The AeroPress is a unique method that combines the best of several brewing styles. It's quick, portable, and simple to use, yet it can yield a cup of coffee with remarkable flavor and body. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you brew delicious AeroPress coffee at home.
You'll need:
- An AeroPress with filter cap and plunger
- AeroPress paper filters
- High-quality coffee beans
- A burr grinder
- A kettle
- A digital scale
- A timer
- Fresh, clean water
Step 1: Heat Your Water Start by heating your water to between 175 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (79.4 to 85 degrees Celsius). If you don't have a thermometer, bring the water to a boil then let it cool for a minute.
Step 2: Measure and Grind Your Coffee For the AeroPress, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio is a good starting point. This means using 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams (or ml) of water.
Grind your coffee to a texture resembling table salt. The AeroPress thrives on a medium-fine grind.
Step 3: Prepare Your AeroPress Place a filter in the filter cap and rinse it with hot water to remove any paper taste. Attach the cap to the AeroPress chamber. For this guide, we're using the conventional method (not the inverted method).
Step 4: Add Your Coffee Place your AeroPress on your scale and tare it. Add your ground coffee and shake the AeroPress gently to level the bed of coffee for even extraction.
Step 5: The Bloom Start your timer, and pour water (about twice the weight of the coffee) over the grounds. Stir the coffee gently to make sure all grounds are saturated. Let it sit for 30 seconds. This is called the "bloom."
Step 6: The Pour Pour the rest of your water into the AeroPress chamber. You can stir again to ensure all the coffee is evenly extracted.
Step 7: Insert the Plunger and Press Insert the plunger into the chamber, just enough to create a seal. Let the coffee steep until your timer reads 1:30. Then, start pressing down on the plunger gently. The pressing should take about 30 seconds.
Step 8: Enjoy! Once you hear a hissing sound, stop pressing, remove the AeroPress from your cup, and enjoy your coffee.
Remember, the AeroPress is a versatile tool. Feel free to play with different coffee-to-water ratios, water temperatures, steep times, and even try the inverted method. It's all part of the fun and joy of brewing coffee at home! Happy brewing!