Learn how to brew coffee with an AeroPress coffee maker. This recipe by 2016 Word Brewers Cup champion and Philocoffea founder, Tetsu Kasuya, is a great starting point. Once you master it, you’ll be well-positioned to explore infinite variations.
What’s an AeroPress?
Unveiled in 2005 by renowned inventor Alan Adler, the AeroPress is an innovative press with a worldwide fanbase known for brewing rich and flavorful coffee.
The AeroPress consists of a cylindrical chamber and a plunger with an airtight seal. The way it works reminds me of a syringe. After steeping ground coffee beans and water inside, the liquid is forced through a filter by pressing the plunger.
While perhaps best-known for brewing highly concentrated espresso-style coffee, it can also brew filter-strength and cold brew coffee.
What Makes the AeroPress So Special?
There’s so much to love about the AeroPress; it’s hard to begin.
- Flavor: It produces rich and silky smooth coffee.
- Speed: Once you get used to using it, you should be able to make up to three cups in just a couple of minutes. Not to mention it’s quick to rinse clean after you’re done!
- Versatility: Not only espresso but also Americano or cold brew coffee as you please!
- Precision: Thanks to its manual press function, there is complete control over timing, which I appreciate as a professional.
AeroPress vs. Drip Coffee — What’s the Difference?
For a true coffee-lover, both AeroPress and drip-style coffee makers are essential equipment. Rather than one being superior to the other, I feel they are complementary in many aspects.
- Expresso: AeroPress is excellent at making espresso coffee. Many enthusiasts enjoy having an AeroPress espresso in the morning and then drip coffee later in the day.
- Intensity: The pressure used in the AeroPress plunging action works with holes in the filter to carry through coffee oil, resulting in a richer body and more intense flavors. Whereas if you feel like a more mellow cup, you might go for drip coffee.
- Quantity: AeroPress is great for when you just want to make a single cup. Whereas, if you need to brew more at one time, a drip coffee maker is a better choice.
- Filters: AeroPress uses disposable filters. This makes it a cleaner brewing method but means you have more items to remember compared to drip-style.
The Ultimate AeroPress Recipe
Keep reading to discover my favorite approach to creating delicious coffee using AeroPress.
Recommended Equipment
Here’s what I would personally recommend as the ideal gear for brewing the ultimate cup of coffee with the AeroPress.
- AeroPress: You’ll need to get yourself an AeroPress. They’re available via the AeroPress Store on Amazon, or you can purchase directly from the AeroPress Website Shop.
- Kettle: It goes without saying that I’m going to suggest you consider the Mini Drip Kettle Kasuya Model, which my team and I designed in collaboration with the acclaimed manufacturer, Hario. It’s available in 300 ml and 500 ml versions.
- Scale: I recommend the Hario V60 Coffee Drip Scale. It measures in 0.1-gram increments to ensure your coffee is more consistent.
- Server: You can’t go past the Hario V60 Glass Coffee Server 450. It handles up to three cups and features an easy-grip handle that points up and outward for safe handling, along with a protective side guard. The narrow opening on the top is designed for the 01 coffee drippers and is made of Hario's high-quality heat-proof glass.
Recommended Coffee Grind
When it comes to brewing with an AeroPress, I typically prefer a coarse grind to avoid bitterness and astringency.
The ratios shouldn't change much when you change grind size. Time is the primary variable. Since the plunger can be inserted to form a seal/vacuum, you can use it almost like a small French press with more agitation.
The AeroPress is relatively forgiving with grind size. You could add more coffee, but I've had better luck brewing longer and stirring more: the coarser, the longer.
Recommended Water Conditions
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): We use 30 ppm (parts per million), but it can range from 30–80 ppm for soft water.
- Temperature: I prefer around 80–82 degrees celsius. Higher temperatures tend to lead to excessive bitterness and astringency, which I like to avoid.
- Brew Ratio: Bypass the coffee by adding 30 g of water with 120 g hot water to dilute the coffee. You should roughly get a 1:1 ratio of the brewed coffee.
Brewing Steps
- Grind the coffee
- Place the AeroPress inversely
- Pour 120 g of hot water
- Stir for a few seconds
- Attach the filter
- Flip the AeroPress at 30 seconds and wait for 40 seconds
- Press for up to 20 seconds
- Add hot water to your liking
Yes, it really is that simple and easy! That’s the beauty of AeroPress!
Recommended coffee to go with AeroPress. (CTA)
It’s great to keep an open mind when it comes to brewing with the AeroPress. That said, my favorite coffee to use is our 111 Kenya Karindundu. It is a truly exceptional coffee made in Nyeri, a charming town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya.
What to Expect
We use a large amount of coffee with a coarse grind size for making a sweet coffee. And we can decide the ideal strength of coffee with the bypassing step. In other words, adding hot water to dilute the coffee, basically a 1:1 ratio of the brewed coffee.
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Cover photo by Alex Chernenko on Unsplash.