The short answer: medium-fine grind, water just off the boil, stir, wait about 90 seconds, then press gently into your mug. One gadget, one mug, great coffee.
An Aeropress looks like a science project and works like a cafetiere that's been to the gym. It's tough, it's quick, it lives in a kitchen drawer, and it makes a cup that's clean like filter coffee with a bit more body to it.
You will need
- An Aeropress with its papers.
- Medium-fine grind coffee. Sand texture. Finer than a cafetiere wants, coarser than espresso.
- A mug and something to stir with. The paddle it comes with is perfect.
The amounts
- One scoop, about 15 to 17g of coffee.
- 220ml of water, just off the boil. Roughly 14 parts water to one part coffee.
- A timer. Your phone will do.
The method
- Paper into the cap, rinse it with hot water, then twist the cap onto the chamber and stand it on your mug.
- Coffee in, then pour the water to the top. Give it a good stir for about ten seconds. It'll puff up and bloom, same as filter coffee.
- Let it sit. Aim for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes from the pour.
- Push the plunger in a centimetre to seal it, then press down slow and steady, about 30 seconds. Gentle effort, not a workout.
- Stop at the hiss. The hiss means the good stuff is through and what's left is grit.
- Want a longer cup? Top the mug up with hot water. Straight Aeropress is short and punchy.
The things people get wrong
- Pressing too hard. It should take a bit of steady effort. Slamming it through makes a sour, gritty cup.
- Wrong grind. Too fine and the press is a fight, too coarse and it's weak. Sand is the word to remember.
- Leaving it stewing. Much past two and a half minutes it turns bitter. Press, drink, done.
- Skipping the paper rinse. Thirty seconds, papery taste gone.
How to spot a good cup
Clean, a bit of weight, sweet finish. Bitter: your grind was too fine or you pressed too slow and too long. Sour and thin: finer grind or a longer steep.
A few extras
- There's an "inverted" method the internet loves. It's fine, but you don't need it. Standard way makes a belter.
- Two scoops, less water and a firm press makes a short strong brew that stands up to milk, if you make it right.
- Decaf works exactly the same. Same method, same amounts.
- Cleaning is a rinse and a swish. The Aeropress will outlive us all.
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