How To Brew AeroPress Coffee (The Ultimate Starter Guide)
I've gone through countless trials, tweaking stuff like grind size and brew time, and here's my favorite process that always gets an amazing cup.
Equipment
- AeroPress: obviously!
- Paper or Metal Filter: I prefer paper for a cleaner cup, but metal adds more body.
- Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans: About 15 grams, or a heaping tablespoon
- Burr Grinder: To get a consistent medium-fine grind
- Kettle: Preferably with temperature control.
- Stirrer: The plastic one that comes with the AeroPress works great
- Scale and Timer: Optional, but it helps with precision
Ingredients
- 15 grams of coffee beans
- 240 ml of hot water (around 200°F or 93°C is ideal)
Instructions
- Grind the Coffee Beans: Start by grinding your beans to a medium-fine consistency—think of table salt as a reference. Fresh beans make all the difference; using the right grind size ensures the best extraction. I recommend using a burr grinder for consistency.
- Set Up the AeroPress: Place a paper filter inside the cap, and rinse it with hot water (this removes any papery taste and preheats the AeroPress). Attach the cap and place the AeroPress on your mug. I prefer the standard method (with the AeroPress upright), but feel free to flip it for the inverted method if you're feeling adventurous.
- Add the Coffee Grounds: Pour your freshly ground coffee into the AeroPress chamber. Gently shake it to level the grounds, ensuring even distribution for better extraction.
- Pour the Hot Water: Start your timer and add hot water up to the "1" marking (or until you've reached about 240 ml). Make sure to pour slowly and evenly to saturate all the grounds.
- Stir and Steep: Quickly stir the mixture using the provided stirrer for about 10 seconds to ensure the grounds are fully saturated. Then, place the plunger on top without pressing down (this creates a vacuum seal to prevent water from dripping out).
- Press the Coffee: After about 1 minute of steeping time, begin pressing down slowly and steadily. You want between 20-30-second press—if it feels too hard, adjust your grind to be coarser next time. You should hear a slight hissing sound at the end, which tells you it's done.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the AeroPress, and quickly swirl your coffee. Taste it as is, and if you want a more diluted cup, add some hot water. I personally love the rich, espresso-like concentration, so I rarely dilute mine!