The Aeropress is a coffee maker that’s been around for years. Originally invented in 2005, the device has become popular among coffee enthusiasts all over the world. It offers an easy way to brew a great cup of joe. This article will teach you how to make your own perfect cup of coffee with this innovative and inexpensive contraption!
The Invention Of Aeropress
The AeroPress is an innovative device with gravity-defying aspirations that was invented by Alan Adler just 38 miles from our Oakland roastery. Alan Adler’s love for inventions led him to create the Aeropress, which eventually became one of his most successful inventions
This strange and lovely coffee maker has mastered the art of aerodynamics, like its long-flying cousin “the super disc” which broke Guinness World Records when it soared 1333 feet into the sky!
The same mastery comes to play here on your table as well; brew some delicious cups while watching this fascinating machine make them happen before you.
What Makes an AeroPress?
The Aeropress is a device that looks like an oversized syringe and uses manual pressure to make concentrated coffee. It’s a simple yet effective coffee brewer that doesn’t use electricity.
It consists of two cylinders: the lower one with filters and ground coffee inside it; the upper part has an end that can be twisted to lock itself either onto the bottom or top half. After putting hot water in, you stir your mix before pressing down on a plunger which pushes the brewed liquid through a paper filter into the cup below. In addition, it incorporates paper filters for cleaner brighter tasting rich brews!
For those who love coffee, but are tired of waiting for their morning cup to brew all the way through – this might be the perfect solution!
Read Also –> Best Coffee for Aeropress
What you’ll need
- Freshly roasted coffee
- A coffee grinder
- A coffee scale
- A timer
- A kettle for boiling and pouring water
- Stirring device
- An AeroPress with filter
- Mug or decanter
The Standard Method
The Upright brew is the classic method that works like a dripping brewer.
Steps To Making Aeropress Coffee With Upright Method
Step 1 – Heat the water
The water temperature should be between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid boiling water as it would burn the coffee.
Step 2 – Measure & Grind
Your coffee brew ratio will be the basis of your Aeropress brewing cup. The best coffee-to-water ratio for Aeropress is 1:16. For this reference, I’m talking about 17g of coffee or roughly 1 ½ AeroPress scoops.
It’s preferable to use freshly ground coffee for Aeropress, as fresh is always better. It should be the same size as rough beach sand.
Step 3 – Prep the Filter
Pour water over your paper filter to remove that pesky paper flavor, then it’s ready for your next cup. If you have metal filters, then go ahead and rinse them off with hot or cold tap water before adding them back into your machine so that no flavor can sneak through from previous cups brewed!
Step 4 – Begin the Brew
First, place the funnel and add the coffee, then pour the water into the Aeropress until it reaches 270 grams of water (near the top). stir slowly for about ten seconds then let it steep for about one minute.
Step 5 – Plunge
Time to plunge your coffee. Don’t press it too hard. A good cup of Joe takes time, so carefully apply pressure on the plunger in a downward direction.
It’s time to stop when the water reaches the top of your coffee. You can either push through for a sharper flavor or let out some extra brew — whatever suits your taste buds best is fine by me 🙂
Taste the coffee and if desired add more water to dilute your coffee.
The Inverted Method
The Aeropress is the most portable, no-fuss filter coffee maker available, but that doesn’t limit its potential uses. One of these techniques you can look at is inverted brewing!
This recipe quite literally “inverts” the brewer so water drips through before pressure forces through your grounds and filters – giving you a slightly different flavor because this leaves more room for immersion than when using an ordinary pot or French press for instance (which leaves little behind).
I prefer the “inverted” method as I think it produces the best results. Using this method allows the coffee grounds to be fully immersed in the water before brewing, resulting in a more consistent cup.
Steps To Making An Inverted Aeropress
Step 1 – Measure And Grind
Grinding your coffee right before you brew is the key to a fresh-tasting cup. Coffee loses flavor as it sits, so pre-ground beans will go stale faster than freshly ground ones.
For the inverted method, grind your coffee a bit finer than you would do for a drip brew, but not as coarse as Turkish Coffee. In practical terms, it should be equivalent to table salt or beach sand in fineness.
A good starting coffee to water ratio for Aeropress is 1:16. In this example, I’ll use .6oz of coffee or 17g of coffee to 270 ml of water. However, there is no right way, if you’ve discovered a different proportion that works for you, go ahead and use it! Your coffee is yours to enjoy, feel free to experiment with whatever works best for you.
