From humble beginnings, the Aerobie Aeropress has gone from being one of those weird coffee gadgets you used to see in those back alley coffee dens in Melbourne to one of the most distinctive pour over coffee makers on the market.
It has become such an icon in the coffee world that there is an annual World Aeropress Championship dedicated to finding the ultimate recipe.
The Aerobie AeroPress is developing a cult following among many caffeine addicts who have raised this handheld espresso maker to rock-star fame. Coffee connoisseurs & worldly barista types discuss how they achieve the perfect brew with this innovative gadget (they've even made an unofficial timer app!)
Easy to use, the AeroPress is a three piece device consisting of two cylinders, which fit snugly into each other flanged at one end. The plunger being the smaller of the two and has a rubber piece at the non-flanged end that forms a water tight seal when inserted into the brewing chamber (the larger of the 2 cylinders). The third piece is the perforated filter holder that is approximately one centimetre deep. A filter is placed inside and locked into the brewing chamber with a turn of the wrist.
So now you know the basics, let's get you brewing!
How do you make a good cup of coffee with an aeropress?
MAKING AN AEROPRESS COFFEE - INVERTED METHOD
What you'll need for the perfect cup
- AeroPress
Coffee Maker - AeroPress Filter
- Two to 3 Tablespoons (15 grams) of Craft Coffee Beans
- 240ml water, and additional for rinsing
- Kettle - See our pour over
kettles. - Stirring utensil
- Timer (often built in to scales)
- Mug
- Burr grinder (recommended)
-
Coffee Scales
(recommended)
Prior to Brewing
Ensure sure your AeroPress is clean and absolutely dry before using, or you may find the plunger tip may not form the perfect seal inside the chamber.
To achieve optimum results, it is recommended starting with whole bean coffee and grinding with a burr grinder just prior to brewing. Be aware of grinding the coffee too soon, as it may quickly lose many of the attributes that give it such a wonderful aroma and flavour.
Using a scale alleviates the guesswork and really makes brewing easier, by eliminating any variables that could result in a poor brew.
Selecting Your Grind Coarseness
The grind coarseness is extremely important for all coffee types
Aeropress grind is in-between espresso (Fine) and French press (Coarse) slightly closer to French press.
Adjusting your settings on your hand grinder to perfect your grind may take time however the results will be a smooth, rich and pure coffee.
Steps to Success
One
Heat the water to 100 degrees, bringing it to the boil and then letting it sit for 60 seconds usually works well.
Two
Put the filter in the cap and rinse both with hot water for 5 seconds. Doing this helps seal the filter inside the cap and also eliminates of any paper taste. Empty the rinsing water.
Three
Weigh the whole bean coffee and grind it on a finer setting than medium. If you choose to use pre-ground coffee, omit this step and go to Step four.
Four
Fit together your AeroPress in the “inverted” position with the cap off. This will help keep the coffee from leaking through the filter before it’s ready. Gently shake your ground coffee in the AeroPress chamber to settle the grounds.
Five
Time: 0:00-0:45
Activate the timer and pour half the water (120grams) evenly over the grounds. To make it Bloom, let it sit until 45 seconds on the timer has expired. This forces the hot water to enable the coffee to release trapped gases, expanding the coffee bed, causing it to bubble on top, and sending out magnificent aromas for your enjoyment.
Six
Time 0:45 – 1:00
When your scale reaches 240 grams, pack the AeroPress with the coffee,
Seven
Time 1:00 – 1:30
5 Seconds gentle stirring time should be enough so you can securely attach the cap (with filter) to the top of the chamber.
Eight
Time 1:30 – 1:40
When the timer reads 1:30, flip the entire AeroPess over with care and place it on top of your mug. If you are brewing for the first time, it is advised to practice this flipping motion with water inside the chamber to get the “hang” of it without spilling any of the precious drop. You will quickly discover a smooth quick action that feels right for you.
Nine
Time 1:40 – 2:00
For 20 seconds, press the plunger down gently and steadily, then you will hear a hissing sound – which is the air escaping from the chamber. Remove the cap and discard the grounds and filter.
Ten - Clean up
It is simple to clean the AeroPress and the disk and takes just a few seconds. Remove the cap and the disk, push out the spent grounds by pressing the plunger all the way in, then rinse off the disk. Check the disk up to a light source after rinsing to make sure that there are no grounds still inside it. If there are, you can use a soft bristled brush to remove them. The brewing chamber has already been cleaned by the plunger, the only thing to do is rinse the coffee off the end, wipe it with a clean dry towel and you're finished!
LEARN FROM THE BEST - WORLD AEROPRESS CHAMPIONSHIPS RECIPE
Every year since 2008 the world's best Aeropressers descend on the host city for the World AeroPress Championships. Here are some of the best recipes from years gone by.
The 2015 World AeroPress Champion: Lukas Zahradnik
Lukas' AeroPress recipe is a stellar brew. He uses fairly cool water meaning you can drink your coffee as soon as it's done. It makes almost the maximum capacity of the brewer producing 220ml of coffee. 20g coffee, 79℃, 220ml bottled water, medium filter grind, 1.40 brew time, inverted AeroPress method Start by rinsing your filter paper as thoroughly as possible in warm water. Bloom using 60ml of water for 30 seconds. Swirl the Aeropress to mix the water and the ground coffee together. following the 30 second bloom, promptly pour the remaining water in to reach 220ml. Once all the water has been added to the Aeropress attach the filter and press. To achieve best results you should time yourself as the whole process should take 1 minute and 40 seconds. Serve immediately after brewing is complete.
1st place 2014 : Shuichi Sasaki
16.5g coffee, 78℃, 250cc soft mineral water, EK43 grind at 9.5
Rinse normal paper filter, in standard position.
40g of blooming water for 25 seconds, stir 5 times.
Add 210g of water, stir once.
Press very slowly for 75 seconds.
Leave 45g.
2nd place : Martin Karabinos
18.5g coffee, 92℃, 215g water, EK43 grind at 6.2
Aeropress in regular position
80g of water at 35C for 3 minutes, stir well and close aeropress.
135g of water at 92C, stir once and push slowly for 30 seconds.