Invented in 2005 by Alad Adler, the Aeropress is cheap, durable, very portable, and easy to clean. A lot of coffee professionals take this device with them when they travel around the world.

You can see this extraction method as an upgrade to the most traditional press devices (like the French press). It combines the idea of infusion, where water and coffee steep together, with pressure, used to separate the coffee powder from the liquid with a paper filter.

Compared with other brewing devices, the number of different recipes and techniques that can be used with the Aeropress is enormous.

Let’s see how to brew a perfect cup with the Aeropress.

• Ratio

  • 60g/l for a smooth, regular cup of coffee

  • 75g/l for a stronger, caffeine-rich cup

• Water

  • 90°C | 194°F for a smooth regular cup of coffee

  • 80°C | 176°F if you want to underline fruity and flowery notes

• Grind:

  • Coarse grind: this will avoid bitterness and over-extraction due to the “hard press”

  • Fine Grind: if you want to use a finer grind, press hard in order to reduce the water/coffee time of contact and decrease the risk of bitterness and unpleasant aromas in the cup.

• Pushing strength

  • Pressing the piston harder will speed up the brew, but also extract a little more from the coffee; extending the steeping time will also extract more, as will grinding the coffee on a finer setting. However, it is always best to change only one parameter at a time, and more experimentation simply means more opportunities to drink an interesting cup of coffee.

• Brewing:

  • Grind the coffee just before you start brewing or use pre-ground coffee

  • Put a paper filter into the filter holder and lock it into the body of the brewer

  • Run some hot water through to heat the brewer and rinse the paper filter

  • Place your Aeropress on a mug / jug / cup

  • Add the ground coffee

  • Add the desired amount of hot water (if you use 15 grams of coffee or about 1 heaping tablespoon, use 250ml of water)

  • Give the liquid a quick swirl, 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 prematurely.

  • Let the water and coffee steep together for about 1 minute and then push the plunger down gently until all the liquid has been expelled.

    • If you push the plunger harder, it will decrease the contact time between water and coffee, but it will extract with more pressure. This will lead to a cup with a heavier body and surprisingly could add good and bad flavors, increasing bitterness and sweetness at the same time.

    • We recommend starting by pushing the plunger gently, this will increase the contact time between water and coffee. However, if the coffee grounds are sufficiently coarse, the surface of extraction will be optimal. The low and slow pressure will avoid unpleasant aromas in the cup, underlying sweetness, and complexity.