The Aeropress is one of the most travel-friendly, "hackable" coffee makers you can own.
Featuring an unbreakable polypropylene construction, fast brew times and clean up, and dozens of ways to brew to your liking, the Aeropress is fun and convenient for many home baristas. Explore the Aeropress here (for Durham-based pick-up) and Brew Gear for filters and more.
Recommended Brewing Parameters
Brewing Volume: 2 - 9 fl oz
Coffee Brewing Ratio (Grounds:Poured Water): 1:15.5 (normal strength) - 1:4 (concentrate
Grind: Medium-Fine
Brewing Time: 1.5 - 2 minutes
Brewing Temperature: Set Kettle to 205℉
Step-by-Step
1. Think about how much coffee you'd like to brew (2 - 8 fl oz). The equivalent amount of Poured Water will be 50 - 225g. Begin heating this amount of water and just a little more, ideally in a BonaVITA Variable Temperature Kettle.
2. Divide your Poured Water number by 4 for a strong concentrate (to which you could add milk like a latte) and 15.5 for a weaker cup (or anywhere in-between the two Coffee Brewing Ratios) to figure out how much ground coffee you should use. Grind this amount of fresh, wholebean coffee medium-fine (roughly the size of table salt).
3. Gently set one Aeropress paper filter in the detachable filter holder, reattach into the Aeropress, then set on a decanter or favorite coffee mug (at least 9 fl oz in volume to avoid overflow) whole kit on a scale and tare to zero. *Optional hot water rinse at this point to pre-heat the device. Shake out all water before brewing.
4. Weigh out your ground coffee dose into the Aeropress and re-tare to zero. When your kettle is at 205℉, you are ready to pour in one stage.
5. Start a timer and pour to your pre-determined Poured Water amount.
6. Stir five times, then immediately insert the plunger about 1/4" into the Aeropress. This will stop the dripping.
8. At 1 minute 30 seconds, pull your kit off the scale and place on a solid table/counter. Remove the plunger and stir five more times. Reinsert the plunger, then depress slowly and evenly over 30 seconds, finishing around 2 minutes.
9. Smell and once it cools enough, taste the brew. Little Waves coffees should exhibit a nice sweetness (like honey, caramel, ripe fruit), a moderately intense aroma, and medium-full body with a balanced mouthfeel. If you're making a concentrate, your brew should be very full in body.
10. If the coffee tastes overly bitter, consider coarsening your grind one notch. If it tastes overly sour, consider fining your grind one notch. If it feels weak, consider using a slightly stronger Coffee Brewing Ratio. If the coffee feels strong, consider using a slightly weaker CBR (always within the 1:15.5 - 1:4 range).
11. Most importantly, enjoy your freshly brewed coffee!