Step 2 – Combine The Chamber And Plunger
Next, it’s time to assemble the inverted Aeropress.
To begin, insert the rubber part of the plunger into the chamber. Once the plunger is secure and level, invert it so that the open filter side of the chamber is facing up towards you.
Step 3 – Boil & Prep
You want your water to be between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, here’s what to do: bring it to boil and then let sit for 45 seconds before cooling down again so that it’s at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
After the water is ready, prep the filter to remove any “papery” flavor.
“Wetting the filter” is a must-do for inverted methods. Otherwise, it will not stick to the filter cap.
Step 4 – Pour & Stir
Add your coffee and enough water (about 80ml ) into the Aeropress until it is submerged in a bed of grounds. Keep stirring the grounds to make sure they are fully immersed so that you don’t end up with any clumps or dry pockets from uneven extraction. Wait 20 seconds before your main pour-over to let your coffee ‘bloom’. The mixture (called the slurry) will bubble ever so slightly — as the gases trapped within them are released. The ‘bloom’ contains valuable oils which are lost during the normal brewing method.
Bloom is a quick bubbling up of carbon dioxide and coffee grounds that occurs when freshly roasted coffee is brewed. Giving your coffee a half minute to bloom, depending on how recently it was roasted, will enhance its flavors.
Driftaway Coffee
Pour the remaining water (about 190ml) into the Aeropress, then leave for two minutes for a rich, smooth cup of joe!
As you stir, keep the joint between the two sections in place to avoid any messy spills.
Step 5 – Flip & Plunge
After your filter has been wet, make sure to attach the filter cap to the chamber and screw it into place. Next, place your mug/vessel on top of the AeroPress.
Then, holding the mug with one hand and the AeroPress with the other hand, carefully flip both the mug and the AeroPress in one fluid motion. There’s not much risk of spilling because the top of the Aeropress creates a seal, ensuring there is no leaking.
Now, gently press down on the top of the plunger with consistent pressure until you hear air hiss.
Step 6 – Dilute
This method produces a thick, rich, and flavorful brew that is free of grit or sediment when properly plunged. Some people prefer it that way.
You can always add more hot water to dilute your cup and get a different flavor. This is especially helpful if the Aeropress brew was too strong for you!
I’d recommend adding one teaspoon at a time, tasting as needed to not end up with watery coffee.
After brewing, you may chill the concentrate in the fridge for iced coffee, or simply add hot water to make more servings right away.
FAQs
Does the Aeropress make real espresso?
Aeropress does not brew true espresso. Espresso is made using 9 bars of pressure from an espresso machine. In layman’s terms, that’s 640 pounds of pressure. The Aeropress, however, isn’t a true manual espresso maker, as it can only generate .35 to .75 bars of pressure (that’s 25-50 pounds of pressure). It is not feasible to create 640 pounds of pressure with an Aeropress.
Aeropress espresso is not as intense, or crema-topped as espresso, but it will still give you that caffeine buzz! It is rich, aromatic, delicious, balanced, and somewhat intense. It can be used to make faux-espresso drinks at home.
Why use the Aeropress inverted method?
For those who are looking to make the most of their coffee, AeroPress is a great choice. The standard brewing instructions will get you started but many people find themselves preferring an inverted method which involves starting with the brewer upside down and immersing it in water for as long as all grounds have absorbed some moisture.
The inverted Aeropress prevents the early dripping of coffee, allowing you to have more control over the brew time. You create a well-brewed and robust cup of Java by using this method.
Where is The Aeropress manufactured?
The AeroPress is made in the United States by AeroPress Inc, which was formed by Alan Adler, the inventor of the original AeroPress device.
Is the Aeropress plastic BPA safe?
Yes, it is BPA-safe.
Final Notes – Aeropress Brewing Guide
AeroPress is a really great brewing tool that can become your new favorite. Try playing around with your ratio, grind, and immersion time to find what works best for you. It all comes down to experimentation.
Happy Aeropressing!
Taimoor followed his passion to become a coffee connoisseur and now travels the world to visit the most popular coffee shops. His cupboard is also stocked with a collection of brewing gadgets. He loves to drink Death Wish Coffee’s dark roast and highly caffeinated coffee grounds when he needs a boost of energy.
