Overall, I’m going to say the Aeropress is an accessible brewer, even for beginners, and it offers a full bodied flavor that brings out the rich flavors of a coffee bean. As someone who travels and camps I appreciate how easy it is to pack, clean, and brew great cups of coffee.
SIMPLE HOW-TO: Traditional Method
An every-time disclaimer: Be sure to pour the proper ratio of water to coffee grinds. For example, if using a 1:15 ratio, 20 grams of coffee would require 300 grams of water to be brewed properly. You may prefer a different ratio, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Generally, 1:15 up to 1:18 are the preferred coffee-to-water ratios to produce enjoyable cups of coffee.
For best results, grind whole beans with a burr grinder immediately before brewing.*
Grind coffee medium-fine.
Add round filter to grate and screw onto cylinder. Add grinds.
Pour in enough hot water to just cover the grinds, stir, and let sit for 30 seconds. I use a six rotations of the paddle system.
Add remaining hot water. Put plunger in the top of the cylinder creating a seal. Let coffee brew for 2 minutes.
Gently press down on plunger pushing coffee into your mug.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Aeropress is an immersion coffee brewing device meaning that the grinds are submerged or immersed in the water during the flavor extraction.
It has a unique history. It was invented by Alan Adler, a professor of engineering at Stanford. He also invented the aerobie, the flying disc with the hole cut out of it you might see thrown around on the quad at a college campus.
It is popular for those who are drinking their coffee outdoors due to the speedy brewing recipes, the lightweight and durable design, and because it is easy to clean.
There are two popular methods to using the Aeropress:
The Traditional Method is recommended by Aeropress.
The Inverted Method has been popularized by users and subsequently adoped by Aeropress to prevent any dripping during the brew process. It’s literally the same process, just upside-down.
Recipes can be found with tighter water to coffee ratios when attempting to brew a more espresso-like coffee. We generally recommend a range of 1 gram coffee grind to 15-17 grams of water (1:15 - 1:17), but some Aeropress recipes call for as tight as a 1:10 ratio.
The Aeropress and the smaller more travel friendly version the Aeropress Go are moderately affordable coffee brewers at $35-40. The round filters are cheap. I bought a pack of 350 filters for only $8.
WARNING: Grind size is especially important. If using a finer grind, be careful when pressing down on the press. That’s hot, hot, hot water in that tube!
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E6: Coffee Smarter - Aeropress Brewer