Being invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the AeroPress has made a large impact on the world of coffee. This small coffee brewing device soars high in the ranks amongst the French press when it comes to making amazing coffee with ease.
We love the AeroPress as it produces a good clean grind free cup and allows much control over the extraction and is easily portable.
But what exactly is this AeroPress? To describe it the best that I can, it is like a distant cousin of the French press, as far as the plunging action used to separate the coffee from the grounds goes.
Essentially, one cylinder with a rubber airtight fitting slides into a slightly larger cylinder that holds a filter. After the coffee has finished brewing, the smaller cylinder is pressed deeper into the larger one, forcing the coffee through the filter and into the cup.
To use an AeroPress, use a kettle to heat up about a half cup of clean and fresh water. During the time it takes the water to hit 200 degrees Fahrenheit, assemble the AeroPress by inserting the bottom portion into the top about a quarter inch. Then, use the provided black scoop to measure out one scoop worth of your favorite coffee, and grind it in the “fine” threshold of your grinder. One of the amazing things about the AeroPress, is that you can really use any kind of coffee grind size you like. Keep in mind though, that the more coarse the coffee is ground, the longer of a steeping time the coffee will need to properly develop its flavor.
In this recipe, we will be using the “inverted” AeroPress method, which prevents coffee from dripping past the filter, and is preferred by professional baristas.
- For this method, simply place the AeroPress to where the numbers on the side are upside down, which will cause the filter portion to be pointing upwards.
- By now, the water should be at the optimal temperature, and ready to pour.
- Simply pour the water to around where the “1” marking would be, give it a couple swirls to incorporate and saturate all the coffee grounds, and then pour in the rest of the water until the “2” is met.
- Start a timer for 30 seconds up to a minute depending on how fine or coarse the coffee is.
- After the time has passed, place the AeroPress over a sturdy preheated mug, and then apply even pressure on the plunger portion, taking around 20 seconds or so to completely push the coffee through the filter.
This will produce a strong and dark cup of coffee, that can be diluted with water until the desired taste is met. Cream can also be added without diluting the coffee, which is great for people who like the flavor of the coffee, but don’t want the strength that some roasts provide.
Overall, the AeroPress is extremely versatile, seeing how just about any grind size will work perfectly with it. It is also self cleaning for the most part, as the rubber plunger bit is so secure inside, that is completely pushes out all of the oils, coffee grounds, as well as coffee, out of the main cylinder.
The only downside of an AeroPress, is that it is more or less made to make a small amount of coffee, typically only one or two cups.