The AeroPress is a portable coffee maker, it was invented by Alan Adler an engineering instructor at Stanford. The AeroPress was designed to brew a superior cup of coffee, and it sure delivers. Since its debut in 2005, it has garnered a worldwide reputation with coffee lovers, nowadays, the AeroPress can be found anywhere. Every year AeroPress hosts the World AeroPress Championship with dozens of countries participating.
The Aeropress works like a French Press by steeping the coffee and the water together in the brewing chamber, when the coffee is done brewing, pressure is applied downwards and the coffee flows through a paper filter into your cup.
AeroPress sells biodegradable and compostable paper filters, but reusable filters like the Able Disk are readily available.
I was first introduced to the AeroPress several years ago at Peixoto, one of my favorite coffee shops in Phoenix, AZ. I was both intrigued by the simplicity and ingenuity of the design and delighted with the result in the cup, soon after, I bought my own and have been a fan ever since. I would not like to compare the AeroPress versus other extraction methods because I love coffee in every way, but I will agree that the best way to experience a truly magical single origin coffee is either pour over or AeroPress.
AeroPress Instructions
As mentioned before, we use our AeroPress to make something closer to a pour over, this makes factors such as the coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, and the brew time crucial as different combinations will directly affect the result in the cup.
There are two methods to use the AeroPress, the traditional method and the inverted method. I am partial to the traditional method as I rather not risk a spill while turning my AeroPress upside down.
To get started, place the filter and lock the cap in place, run a stream of hot water through the filter to rinse it. Grind 14g of coffee fine/medium grind, a little less coarse than for a pour over.
Place the freshly ground coffee in the brewing chamber and add your boiling water (we pour about 220g of water).
Stir with the flat plastic spoon, insert the plunger and pull it back enough to create a vacuum so your coffee does not drip into the cup. Let it steep for one minute then press down firmly until all the liquid passes through the filter. Remove the cap, discard the spent coffee puck, and enjoy your coffee.
The inverted method pretty much works the same but the ground coffee, the hot water, and the brewing are done with the AeroPress upside down, after the brewing period, lock the cap in with a wet filter, flip the AeroPress over and push the coffee into your cup.
AeroPress is one of our favorite extraction methods and the invention of accessories such as the Puck Puck which turns yours AeroPress into a cold drip brewer and AeroPress' newest release, the AeroPress Go will continue to cement its place in every coffee lover’s lineup.
