Brewing is the final stage of the coffee-making process. It’s the part where you finally extract those delicious flavour notes and aromas from the roasted and ground beans to make the drink we all love so much.
Amongst all traditional coffee-brewing equipment, AeroPress is perhaps the biggest game changer; it is the most affordable and accessible coffee maker that allows us to brew coffee one cup at a time. Since its launch in 2005, AeroPress coffee has gained popularity for its full body and flavour. In fact, AeroPress has become one of the most iconic brewing methods – it even has its very own World AeroPress Championship.
In this brewing guide, we will provide a starting place for those who would like to start brewing their own AeroPress coffee, whether at home, at work or when out and about.
Ingredients and equipment
You will need:
- NOC coffee beans
- coffee grinder
- AeroPress coffee maker
- sturdy coffee server/mug
- hot water
- thermometer
- scale
- timer
- coffee spoon
A few things to pay attention to:
- Water temperature is one of the keys to brewing delicious coffee. Avoid using boiling water and check that the water temperature is between 91–92°C right before you start brewing.
- The amount of ground coffee and water you need depends on how many cups of coffee you would like to brew. For every cup of AeroPress coffee you would like to make, use 16g ground coffee and 240g water.
Step-by-step guide to an Aeropress coffee
Step 1: unscrew the plastic cap at the bottom of the AeroPress chamber. Line it with a piece of filter paper. Fit the plastic cap back onto the chamber. Set it onto your coffee mug or server. Wet the filter paper with some hot water. Dispose of the water in your server.
Step 2: grind the coffee to a medium or medium-fine grind. To preserve the flavours, it is best to grind the coffee just seconds before you start brewing.
Step 3: set the chamber and server onto the scale. Pour the ground coffee into the chamber and slightly shake it to level the coffee.
Step 4: zero the scale. Pour 60g hot water into the chamber in an outward spiral, starting from the centre, until the water level reaches the number 1. Like yeast, ground coffee rises slightly – this is called blooming, a process in which the carbon dioxide escapes from the coffee beans. Let it sit for 30 seconds before stirring clockwise, twice.
Step 5: pour an extra 250g hot water into the chamber, until the water level reaches the number 4. Again, stir clockwise, twice.
Step 6: let the coffee sit for 1 minute and 45 seconds, then remove the scale from under your server/mug. Insert the plunger and press gently. Finish pressing before the brew time reaches two minutes and 10 seconds.
Step 7: give your coffee a little swirl before serving it. Et voila!
Fun facts about AeroPress
- AeroPress was invented by Stanford professor-slash-engineer Alan Adler in 2005.
- Aerobie, Alan’s company, was famous in the 1980s for creating a type of Frisbee that managed to set new world records.
- As a coffee lover, Alan was frustrated with most of the coffee makers at the time because they mainly yielded 6–8 cups of coffee per brew, meaning that he either had to drink all the coffee at one time or waste most of it. So he made use of his engineering expertise to build a coffee maker of his own.
- Although professional baristas raised their eyebrows at the coffee maker in the beginning, the AeroPress proved itself worthy of attention by showcasing its versatility and quality in the coffee cup. In 2008, sales of AeroPress started to grow and the first World AeroPress Championship was held in Oslo, Norway.
For those interested in learning more about other brewing methods, be sure to read our guides on pourover and cold brew. Happy brewing!
