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In this article I will explain to you what the AeroPress is, and how to use the AeroPress to brew amazing coffee. For the Hario V60 I took you to Japan, for the Siphon I took you to France and for the Chemex we ended up in the USA. For the AeroPress we will remain in the Usa, in Los Altos to be precise.
AeroPress Review: The history.
The idea of the AeroPress started during a company meal at Alan Adler’s dinner table in 2004. Alan Adler is an inventor and a professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University. Alan Adler is also the man who invented the world famous flying ring ‘Aerobie’ back in the ’80s. This flying ring was crafted so well that it broke several world records of ‘farthest thrown object’ in 1986. But let’s get back to that dinner table in 2004. During dinner the wife of Aerobie’s sales manager asked the question: “What do you guys do when you just want one cup of coffee?”. The funny thing is that Alan Adler had been thinking about that same question each time he had to brew coffee at his house. Why was he forced to brew 6 to 7 cups each time he wanted coffee? Alan Adler didn’t let the question go, and immediately set out to solve this annoying everyday problem.
Inventing the Aeropress
When looking over the existing methods of brewing, like Chemex or Hario, Alan found that brewing a cup of coffee took about 4 minutes. 4 minutes in which all sorts of bad tasting by-products, such as bitterness, could seep into the brew. Alan wanted that brewing time reduced to a minimum and it took Alan only a short time to realise that using air-pressure was the solution. He started thinking and inventing and it took him just a few weeks to come up with a syringe-like invention that used air-pressure to brew coffee. The brewing time was a fraction of the brewing time that was required for a pour-over coffee. After drinking the first coffee he brewed with his new invention Adler knew for sure: he had invented something special. Adler’s business manager Alex Tennant was invited over to try this new brew and after tasting it he said: “Alan, I can sell a ton of these.” It took Alan Adler another year to perfect his invention. After trying out several designs and sizes, Alan Adler came up with the AeroPress as we know it.
A rough start for the AeroPress
But the AeroPress wasn’t a big success from the start. Sales figures in 2006 and 2007 were so low that any normal company would have pulled the plug. The competition was tough, but Adler’s will was tougher and so they kept on promoting the AeroPress on trade conventions and to shop owners all over the USA. Eventually the coffee industry got to recognize the amazing brew that was produced by this plastic machine and things started rolling. Nowadays the AeroPress is widely accepted as being one of the best coffee inventions ever. The ‘Aerobie AeroPress’ thread on the coffeegeek forum is the longest active thread there with over 2.500 posts and about 7 million views to date. The AeroPress has its own World Championships, is sold in 56 countries and has sold over 1.000.000 units.
AeroPress Review: How does it work.
To write about the mechanics of the AeroPress is like writing about how LEGO parts fit unto each other. Everybody understands how it works, yet it takes a genius to invent it.
When you deconstruct the AeroPress you will find:
– A plunger
– A tube
– A filter
– A filter cap
The AeroPress works by putting coffee grounds and water into the cylinder, slowly stir the grounds and then place the plunger in the top. After letting it brew for a few seconds, you slowly press the plunger down, forcing the water through the coffee grounds and the filter, into the cup below. See? It’s simple as putting two LEGO parts together.
AeroPress: How to brew like a champion.
For this section of this article, I went over to Trakteren Koffie en Thee in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Trakteren Koffie en Thee is run by former Dutch AeroPress Champion Edward Beumer (who came in fourth at the World Aeropress Championships in Dublin) and Erik Oosterhuis; bronze winner in the 2014 and 2017 Dutch Aeropress Championships. Both Baristas have unique recipe’s for brewing AeroPress and I will place both recipes below. I will start with the recipe of Erik Oosterhuis and give you a step-by-step guide.
Erik Oosterhuis’ recipe
For Erik Oosterhuis’ recipe you will need your Aeropress and 32 grams of medium ground coffee (see the picture below). You will also need water at 60 and 80 degrees Celsius (140F and 176F) to initiate and finish the brew.
- Prepare your AeroPress by placing the tube upside-down (inverted way) and pre-heat it with water.
- Place your paper filter in the filter cap and rinse it thoroughly with hot water.
- Put the ground coffee in the tube and take the water (which has temperature of 60 degrees Celsius (140F).
- Slowly pour 60gr of water over the ground coffee, make sure not to pour to fast and evenly wet the grounds.
- After 10 seconds you stir gently so that all the ground coffee has been moved around a little.
- Now take the 60gr of water that has a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius (approx 176F) and slowly drip the water over the wet coffee grounds.
- After pouring the 60gr of water you place the filter cap on the tube, turn the AeroPress around and push the plunger down in 10 seconds.
- Erik stops when he hears the ‘hiss’
- Tap 75gr of water that has about 80 degrees Celsuis (176F) and add it to the brew.
- Enjoy a champions’ Aeropress brew.
Erik Oosterhuis comments on the last few steps:
It is important to pour slowly and with care during the second pour. Fast pouring will result in the coffee releasing more Bitterness and you do not want that to happen. Also keep in mind that after the second pour, you immediately put on the filter cap and press the AeroPress down in rapid concession. Try to press the AeroPress down in a smooth motion.
Edward Beumers’recipe
For Edward Beumers 2016 winning recipe you will need a staggering 37.5 grams of coffee, 140gr of water at 85 degrees Celsius (185F).
- Prepare your AeroPress by placing the tube upside-down (inverted way) and pre-heat it with water.
- Place your paper filter in the filter cap and rinse it thoroughly with hot water.
- Put the ground coffee in the tube and take the water (which has temperature of 85 degrees Celsius (185F).
- Gently pour the 140 grams of water on top of the coffee and then stir gently.
- Put the filter cap on the Aeropress and press down in an evenly motion but as quickly as possible.
- Add between 80 to 100 grams of water (according to taste) to the brew
- Enjoy a champions brew.
Edward on this recipe:
Whenever I serve this brew at Trakteren koffie en thee, I serve it at 60 degrees Celsius (140F) since it is a very nice temperature for all the flavours to come out. However, when competing I always serve this brew at 50 degrees Celsius (122F) since that temperature hits the sweet spot of the flavours and aroma’s.
So there you have it; everything you need to know about the Aeropress. Do you use the AeroPress? If you do, leave a comment and tell me how much you love it, or hate it. Either way, leave a comment below!