Aeropress

Background

Aerobie Aeropress is a syringe-like plastic device designed to brew coffee.  There are lots of different techniques you can use when brewing coffee with Aeropress, each of which will get you different results. We will focus on what’s called the inverted method and a similar brew ratio to that of pour-over coffee.

Step 1

Assemble the Aeropress like shown in the picture below – so that the numbers appear upside down. Don’t push the plunger deeper than 5mm, or you won’t have enough space for water.

Step 2

Fill the Aeropress with hot water to warm it up. Warming up all equipment is crucial to stabilize the temperature during brewing, which gives you much more control over how the brew turns out.

Step 3

Insert two paper filters in the filter cap. We always use two filters when brewing with Aeropress for better clarity of the drink.

Step 4

Screw the cap on the unit, turn it upside down, and plunge all the water in the vessel you will use for your coffee. This step will wash all the paper flavours out of the filters, and will also make them stick to the filter cap.

Step 5

Remove the cap, and re-assemble the Aeropress.

Step 6

Weigh out 15g of coffee, freshly ground to a table salt consistency. Tap the sides of the Aeropress to distribute the grounds and make an even bed of coffee.

Step 7

Now you’re ready to start brewing. Tare the scale to zero again, and start pouring the water into the centre of the bed of grounds until your scale reads 30 grams. Start your stopwatch as soon as you start pouring.

Step 8

Nudge the coffee with your stirring paddle, making sure all coffee grounds are saturated in the small amount of water.

Leave the coffee to pre-infuse for 30 seconds. You should see small air bubbles escaping from the coffee. This is the coffee de-gassing, enabling the water to yield the full potential of the coffee. This is an essential step that should never be rushed.

Step 9

When your stop-watch reads 30 seconds, pour the rest of the water in the Aeropress. You should end up with 250g showing on your scale. Your Aeropress will be almost full at this point, which is why it is important to assemble it properly, not pushing the plunger in too deep.

Step 10

Stir the coffee three times in the same direction. Screw the cap with filters back onto the unit to keep the heat trapped inside while brewing.

Step 11

Remove the unit from the scale, and place on a flat table surface. Slowly push the top part of the Aeropress down so that the plunger goes deeper inside the unit, pushing the air out through the filters. Make sure there is no air gap between the coffee and the filter cap. This is important to equalize the pressure in the unit when plunging the water through. Even pressure ensures you don’t over or under extract your coffee.

Step 12

Discard the water from your serving vessel, and place it upside down on the Aeropress.

Step 13

When your stopwatch reaches 1:40, flip the whole contraption around and plunge the coffee through the paper filters into the serving vessel. The plunge should take 20 seconds, making the total brew time 2 minutes.

Step 14

Before enjoying your coffee, make sure to wash the equipment for future uses. Remove the filter cap, and plunge the compressed coffee grounds in the trash. Wash the unit with hot soapy water and leave to dry.