If you’re looking for a method to make coffee that’s good for travel, quick, and ideal for a single serving; the AeroPress is exactly what you need! Being that it is just as forgiving as it is popular, here is all you need to know about the magic of AeroPress coffee.
Allan Adler invented the AeroPress in 2005 with his company Aerobie, which also made a popular frisbee (of all things) in the 1980s. He invented Aeropress coffee with the purpose of something that seems so simple now: single-serving coffee.
The scoop that comes with it tends to gather about 18-20 grams of coffee, making it just TOO easy to prep that one serving. Almost 15 years later, this is less of a problem with the machines on the market. Still, the AeroPress sets the standard for single serving coffee as it has helped to produce some of the best from the get-go.
The AeroPress Reputation
The AeroPress is so popular that there are actually brewing championships for it! Time to check the expiration date on that passport because the 2019 World AeroPress Championships (WAC) will be held on November 24th in London, England.
If you’re interested, contenders must first win local competitions in order to be eligible to compete in this international one. Eight minutes and one AeroPress to produce the best cup of coffee.
Check out 2017’s champion, Paulina Miczka, video on YouTube of her using an AeroPress with her winning recipe. You may notice hers is a bit different from the one that we will soon share with you, but that gives a look in to how versatile this product is.
World barista champion, Tim Windelboe, is a huge proponent for AeroPress coffee—owning one of the most respected coffee shops in the world in Oslo, Norway. The shop is named after himself, which you can only really do when you reach a status in the coffee world like he has. He has his own video of advice on using an AeroPress, which you can find on his YouTube channel, so it’s worth taking some notes from the best. Even though Windelboe has the ability to make some intense drinks, he still respects the simple-yet-delicious coffee from an AeroPress.
We’ve got a simple introductory method to the AeroPress coffee so easy to test out, that maybe you’ll even be inspired to compete one day!
View Related Aeropress Products Here
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Regular Brew with AeroPress
A regular brew with an AeroPress is a bit easier than the second option, that being inverted. One of the best parts is that the entire process takes only a couple minutes.
- Place the AeroPress bottom section over your cup and pour in hot water, which you can boil up in a kettle with a heat- resistant handle, and let it drain. This preheats and rinses the filter. Dump the water from this step once you are done with it.
- Place the bottom of the AeroPress on top of the mug that you plan on drinking out of.
- Grind a scoop of coffee. Do so a little finer than you would for drip coffee for the best results, but this is where the AeroPress is forgiving. Some professionals weigh the coffee, which you can learn about the importance of here, but you can simply use the spoon that comes with the AeroPress.
- Put that coffee in the rinsed out bottom section of the AeroPress.
- Pour about 200 grams of water in, which will be around the #4 on the AeroPress.
- Give it a quick stir, put the top plunger on to stop drainage.
- Wait a minute… literally.
- Plunge! This is similar to a French Press, except this time you’ll want to listen for a hissing sign that is a build is signal for you to stop.
- Dilute the brew with water to taste. Do this slowly as not to overdo it.
Drink up!
Inverted Brew with an AeroPress
The inverted brew with an AeroPress is a bit more challenging, but it allows you to personalize the coffee a bit more! We still think this method is worth noting, even if it is a bit more tedious. The total immersion that results from the upside down brewing gives potential for richer flavor. Grab a filter before attempting this style, which we adapted from The Moustache Coffee Club.
- Put the plunger facing up and the brewing chamber upside down on top of it.
- Rinse the filter.
- Adjust so that the stopper is at the #4 position.
- Add the coffee, then the water— just enough water to saturate the coffee.
- Stir and let it sit so that it blooms, about 20 seconds.
- Fill with remaining water to fill the AeroPress.
- Place your filter on top, and then the mug that you plan on having the coffee in.
- Now the rest of the steps are going to sound quite familiar. Time to flip and plunge!
- Dilute the brew to taste.
Once again, drink up!
What Else Is There to Know?
Take the time to adjust your ratio, grind, and immersion the first few times you make use your AeroPress. Give both the regular and inverted brew a try on top of that.
No matter what point you find yourself in life, needing a single brew or just wanting to try a new method, the AeroPress is worth considering.
Enjoy, we’ll brew ya later! ☕️
