AeroPress
Probably the fastest cup in the world
The inventor and tinkerer Alan Adler only invented the AeroPress in 2005 in the USA. But what makes them so special? In contrast to a French press, a thin paper filter is used here, so that we can enjoy the advantages of filter coffee, but also have the brewing time in our own hands thanks to the cylinder principle. Even finely ground coffee is not a problem here, and the extraction time can be kept very short because you can simply press a little harder if necessary. But what came out of this simple invention is hard to believe. There are competitions in the World Barista Championships and countless recipes for this small coffee press. Whether classic or inverted, whether with 16g or 30g - everything is possible.
But it is also the ideal "coffee machine" for normal users at home, in the office and of course "to go". A Porlex Mini (without a rubber ring) even fits into the top of the cylinder - that's no coincidence, of course, and really practical.
In addition to the AeroPress or AeroPress Go , you need a (hand) grinder and a kettle (ideally temperature-controlled, such as Fellow EKG ) for the preparation. A scale can be used, but it is not absolutely necessary. You definitely need a stopwatch - the filter paper is included in the set.
Parameters at a glance
| degree of grinding | amount of coffee | amount of water | temperature | total duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine to medium | 16g | 220ml | 90-92°C | 1:50 minutes |
We do it inverted!
The classic method - which you can also find in the instructions for use - has the disadvantage that the coffee already escapes from the filter during the brewing process (thanks to gravity). That's why we're showing you the inverted method here, which is also used by many baristas and leads to more reproducible results.
- Switch on the kettle and set the temperature if necessary. Since this step takes the longest, let's start with it.
- Prepare the inverted AeroPress by pushing the plunger into the cylinder until only the rubber is in the cylinder.
- Weigh the grist with a good scale . Choose a fine grind, which is like fine table salt. Please do not use pre-ground coffee, as the aromas also disappear very quickly here.
- If you have a hand grinder, grind the coffee while the kettle heats up. Otherwise shortly before.
- If the water is hot, first wash the filter thoroughly with 50-60ml of water to remove the paper taste. You can also preheat the cup.
- Now put the grist in the upside down AeroPress and shake it lightly to get it flat.
Caution: If the kettle has no temperature control: open the lid after boiling and wait 2-3 minutes - If there are scales: put everything together on the scales and set to 0. Start timer on scale or stopwatch .
- Now we cover the grist completely with water until we read 50g on the scale or up to the middle of the scale 3 and stir thoroughly . This process is called blooming and enhances the taste by giving excess Co2 time to escape from the grind. Stirring improves extraction.
- Now we immediately fill the water up to 220g or just to the top of the AeroPress.
- The lid with the filter can now be screwed on and you then push the cylinder in a little further to push out excess air (typically you will see some bubbles or foam).
- At about 0:50m on the stopwatch you turn the AeroPress on the cup. Hardly any coffee escapes due to the vacuum.
- When the clock has reached 1:20m , you slowly start to push down the plunger (note: not on the scale).
- After 30s , all the coffee should be pushed through the filter and you will come out with a total time of 1:50m . +/-10s are manageable.
- Clean AeroPress and enjoy coffee!
Somehow I don't like it
Case 1: The coffee tastes too bitter or generally too strong.
Solution 1: Adjust the grinding level to a coarser one.
Solution 2: After brewing, simply add some hot water to the cup.
Case 2: The coffee is too weak or tastes too sour.
Solution 1: Adjust the grind finer.
Solution 2: Use more ground coffee for the same amount of water
Basically, keep going until you like the coffee. The rules with time and quantity are only guidelines. If you still don't like the coffee, you may want to change the bean. Especially if the taste is too bitter, it is worth switching to medium/light roasts. You can find AeroPress recipes on the Internet, especially on YouTube. Feel free to try it out and tell us which one you liked best.
Myth: Making coffee takes so long, I don't have time for that!
Unfortunately, many people feel that a cup of coffee takes up a lot of their time. Every second seems to count, especially in the early morning when you have to get to work. Capsules, pads and fully automatic machines are used, which either generate a lot of waste and/or taste more like roasted earth.
With the AeroPress you have the opportunity to prepare a delicious coffee in less than 5 minutes, without much effort, without a lot of waste. If you can also grind electrically, then the kettle actually lasts the longest. Be honest with yourself and drop the capsules. It's better for you and your environment.
