My dependable and delightful Aeropress, has brought countless smiles to my face over the past few years. Whether it’s a lazy Saturday morning brew or the need for a portable coffee solution on a camping trip, it’s become an essential item that I always pack when traveling. The Aeropress’s sturdy and user-friendly design, in my opinion, makes it the ideal coffee filter method for anyone on the go.
The only drawback, for me, is that it brews only one cup at a time. While this is perfectly suitable most of the time, being part of a large family means I’m used to sharing.
Now, let me share with you the process of making my beloved cup of coffee with this cherished labor of love…
Aeropress Recipe
Step 1: Rinse the Filter
Place a paper filter in the filter cap and position it over your glass or mug. Rinse the filter with hot water, not only to eliminate any papery taste that might affect the brew but also to preheat your cup.
Step 2: Grind Your Coffee
Grind 17 grams of your aromatic and specialty coffee to a medium-fine consistency. It should be slightly coarser than the grind used for a stove top but finer than that of a V60 or Chemex. Grind settings may vary with different machines, so adjust the grind size if needed. Finer if the brew is weak, and coarser if it’s too strong. However, coffee-making is an art as much as a science, so if you prefer a coffee with bitter notes, feel free to experiment!
Step 3: Invert the Aeropress on Your Scales
Flip your Aeropress upside down and place it on your scales. Empty the ground coffee into the brew chamber, ensuring that the plunger sits about a centimeter above the bottom of the chamber.
Step 4: Start the Timer and Perform the Bloom
Commence the timer and pour around 30-40 grams of water onto the coffee grounds, giving it a quick stir to ensure all the coffee is soaked. This process, called blooming, is crucial for an exceptional brew. It allows the coffee to release gases like carbon dioxide and prepares the grounds for the next steps of the extraction, unlocking those complex and delicate flavor profiles. You’ll notice the grounds bubbling and expanding during this stage, which is also an excellent moment to predict the flavor notes that will emerge in your cup.
Step 5: Add More Water at 45 Seconds
After 45 seconds, add more water to bring the total weight up to around 110 grams, which should be about 4 centimeters from the top of the Aeropress.
Step 6: Stir the Coffee
Using either the Aeropress stirrer or a teaspoon, stir the coffee vigorously for about 10 seconds. Ensuring all the coffee at the bottom is agitated is important. Though maintaining consistency in agitation can be challenging due to variables like water temperature, brew ratios, and grind size, be mindful of the intensity of your stir so you can repeat it in future brews.
Step 7: Top Up the Aeropress and Agitate Again
Add more water to fill up the Aeropress and quickly agitate the coffee one more time. Then, securely attach the filter cap with the soaked paper filter in place.
Step 8: Remove Air and Start Plunging
Press down on the plunger firmly to remove any remaining air from the filter. When coffee starts to seep through, you’ll know the air has been removed. Be cautious as the coffee will be hot at this point.
Step 9: Set Up Your Cup
Ensure that you’ve disposed of the hot water used to rinse the filter, and then place your preheated cup upside down on top of the Aeropress. Flip the entire setup over so that your cup is ready to catch the brew.
Step 10: Press the Coffee
With a steady pace, press down on the plunger until you hear a hissing sound. As you become more familiar with your Aeropress, you’ll be able to gauge the grind size based on the resistance you encounter while plunging.
Step 11: Tap and Compost
Tap the Aeropress to release any remaining coffee grounds and compost the used grounds and filter.
Enjoy your perfectly extracted filter coffee! The suggested amount for this method is 17g of coffee, but feel free to adjust the technique and quantities to suit your taste preferences, as the versatility of the Aeropress allows for various styles and volumes of coffee and water. Happy brewing!
How much coffee should I use for an Aeropress?
You’ll need just over a full scoop of coffee. The included scoop with the Aeropress set typically holds around 12g – 15g of coffee, depending on the bean’s size and density. For our method, we use 17g of coffee.
What is the brewing time for an Aeropress?
Brewing an Aeropress takes no more than 2 minutes to create a delicious cup of coffee. It stands out as one of the fastest filter methods available.
How does the Aeropress work?
The Aeropress operates by immersing ground coffee in hot water inside the chamber. Afterward, the plunger is pressed down with enough force to push the coffee through the paper filter, resulting in a bright yet full-bodied cup of coffee.
What coffee is best suited for an Aeropress?
In short, freshly ground specialty coffee is ideal. The choice of coffee origin and roast profile is entirely up to you. Whether you prefer a bright and zesty flavor or a dark and rich taste, the Aeropress is adaptable and can achieve a wide range of characteristics.
What grind size is recommended for an Aeropress?
A medium-fine grind, akin to table salt, is perfect for an Aeropress. It should be finer than what you would use for a pour-over but coarser than a stovetop grind.
How does Aeropress coffee taste?
Aeropress coffee is bright with a medium body. Despite using a paper filter, the coffee is immersed in the water, unlike most other pour-over methods. This allows more oils to pass into the brew, resulting in a fuller-bodied coffee.
Why does my Aeropress coffee taste bitter?
Bitterness in coffee typically indicates over-extraction, which occurs when the water is in contact with the coffee for too long. The more surface area of the coffee exposed to water, the slower the extraction process. If your coffee tastes bitter, try grinding the coffee slightly coarser to alleviate the issue.