Written February 26, 2024 by Gerald Leahy

The AeroPress is, in our evaluation, the most versatile brewer available on the market today.  It can be used in a nearly limitless number of ways to produce excellent coffee.  It is a percolative brewer, an immersion brewer, a percolative-immersion brewer, a no bypass brewer, a cold brewer, and an “espresso-style” brewer.  You can do all this without requiring specialized tools, equipment, or a special “goose neck” kettle.  Requiring little investment beyond the initial asking price, it is by far the easiest brewer to recommend to people just entering the coffee space, and people who have been in the space for decades.

                There are hundreds, if not thousands of publicly available recipes for the AeroPress, from many talented people, I strongly suggest you enjoy experimenting with as many as possible!

Bee Culture Coffee Co. - AeroPress Recipe:

I will not say this is the “ultimate” recipe, as many others have claimed to concoct.  This is the best recipe for me, I like it the most.  The recipe has been inspired by multiple other recipes, some for completely different brewers, and incorporates some brewing techniques developed by other coffee scientists and enthusiasts.  Putting all of this together created a brew I very much enjoy.  My preference leans towards light, acidic, clean, silky brews, which this recipe, if properly followed, will create.

Ingredients:

18 Grams of Coffee

250 Grams of Brew Water

Grind:

Slightly Coarser than for Pourover – for Reference Grind Size is 900 – 1100 um.

Method:

Inverted Method (Do Not Use Flow Control Cap or Fellow Prismo)

2-3 AeroPress Filter Papers OR 2 Aesir Filter Papers (steel filters are not fine enough for this method.)

Initial Water Temperature: 65 - 75 degrees C; adjust to preference, recommend starting at 70 initially. (Samo Bloom)

Begin with AeroPress inverted.

Pre-wet filters in your filter cap and set to the side.

Add ground coffee, shake to level.

Bloom is 2 minutes.

Start timer, pour 75 grams of 65-75 degree C water.

Heat water to 93-99 degrees (adjust as needed for roast level/preference.)  I recommend an initial starting temp of 97.

Using AeroPress paddle to agitate:

Insert into middle of brew and mix forward and back 6 times (1 time is from middle, to back, to front, back to middle, pausing briefly in middle of brew between agitations to allow slurry to settle before further agitation).

2 minute mark:

Circle pour moderate-slow; add 175 grams of brew water to total brew weight of 250 grams.

Pouring should finish around 2:30 mark.

After pouring, GENTLY apply pressure down on the brewer body to raise the plunger until slurry is at the brim of the AeroPress.  The goal is to remove as much air as possible from the brew; carefully attach filter cap.

Flip AeroPress using preferred container covering the cap to avoid spills.

Swirl brewer gently to dislodge all grounds from the plunger, and allow them to sink to bottom.

Allow to rest until 3:30 mark.

3:30 mark:

Place one hand on the plunger and apply very gentle pressure; the aim is to not force the water through the grounds, but rather to allow the water to flow through.  Forcing the water through will add astringency to your brew.

Plunging should take 1 to 1:30 mins.

Stop plunging when you meet firm resistance, or when you hear air hissing from the brewer.

Final time 4:30 to 5:00 mins mark.

Remove AeroPress and enjoy.

Aim is to have a VERY clean brew with little to no astringency, a bright acidity, and a smooth body.  I have had very good results with this brew.