aeropress · brewing · extraction ·

Aeropress Brew Guide

The Aeropress brewer is one of the most popular home (and mobile!) brewing devices among coffee obsessives. To the uninitiated its form can be a little bewildering - it is however a simple, effective, consistent and easy to clean device - everything you need! While it was initially marketed as a brewer capable of producing concentrated (faux-espresso) extractions, it is by far best utilised to produced 'filter' coffee - that is - a filtered and more dilute, black coffee. To be more concise: an Aeropress is a fancy French press (plunger)!

To get the most out of your Aeropress we have put together this brew guide. Keep in mind however the Aeropress is a device that lends itself to experimentation - this isn't the only method to get delicious coffee from one - have fun!

(For those familiar with the terms/variation: we favour the non-inverted method as it is safer and you can brew more coffee - always a good thing.)

You will need:

  • An Aeropress
  • Paper (or metal) filter
  • Cup or serving vessel
  • Water (a blog post on this topic to come!)
  • Kettle
  • Scales
  • Something to stir with
  • Timer
  • Good coffee!


Method:

  1. Boil your water.
  2. Weigh and grind 14g of your chosen coffee. (Grind size is very dependant on your grinder and other variables - but we suggest starting with something similar in size to raw sugar.)
  3. Place your filter in the cap of your Aeropress and attach it to the base.
  4. Place the base on your chosen serving vessel or cup and pour a little hot water into the base - this both rinses the filter and preheats the serving vessel.
  5. Finish draining the base, empty the water from your vessel and place the base back on it.
  6. Add your ground coffee to the Aeropress base and then vigorously pour 220g of water (just off the boil) over the grounds - ensuring all grounds are wetted - while starting your timer.
  7. Take the assembly off the scales (to protect them) and attach the  Aeropress plunger into the base - just enough to form a seal that will stop the brew water from leaving the Aeropress prematurely. (Some coffee will have dripped through already - don't stress, it isn't anything to worry about and you don't need to discard it.)
  8. After 1 min 30 sec remove the plunger and stir the coffee that is floating on the surface. How you stir isn't critical - but try to repeat the method the same way each time you brew.
  9. Replace the plunger into the base as previous.
  10. After another 30 sec (2 min total brew) it is time to press! The trick to an even extraction is to press gently (to minimise channelling) - attempt to finish pressing the coffee through in around another 30 sec. (You can press all the way to the end - including the trapped air - without any negative effect on the brew.)
  11. Invert the Aeropress and remove the cap. Empty the spent grounds and filter into the bin (or compost!) and give everything a good rinse (or if you aren't going to brew again today give it a wash with soapy water - like any other dishes).
  12. Give your brew a stir, let it cool for a minute and then enjoy!


Tips:

  • If you find the coffees are somewhat weak/sour/watery then the coffee may be under-extracted, grind finer next time.
  • If you find the coffees bitter/astringent/bland the coffee may be over-extracted, grind coarser next time.
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