AeroPress Coffee | Alternative Brewing Guide

What is an AeroPress?

The AeroPress is the one-of-a-kind brainchild of engineering instructor, scientist and inventor, Alan Adler. He also invented the Aerobie, a flying disc that holds the Guinness world record for the farthest throw - 1,333 feet, in case you were wondering. 

After experimenting with a few prototypes (40 to be exact), Adler developed the AeroPress : an inexpensive and lightweight hand press to brew the perfect coffee wherever you may roam!

The final design was patented in 2005 and combines two separate brewing methods into this one compact super-brewing device. The coffee is brewed with water the same as it would be in a French Press, however, the pump - called a ‘piston’ - is used to extract the brew by pushing it through a paper filter. This combination creates a unique and delicious cup of coffee that falls somewhere between an espresso and traditional paper filter brew.

The coordination of the grind size, brew time, temperature and amount of water used are extremely important in the AeroPress , and can greatly affect the flavour of your brew. For the best brew to suit your taste, begin by deciding if you prefer a stronger or lighter coffee and adjust your ratios accordingly.

The AeroPress is the perfect coffee companion at home, in the office, away camping, off travelling, for picnics, or make an Espresso Martini to impress your friends at fancy parties. It’s extremely easy to use and even quicker to clean, so you can enjoy a low acidity, rich-flavoured coffee with no fuss and no muss. In fact, this product has become so popular around the world there is now an AeroPress World Championship and each year the organizers publish the top three recipes from the competition (www.worldaeropresschampionship.com).

How to Make AeroPress Coffee (Inverted Method)

See our instructional video below for how to brew incredible AeroPress coffee using the inverted method!

What You Need:

• -AeroPress Coffee Maker
• -AeroPress Paper or Metal Filter
• -Coffee - Ground for AeroPress or medium grind
• -Grinder (Optional)
• -Filtered Water
• -Kettle
• -Scales
• -Timer
• -Decanter/Mug

Brew Time:

2 to 3 minutes

AeroPress Brewing Ratio:

We recommend a 1:10 coffee to water ratio for the AeroPress. For the following recipe, we will be using 20g coffee to 200mL of water and will be brewing with the inverted method.

Step 1: Start boiling your kettle and stop just off boiling point or if you have a Temperature Setting Kettle, set the temperature to somewhere between 87-94◦C (if you find your brew is too bitter, try a lower temperature). While the kettle is boiling, put your AeroPress together, placing the piston seal just inside the brewing chamber and set it on the piston end (see image below) – this is called the inverted method.

Step 2: Grind your coffee to a medium level or just a bit finer than paper filter.

Step 3: Place the filter into the AeroPress cap. If you’re using a paper filter, wet it with hot water to get rid of any paper flavour and to help the filter stick to the cap.

Step 4: Place the freshly ground coffee into the AeroPress, place it on the scales and tare off - the scales should read ‘0.00g’with all equipment and coffee. This will allow you to measure only the water. (PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t have scales you can use the numbers on the side as a cup guide.)

Step 5: Pour 40mL of water in and let the coffee bloom for 20-30 seconds. You will recognize the bloom by the bubbles on the surface, which is the coffee releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) gas.

Step 6: Once you have let the coffee bloom, pour the remaining 160mL of water over the coffee and gently stir, making sure the grind is completely saturated for a more even extraction.

Step 7: Screw the AeroPress cap back on tight, so that no water or grind will escape, and let the coffee sit for 1-2 minutes.

Step 8: For the next step you will need to be careful, as the AeroPress will be very hot. Flip the AeroPress over and onto your cup, or, place your cup upside down on the AeroPress before you flip; please make sure you are holding tightly onto both items and handle with care.

Step 9: Now, gently press and apply pressure to the top of the piston and make sure you stop as soon as you hear a hissing sound. Don’t rush this part, as you want a well-paced extraction. Enjoy your coffee black or with a dash of cold water or milk!

Step 10: To clean, simply remove the cap and place filter and grinds in the bin or compost (filters are biodegradable). Rinse equipment with hot soapy water and air dry.