Brew Guide: AeroPress

A relative newcomer to the boutique coffee scene, the AeroPress is making waves in shops and kitchens all over the world. This method is perfect for when you want a quick cup with little effort; if you don’t have a scale, only want a single cup, or find yourself outside, such as on a hiking or camping trip. In just fine minutes, you can have a sweet, full-bodied cup of coffee ready to drink.

When you brew with an AeroPress, you should have the following materials:

• AeroPress brewer
• AeroPress filter
• Grinder (if using full beans)
• Measuring instrument (a tablespoon works perfectly)

To get started, measure and grind your coffee of choice. If you have a scale, grind 17g of coffee. If you have a cup, measure around 2.5 tablespoons. Grinder the coffee to a table salt-like grain.

Next, prep your AeroPress. Place the filter into the basket, and preheat the water you will use for the coffee. For a better-tasting brew, rinse the filter with hot water; this will eliminate any residual paper flavor. Then, affix the filtered basket to the bottom of the brew chamber, placing it on top of your mug. Add your ground coffee, add your water (not boiling—around 205 degrees Fahrenheit, if you have a thermometer) to the brewer, and thoroughly saturate the grounds. Spin the chamber, ensuring all coffee grounds are moist.

Stir the coffee and water mixture and place the plunger on the brew chamber. Pull up slightly to create a pressure seal, but don’t plunge yet—it’s best to wait a moment, give the slurry another stir, and then gently apply pressure to the plunger until you hear a hissing sound.

The entire brew process should take around two minutes and will yield a standard 8oz cup of coffee.