Aeropress Brew Guide

Bean Shot Brew Guide: Aeropress 

Last weeks blog was on how to brew the perfect Cafetiere, so following on with the brew guides, this week focuses on how to make the perfect Aeropress coffee.  

If you haven't seen one before, an Aeropress looks like a giant plastic syringe. When compared to the elegant beaty of an Italian inspired Mokapot, or the sophisticated silhouette of the Cafetiere (French Press), you may conclude that the clumsy-looking Aeropress is a bit of an ugly duckling, but looks can be deceiving. The Aeropress is certainly a swan in the making and has even developed a bit of a cult following with coffee aficionados the world over with national and international Aeropress Championships taking place.

The basic process is as follows: You place the device over your cup, mix coffee and hot water in the brewing chamber, then plunge the coffee through a paper filter and into your cup. Extremely simple. The result is an easy, great tasting, filter style coffee. It really is hard to go wrong with the Aeropress but, as ever, with a little effort we can elevate the final product into something truly remarkable. Interested? Read on... but first, some history.

Our hero: Alan 

The Aeropress Journey started in 1984 with a company called Aerobie, inc. Alan Adler, a retired Stanford University engineering instructor originally founded the company to design and sell high performance sports toys. If those of you who were born in and around the 1980’s can cast your minds back, you may remember the 'Aerobie Pro flying ring'  which was used to set a Guiness World Record of the farthest thrown object in 1986. Pub quizzers, take note! 

In 2004 Alan, a coffee enthusiast and passionate home inventor, became interested in the coffee brewing process, setting himself a goal to reduce the bitterness in his morning brew and ultimately create ‘a superior cup of coffee’. In 2005, after many garage-made prototypes, the Aeropress Original was released. In 2017 the 'Aerobie sport toy' side of the business was sold and the company changed to AeroPress, Inc. and now focuses exclusively on the Aeropress. 

In the years that have passed since then, the Aeropress has gone though some subtle changes, including moving from the use of polycarbonate, to BPA-free co-polyester, then finally in 2014 to polypropylene. Recent innovations and post Alan selling a majority stake in the business, include the Aeropress Go which is a smaller travel version, an XL version, because having loads of Bloody Good Coffee really does matter! And the rather fetching 2023 update, the ‘Clear’, which is … clear – obviously ! – and made with ‘crystal clear, shatterproof Tritan™’. However, throughout the design evolution, the brewing method has remained exactly the same.  

The Aeropress is now sold in over 80 countries (obviously available online and in our Sherborne store) and has inspired the World Aeropress Championship, a fan-driven competition with entrants from over 60 countries competing to make ’The Best’ Aeropress coffee. How this isn’t trending on Netflix is anyone’s guess... 

How to: 

Part of the beauty of the Aeropress (and what probably inspired the Aeropress championships) is the cost (it’s a relatively cheap speciality coffee brewing method), the fact it’s plastic (so can be chucked in a bag, used on bar and thrown at instant coffee drinkers without the fear of it breaking), and the many different variables you can easily change to create different recipes. You only have to look online with a search of ‘Aeropress Recipe’, to be inundated with many weird, wonderful and interesting recipes to try. One of the most popular methods is the ‘inverted’ method, where the device is placed upside down before adding the coffee and hot water. This allows coffee and water to steep without coffee starting to drip through the filter. When it’s flipped it also adds one last agitation to the coffee and water, effectively, adding another stir. 

Deeper searches also show that cold brew can also be made in the Aeropress, either by using cold water and coffee or brewing with hot water and plunging into ice…. As you can start to see, the possibilities for brewing with an Aeropress are endless, and it's a great way to have some fun with coffee whilst creating some incredibly tasty drinks.  

Below is the recipe we use when brewing at home or in the shop. It’s simple, quick and creates a great cup of coffee! 

Coffee - 18g - Aeropress grind (slightly finer than filter) 

Water - 240g - Just off boil (95-98 degrees) 

Method - Inverted - See picture

Step 1. 

Grab your Digital Scales (the same ones from the cafetiere method... see, told you these were handy) and place your Aeropress on the scales in the inverted position, tare the scales. 

Step 2. 

Place a filter into the filter cap and rinse with hot water. Once it’s rinsed, don’t attempt to move the filter paper. 

Step 3. 

Add 18g of AeroPress grind coffee (slightly finer than regular filter grind) into the Aeropress brew chamber, tare the scales. 

Step 4. 

Pour the just off boiling water into the brewing chamber over the coffee up to 240g, (this will be quite near the top and makes the Aeropress quite top heavy, so please be careful). Start a timer. 

Step 5. 

Holding the Aeropress, stir the brew chamber with the stirring paddle for 1 minute in back and forth and a side to side motion. Stirring in a circle will create a mound of coffee in the middle and will cause an uneven extraction when plunging. 

Step 6. 

At 1 minute, remove the stirrer and attach the filter cap and filter. With the Aeropress off the scales but still inverted on the bench, gently and slowly pull the top brew chamber down until you start to see bubbles appear on the filter cap. 

Step 7. 

Carefully (I can’t stress ‘Carefully’ enough here) flip your Aeropress onto your mug and start ‘plunging’ the Aeropress. Don’t force the plunger too much, it will move at its own pace, and make sure you push directly down and not at an angle… the coffee cup can slip if you aren’t straight with your plunging and can send the cup and the coffee everywhere.... trust me! 

Step 8. 

When the plunger is fully pressed and you hear a gentle hiss, the extraction is complete, remove your Aeropress. 

Step 9. 

The best bit, enjoy your coffee! 

This is by no means the only recipe you should use. If you have an Aeropress. Experiment, have some fun, try something new, use more coffee or less water, try a different steep time, try pouring the water in 2 parts, try adding an ice cube….. My only advice is to write down your recipes (remember from the previous blog about recipes?!), the last thing you want is to create the World Aeropress Championship winning recipe, only to not be able to remember it! 

One last question for you to ponder whilst preparing your next Aeropress brew: 

Metal or Paper Filters?

If you are looking to experiment further, you might consider trying out different types of filters. At our Sherborne store or online, we offer both paper and metal filters, as each has its unique characteristics. 

• Paper Filters: These are the traditional filters used with the AeroPress. They are disposable and provide a very clean cup of coffee by filtering out most of the oils and fine coffee particles. This results in a smooth and lighter-bodied coffee that tastes delicate and fresh. 

• Metal Filters: These are reusable and environmentally friendly. Unlike paper filters, metal filters allow more oils and fine coffee particles to pass through. This can create a fuller-bodied coffee with more robust flavours. Some coffee enthusiasts prefer the taste that metal filters provide, as it can add complexity and richness to the brew.  (just remember to remove the metal filter before getting rid of your coffee grinds, I’ve sent many a metal filter to the brew bar in the sky!) 

Experimenting with different filters can be a fun way to explore various flavours and textures when drinking your coffee. Feel free to ask us for our personal recommendations or guidance on using either of these filters. 

Do you have an AeroPress? What method do you use? What Recipe do you think tastes best? Comment below, share your recipes, but most importantly of all, enjoy your coffee!