-2:20 – Push the plunger all the way down.
7. Enjoy
We hope this recipe helps provide many great cups of coffee. Even more, we hope that it inspires you to come up with more recipes.