What is an AeroPress?

The AeroPress sounds scarier than it is, so don’t loose faith now! The name AeroPress literally translates to ‘Air Press’ so the hint is in the name as to how this new and upcoming device works.

The AeroPress is a piston-style brewer that plunges coffee through a thin paper filter directly into a cup. It only brews a single serving a coffee at a time, but its size and permanence makes it a favourite brewing tool among many coffee campers.

What you need to make AeroPress coffee

There are four things you need to make sure you have to hand before launching into your AeroPress coffee brewing journey. It may seem obvious, but sometimes the most obvious things can be forgotten (no judgement from us!). So, here are the four things you need to make your AeroPress coffee.

• AeroPress coffee maker (obvious we know)

• AeroPress coffee filters

• Coffee grinder

• Gooseneck kettle

How to make coffee with an AeroPress

For you quick coffee drinkers, or early morning risers, the AeroPress is incredibly quick and easy to use – so for those of you that have stressful mornings or need a coffee to hand asap, this is the machine for you.

The AeroPress is unique as a whole, due to its two distinct ways of brewing coffee. There is the standard method, which involves placing the AreoPress on top of a cup, filling it with water and coffee, placing the syringe-like plunger and then simply pressing down.

The other method, known as the inverted method. The inverted method starts with the AeroPress standing upside down on the plunger, filling this with coffee and water, and then flipping it onto the cup to then be pressed. Let’s go into a bit more detail, shall we?

The original method

This is the most basic and simple way to brew your coffee with the AeroPress. So, lets get started with the basics.

• Heat your water by bringing it to the boil and leave it to cool for a minute or two. Aim for around 80-90 degrees Celsius for best results

• Place a paper filter inside the plastic cap and pour a small amount of water over the filter, to help the filter stick to the cap.

• Screw the filter (and cap) onto the chamber and cover over a cup or mug.

• Measure out around two full scoops of coffee beans, using the fancy AeroPress scoop.

• Grind your beans until fine.

• Add the ground coffee beans to the AeroPress, again using the scoop

• Add in, your now, warm water until it touches the top line (on the AeroPress). This doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with different amounts of water; we are just giving you are method.

• Stir the water and the coffee, using the stirrer for around 5 to 10 seconds.

• Then firmly insert the plunger and press down, hard, until you can hear a hissing noise. The hissing signals that there is no water left in the device needing to be pushed through.

• And congrats! You have made your very own AeroPress coffee using the original method

The inverted method

With a slight difference to the original method, this method allows the coffee to infuse for longer and with more control, allowing the extraction of more flavour and therefore producing a stronger cup of coffee. So, let’s get cracking with the inverted method.

• Heat your water by bringing it to the boil and leave it to cool for a minute or two. Aim for around 80-90 degrees Celsius for best results.

• Measure out around 2 scoops, be generous with them, of coffee beans using the fancy AeroPress scoop.

• Grind your coffee beans until fine.

• Place the AeroPress upside down. Do this by placing the plunger in the chamber and simply flipping it over. Leave the cap off for now.

• Use the spoon to place the ground coffee into the chamber.

• Pour your hot water into the chamber until it is almost full, then stir.

• Leave your coffee to infuse for around 30 seconds to a minute. The timing depends entirely on how strong you like your coffee.

• Place the paper filter inside the filter cap, and pour a small amount of water over it. It is vital to make sure the filter paper says in place throughout this method.

• Screw onto the chamber

• Place your cup on top of the filter cap (trust us, keep going)

• Quickly, but carefully, turn the AeroPress the right way up. Making sure to hold your cup to the filter cap.

• Press down firmly on the AeroPress, and listen out for that hiss.

And there you have it! You have made your very own AeroPress coffee using the inverted method

Tip: With the aeropress, the cup is more intense than a pour over. For some coffee you may increase the complexity of the cup by using the bypass method where you dilute the brew with some hot water. Trust us… diluting does not waste anything of the flavour. For such brews, it may actually "open up" the cup and you will soon start discovering new flavours that you had not yet tasted in the more concentrated cup.

5 common mistakes when using an AeroPress to make coffee

No one is perfect, and neither is every cup of coffee. But it’s okay! We’ve made a list of a few things to avoid during your AeroPress brewing, so that you don’t make the same mistakes. We all learn from our mistakes, after all.

• Not using fresh coffee. Make sure your coffee is as fresh as possible, to ensure the best taste.

• Water quality. If you know your water is hard in the area you live, or too soft, then use filtered water.

• Pressing too fast, or not fast enough. Make sure to press firmly on you AeroPress for around 30 and 45 seconds.

• Coffee quality. If you aren’t prepared to stick to the good stuff then you shouldn’t be surprised if your AeroPress coffee doesn’t turn out the way you were expecting!

• Grind consistency. The coarseness of the coffee grounds you use will also have a large impact on the flavour and overall consistency of the cup.

  The aeropress is a very versatile brewing method, you can easily change the different variables that will change the in-cup results (dosage, infusion time, bypass…) different coffees may have different optimums to bring out all the flavours and their complexity… start playing and experimenting…

Now that you know how to use an AeroPress to make coffee, you’re one step further in your coffee-making journey. Celebrate with a great cup of AeroPress coffee! Check out our article on how to grind coffee, to boost your knowledge even further, next.