AeroPress is a popular coffee maker that brews some of the best coffee on the planet. It is revered by baristas and novices alike.
Here you’ll find common questions and AeroPress tips to correct rookie mistakes.
Aeropress Tips & the Learning Curve
The Aeropress has a pretty straightforward brewing procedure. If you haven’t used an Aeropress before then skip this section. This section offers some AeroPress tips if you’re making mistakes.
I must admit though, at first I made messes and was confused about all the parts. Here are things I’ve learned about the Aeropress over time.
Common AeroPress Questions
What do you do with the 2 extra parts?
One piece is used for pouring in the coffee grounds and not spilling. The other is the base.
You can use the bottom piece if the mouth of the cup is too wide.
Put the funnel in the cup with the wide side up, put the Aeropress on top of it, and press.
Should you stir the bloom?
Yes. I give a quick stir and it speeds up the process to get the strength of coffee you desire faster.
How long should I let the coffee bloom in the AeroPress?
Technically you don’t need to bloom coffee while brewing in full saturation methods (ie. French press, Aeropress, etc.).
The Aeropress naturally hydrates all the grounds evenly with a quick stir since there is an excess of water. Therefore, it matters less (if at all), so I do a single full pour.
Why doesn't the cap twist shut sometimes?
There are coffee grounds preventing you from twisting the AeroPress cap shut. You can try blowing them off if you don’t have a narrow brush.
Do I really need to change the filter every time?
No. I use it till it looks a little off center, not covering the holes completely.
You can eyeball it and tell when the filter is falling apart and know it’s time to change it.
Which method is better? Regular or Inverted?
The method you choose is a preference. The winners at the World AeroPress Championship (yes, it’s a thing) used them both over the years.
I use the inverted method, which is somewhat more enjoyable and faster than the upright method to me. I feel like the coffee is in contact more with the water and I don’t bloom. Pushing the plunger takes 30 seconds.
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Aeropress Inverted Method: How to Make the Perfect Cup
- Set your water temperature at 185 F°.
- Wet your filter paper and grind your coffee between 4-8. Medium coarseness
- Pour 100g of water for 15-30 seconds (halfway full or up to the number 2)
- Stir lightly for a few seconds. Just enough to make sure grounds aren’t stuck to the bottom of the plunger on the bottom.
- Fill the rest of the chamber up with water
- Screw the filter cap on and flip the AeroPress
- Press plunger slowly for 30 seconds
Explanation of AeroPress Recipe
Using the Aeropress is both fun and rewarding. Fun because you’re actually doing something & experimenting. Rewarding because it’s hands down the best tasting coffee. It’s also our favorite portable coffee maker.
A useful Aeropress tip a barista once gave me was to use the inverted method. The Aeropress is more commonly made with the filter facing down straight into the cup.
4 out of the last 6 winners of the AeroPress championship have used the inversion method. You’re guaranteed not to lose any coffee into your mug before you establish neutral air pressure with the plunger. Like the french press, you’re getting full emersion.
When you use the Aeropress the normal way, with the filter pointing down, water leaks through as you start to fill it with water. Whereas, when you add water in the inverted manner, you won’t get any leakage. The coffee steeps on top of the plunger. This allows you to extract a stronger cup coffee flavor.
First off, turn on your kettle. It’s fine if you can’t set the temperature on it. Boil it and let it sit for 20 seconds. Boiling water tends to kill off the flavor. That’s why it’s recommended that you brew coffee with 195-205 Fahrenheit water. That being said, have fun and experiment.
Next pull the plunger all the way out. Then put it back in about half an inch. This way you’ve got a nice seal. You don’t want it too close to the edge or you’ll suffer the possibility of spilling. The reward – risk factor isn’t worth it. Also, you can add hot water at the end.
Start with some fresh ground beans. It’s best to grind them coarsely. Set your grinder anywhere between 5 and 8.
What is the funnel that came with the AeroPress for?
The funnel that comes with the Aeropress can be used for several things:
If your coffee mug is larger than the circumference of the Aeropress then allows it to sit on top.
Another reason is while pressing down, sometimes the coffee drips out the sides. The filter prevents spillage in this case.
If you’ve got a grinder that shoots coffee grounds everywhere then the Aeropress funnel puts a stop to that too.
Now with the coarse grounds on the plunger you can add water slowly. Fill it to the 2 mark. I like to let the water run down the sides as to not agitate the coffee grounds as much. You can also rotate the Aeropress while pouring. This gets all the grounds soaked evenly.
With the wide stirrer that comes with your Aeropress, gently stir the coffee. Remember, when you agitate the coffee grounds too much it releases the bitterness into the coffee.
Some people let it bloom, but I never noticed a difference since the coffee is completely submerged in water.
Once all the grounds are soaked, I like to pour the rest of the water on the wide stirrer. This cleans it and goes back in the coffee where it will be caught in the fine paper.
Speaking about the paper. Some people like to wet it before applying. I do this too, not because of the paper taste (I never notice a difference) but because it helps stick the paper. When you go to screw on the filter it may come dislodged. Not a big deal, but it’s one less thing to worry about.
There are stainless steel filters available. However, most of them leave sediments in the cup. Others complain that it’s a pain to fit the filter. That being said, I prefer the papers.
Now it depends on many factors on how long you should steep the coffee before starting to press. If you would like a very strong cup: steep longer. If you are in a hurry (or impatient like me) then flip it over immediately and start to press.
I find that flipping it over and immediately pressing very slowly get me a great cup. If I am making for 2 people and I want to add water later then I let it steep for 2-3 minutes.
How hard should you press down on the Aeropress plunger?
Put 2 hands on it and let gravity do it’s thing. Should take anywhere from 30-45 seconds until you hear the hiss of air. Pull up a little and press back down to push out the remaining drops.
Reward yourself by enjoying the smoothest cup of coffee you’ve ever made.
No matter what you’re using the portable coffee maker for, we have one on the list that will suit your needs.
2018 World AeroPress Championship Recipe
Winner: Carolina Garay, USA
Brewer position: Inverted
Filter type: Paper filter
Filter prep: Rinsed with hot water
Coffee weight: 34.9g
Grinder: Mahlkonig EK43S
Grind size: [fine] 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [coarse]
Water weight: 200g
Type of water: Filtered water by Brita
Temperature: 85℃ (185 F)
- Set your water temperature at 85℃.
- Prepare your filter paper and grind your coffee.
- Pour 100g of water for 30 sec.
- Stir vigorously but carefully with wooden pair of chopsticks for 30 sec.
- Put the filter cap on, flip the AeroPress and press into a glass server for 30 sec.
- Do not preheat your serving vessel.
- Top up your brew with 60g of 85℃ water and 40g of room temperature water.
You may notice in this recipe that the coffee is made at a cooler temperature after room temperature water is added. This is because you can taste the flavors more when the coffee is at lower temperature.
Conclusion
The AeroPress is a great portable coffee maker and a wonderful way to show someone the true flavor of coffee. With these AeroPress Tips your coffee should come out the way much better.
This recipe is standard, so experiment yourself to find out which method is best for you.
