AeroPress Brewing Techniques, Tips & Recipes, are you doing it right?

The AeroPress may be one of the newer brewing methods on the coffee block, but it’s becoming more common these days. Easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to begin experimenting with, it’s become a firm favourite of many. What’s more, it’s lightweight, portable, durable. The AeroPress is loved by people who make coffee on the go. Whether hiking, sailing, or even flying a hot air balloon, it offers good coffee quickly. And a lot cheaper than an espresso machine!

You can expect a full-bodied brew from this device, but there’s plenty of room for experimentation. Since the AeroPress is easy for beginners, it’s also the only brewing device to have its own world championship (other than the espresso machine, of course).

Let’s now take a look at the two popular ways to make an AeroPress: inverted and traditional.

Inverted Method:

1. Put the plunger upside down on the counter, and then take the AeroPress “tube” and push it over the plunger seal. You want it to sit about 1 cm down the plunger.
2. Place freshly ground coffee inside the tube so that it sits on the plunger seal. Depending on your preferences, you can use anything from fine to medium coarseness.
3. Add your water and allow the coffee to bloom.
4. Add the remaining water in one go and then agitate (optional, but recommended).
5. When you are ready, add the filter cap and rinsed filter paper to the top, flip the AeroPress over onto your cup, and press.

Traditional Method:

1. Add your filter cap and rinsed filter paper to the AeroPress “tube”, and then put this on top of your cup.
2. Add freshly ground coffee. Depending on your preferences, you can use anything from fine to medium coarseness.
3. Add your water and allow the coffee to bloom.
4. Add the remaining water in one go.
5. Stir.
6. Insert the plunger by about 1 cm, and then pull it up to create suction (this will prevent water from dripping through).
7. When you’re ready, plunge.

We would also like to share three great but different coffee recipes which have been tested and served in well-known coffee shops, and perhaps you can give them a go at home?

Aeropress Recipe No.1

“With the AeroPress, you can control different variables” 

Credit: Gregory’s Coffee

Dose: 15g | Water: 8oz/227g

Brew time: 2 minutes | Method: Inverted

1. Preheat the AeroPress, put a paper filter in the the lid, and gather a water kettle, a stirring stick, and a vessel to press the coffee into.
2. Grind your coffee at a medium/medium-fine grind (while this can be hard to pin down, think slightly finer than what you’d do for drip or a pourover).
3. Set up the AeroPress and, using the plastic funnel that comes with the AeroPress, pour the grinds into the fully extended AeroPress chamber.
4. Invert your AeroPress, so that the plunger is on the bottom and the chamber on top. If you’re using a scale, make sure to tare to 0. (If you don’t have a scale, just make sure your AeroPress is extended below the no. 4 circle, before you begin to pour your water.) The capacity of the chamber is around 8oz/227g, minus the volume of the coffee grinds.
5. Heat your water to 200°F (just under boiling), and pour around half of it into the AeroPress. Start your timer as soon as the water hits the coffee.
6. Stir your coffee about three times, making sure all of the grinds are saturated with water, and the crust at the top of the brew has been broken.
7. Pour the rest of your water. Stir again, in the same way as before.
8. As quickly as possible, twist the cap onto the AeroPress.
9. Pre-heat/rinse your plastic funnel (the same one you used to dose the grinds), since you’ll use this to press the coffee into the vessel.
10. When your timer has reached 1 minute 27 seconds, flip the AeroPress onto the plastic funnel and press it into the designated vessel. Press with a consistent pressure, and try to do it in exactly 30 seconds – making your total brew time 2 minutes.
11. Enjoy!

Aeropress Recipe No.2

“Inverted or traditional, you can experiment with the AeroPress”

Credit: Ritual Coffee Roasters

Dose: 16g | Water: 225g

Brew time: 1:25-1:30 minutes | Method: Non-inverted/traditional

1. Pre-wet the filter.
2. Set up the AeroPress, and put the coffee in the chamber.
3. Add 255g of water just off the boil.
4. Use a stirrer to slowly paddle forwards and backwards, left and right.
5. Insert the plunger into the chamber, pushing it in slightly before slowly lifting it up to create a vacuum seal (note: don’t actually take out the plunger when lifting it up).
6. Take the AeroPress off the scale.
7. At one minute, plunge for 25 seconds.
8. Enjoy!

Aeropress Recipe No.3

“An AeroPress can be used on the go as well as in a café“

Credit: Pilot Coffee Roasters

Dose: 12.5g, ground slightly finer than you would for drip

Water: 200g (1:16 ratio)

Brew time: Approx. 3:30 minutes | Method: Inverted

1. Insert the plunger marginally inside the AeroPress chamber, and then the AeroPress so that it’s upside down.
2. Put the coffee inside the chamber so that it sits on the plunger.
3. Add 20g of water, pre-infuse it, and stir for 3 seconds.
4. Add the remaining water and wait for 3:30 mins.
5. Plunge, and enjoy!

Now you have seen our recommended 3 great Aeropress Recipes, do you have your own favourite one? Can you share your recipe with us?

Don’t forget we offer a large range of coffee brewing gears and coffee beans, as well as everything in between, please do check out our website. If you are looking for an assistant, please complete the contact form on our site, call us on 01 911 9911, or e-mail us at customerservice@coffeeclick.ie. Our coffee experts are always happy to help.