The Aeropress is a rather unusual coffee maker, but I have yet to meet someone who has one and does not love using it. It was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the inventor of the Aerobie throwing ring – hence its name. It is a cheap, durable and very portable brewer that many coffee professionals take with them when they travel around the world. In addition, this brewer is very easy to clean.
The interesting thing about the Aeropress is that it combines two different brewing methods. Initially the water and coffee steep together, as they would in a French press. However, to complete the brew, a piston is used to push the water through the grounds and then through a paper filter – a little like an espresso machine and a little like a filter coffee maker.
Compared with other brewers, the number of different recipes and techniques that can be used with the Aeropress is enormous. There is even a competition each year for the best technique, which started in Norway but has ended up growing into an international event dubbed the World Aeropress Championships. Each year the organizers publish the top three methods from the competition on their website (www.worldaeropresschampionship.com), which should give you an idea of how variable these machines can be.
I would, however, argue against any claims that the Aeropress can be used to produce espresso or anything like it. It can make small, strong cups of coffee, but a person pushing down on a plunger simply cannot replicate the very high pressures used in an espresso machine.
The two main methods of using this machine are described at Traditional Aeropress Method and Inverted Aeropress Method.
RATIO AND GRIND SIZE
The relationship between grind size, brew time and the amount of brewing water used is incredibly important here. For best results with an Aeropress, you should first decide what kind of cup of coffee you want to drink.
• If you want to brew something short and strong, I suggest starting with a ratio of 100g/l. If you want to brew a little quicker then you will need to grind relatively fine. You can use a coarser grind if you choose but you will need to extend the brewing time for best results. • If you want something closer to a regular cup of coffee, I suggest using a ratio of 75g/l. This is the same ratio as that recommended for the French press because this is also an immersion brewing method. Again, you can match your brewing time to your grind size.
The Aeropress is like a hand-operated cross between an espresso machine and a filter coffee maker: a piston is used to push water through the grounds and then through a paper filter.
TRADITIONAL AEROPRESS METHOD
This method will allow you to brew slightly more coffee than the inverted method described below. It is also a little less fussy and there is less potential for mess in the kitchen.
Because there are so many factors at play, it is tempting to adjust many variables at once. Pushing harder will speed up the brew but also extract a little more from the coffee; extending the steep time will also extract more, as will grinding the coffee on a finer setting. However, it is always best to change only one thing at a time, and more experimentation simply means more opportunities to drink interesting cups of coffee.
1 Grind the coffee just before you start brewing. Be sure to weigh the coffee first. 2 Put a filter paper into the filter holder and lock into the body of the brewer. 3 Run some hot water through to heat the brewer and rinse the paper. 4 Place a mug on your digital scales, put the main part of the brewer on top and add the coffee. A
5 Boil a kettle of fresh water with a low mineral content, suitable for brewing coffee. 6 Wait ten to twenty seconds after the kettle has boiled, turn on the scales, then add the desired amount of water to the Aeropress (for example, for 15g of coffee I would add 200ml (200g) of water). Start a timer. B
7 Give the coffee a quick stir, then put the piston part of the Aeropress in place. Make sure it seals, but don’t push down yet. This creates a vacuum above the coffee, preventing the liquid from dripping out of the bottom of the brewer before you want it to. C
8 After a period of brewing (I recommend starting with one minute) take the mug and brewer off the scales and slowly push down the plunger until all the liquid has been expelled. D
9 Pull the piston back a few centimetres (1in) to stop the brewer from dripping when you discard the spent coffee. Remove the filter holder and, holding the brewer over the waste bin, push the plunger out to get rid of the grounds. Tap out any loose bits, then immediately rinse and clean the bottom of the piston and brewer. E
10 Enjoy your coffee.
INVERTED AEROPRESS METHOD
I want to describe this method because it is so popular, but also because it often goes wrong. I recommend starting with – and generally using – the traditional method, but if you want to experiment, here is how to do it safely.
The idea behind this alternative method is to invert the device, so that it is impossible for the brewing liquid to escape during the infusion phase. You will have to flip over the brewer full of coffee on to a cup before you push the plunger and this is where things go wrong – vessels full of hot liquid should be flipped with caution. It is also important to note that this method will not allow you to brew as much coffee: the maximum brew is probably 200ml of water.
1 Grind the coffee just before you start brewing. Be sure to weigh the coffee first. 2 Put a filter paper into the filter holder and lock into the body of the brewer. 3 Run some hot water through to heat the brewer and rinse the paper. 4 Insert the piston about 2cm (¾in) into the brewer, turn the device upside down and place it on the digital scales. Add the coffee. A
5 Boil a kettle of fresh water with a low mineral content, suitable for brewing coffee. 6 Wait ten to twenty seconds after the kettle has boiled, turn on the scales, then add the desired amount of hot water to the Aeropress. B
7 Start a timer and give the coffee a quick stir. Steep for one minute. 8 While the coffee is steeping, remove the brewer from the scales. Put the filter holder containing the paper on to the brewer. If you have rinsed the paper it should stick when turned upside down. 9 Slowly pull the top part of the brewer down on to the piston until the liquid is nearly touching the filter. This will make the piston much more stable and less likely to pop off during the flip. C
10 At the end of the steep, place a mug upside down on top of the brewer and, with one hand on each, carefully flip them over. D, E
11 Slowly push down the plunger until all the liquid has been expelled into the mug. F
12 Empty and rinse the brewer. 13 Enjoy your coffee.