How to Brew Aeropress Like a Champion

Elegant, durable, and versatile, the Aeropress is one of our favorite ways to brew.

Ben Jones, our Northwest Education and Training guru, likes the Aeropress so much he went to the 2016 US Aeropress Championship and brought home The Title.
He has shared some tips as well as his favorite recipes (his original championship winner included) right here, so let's get started.

The Inventors Recipe

What You Need:

• Complete AeroPress Coffee Maker (All Box Contents)
• Kettle + Heat Source
• Filtered Water
• Freshly Ground Coffee

1.  Fill your kettle with filtered water and set it to boil.

2.  Unscrew the black filter cap and insert a fresh filter, then screw the filter cap back in and gently rinse the filter to remove any papery flavors.

3.  Place the brewer, filter side down, on top of your favorite sturdy mug or decanter. The mug should be wide enough for the filter cap to fit inside but narrow enough for the brewer to rest on top.

4.  Remove the plunger and add one scoop of finely ground coffee into the brew chamber, your grounds should be somewhere between espresso and drip.

5.  When your water begins to boil remove it from heat and let it rest for about one and a half minutes. The temperature should be between 175-185F when you begin to carefully pour it into the brew chamber, stopping at the 2 mark.

6.  Use the stirring paddle to stir the coffee and the water for about 10 seconds.

7.  Wet the rubber seal of the plunger and gently place it, upright, into the brew chamber. Gently press down on the plunger until you make contact with the ground coffee at the bottom of the chamber, press time should be between 20-30 seconds.

8.  The extracted product will be dense so add hot water to taste or some hot milk for a beverage like a latte.

9.  Enjoy!

Variations on the Recipe:

The first question you should ask yourself is: What kind of coffee drink would I like?

The inventors recipe will yield a coffee similar to espresso, but that is not all that the Aeropress is capable of. You can fine-tune your brew the same way you would with any brew method by changing one variable at a time and making notes.

If the coffee tasted too light:
You may want to tighten up your grind for a smaller particle size, increase the amount of time you allow it to steep, stir more vigorously and longer, or increase the temperature of the water you use.

If your cup is particularly bitter:

Grind coarser, shorten your steep time, try not to stir as much, or brew with cooler water.

Traditional Coffee Recipe:

Use a large scoop (or 19g if you have a scale) of coarsely ground coffee and add water to about the 4 mark on the barrel of the brewer. The coarser particles will need a bit more time to steep, so after you stir and affix your plunger wait about 2 minutes before you press. This will yield about 8 ounces of coffee.

Inverted AeroPress Recipe:
Another method worth exploring is to invert your AeroPress. The inversion recipe requires you to place the plunger somewhere between of an inch to 1 inch inside the brew chamber to create a seal, then flipping the entire AeroPress and resting it on top of the plunger for the duration of your steep time.  This will create more turbulence in the brew chamber and also keep your water trapped inside, preventing any leaks into your cup.  Invert with caution! If your seal is not tight, you are going to have a hot, wet, mess all over your counter. Ben no longer uses the inversion method for this reason.

Iced AeroPress Coffee Recipe:
Follow the directions of the Inventors Recipe, but before you press, place 6-8 ice cubes into your cup. The ice will melt as you press, which will chill and dilute your coffee leaving you a refreshing iced coffee beverage.

Brewing on the Go:

The versatility, durability, and portability of the AeroPress make it an ideal brewer for the traveling coffee consumer.

Along with your brewer, you should also purchase a hand grinder which will allow you to have freshly ground coffee whether you have electricity available or not.

If you're feeling super adventurous, you can even try using your AeroPress while on an airplane.  Make sure you pack a sturdy mug in your carry-on (attempting to press on a paper cup will only lead to disaster), just ask your flight attendant for some hot water from the beverage cart.

2016 U.S. AeroPress Championship Recipe:

by Ben Jones

This was the process Ben designed and executed to become a U.S. AeroPress Champion. The AeroPress is set up for the standard method with a beer can cozy around the brew chamber for insulation, and an Able fine metal disc filter with 2 paper AeroPress filters.

What You Need:

• Insulated Beer Cozy
• Able brand Metal Filter (Fine Model)
• Kitchen Thermometer
• A timer
• Gram Scale
• Complete AeroPress Coffee Maker (All Box Contents)
• Kettle + Heat Source
• Filtered Water
• Fresh Coffee ground for drip

Directions 

1. Fill your kettle with filtered water and set it to boil.
2. Unscrew the black filter cap and insert two fresh paper filters, followed by the Able Fine Metal Filter, and screw the filter cap back on. Remove the plunger and thoroughly rinse the filters to remove any papery flavors.
3. Place the brewer, filter side down, on top of your favorite sturdy mug or decanter, then place the whole assembly onto your scale and tare it so that it reads 0g.
4. Add 26 grams of "drip" grind coffee into the brew chamber, aim for a particle size appropriate for a flat-bottom paper filter.
5. When your water begins to boil, remove it from heat and let it rest. The temperature should be 200F when you begin to carefully pour it, from a height of 12 inches, into the brew chamber, stopping when the scale reads 226g. Then start your timer.
6. Use the stirring paddle to stir the concoction vigorously 10-12 times.
7. Wet the rubber seal of the plunger and insert it, at a 45 degree angle, into the brew chamber. Pivot it to a vertical position and lift up slightly, on the plunger only, to create a vacuum that will stop the drip.
8. When your timer reached 2:00, slowly press the plunger for about 30 seconds, stopping when the press begins to hiss.
9. Remove the AeroPress, tare your scale, and then add 75g of hot water to the extracted concentrate.
10. Enjoy!

Clean-Up and Care

Cleaning your AeroPress after you brew could not be easier.  Simply unscrew the filter cap and push on the plunger to release the coffee grinds into your compost, discard the paper filter, and scrub/rinse all parts of your brewer.  Periodically, you may want to pop off the rubber plunger tip to clean behind it.  No soaps or chemicals should ever be necessary.

Storage
Once you are done cleaning, either push your plunger all the way through the brew chamber or remove the plunger altogether when not in use.

Keeping your AeroPress stored with the plunger partially compressed will create pressure and could lead to wear on your rubber plunger tip.

As long as you keep your AeroPress clean and stored properly, you will keep your coffee tasting fresh for years to come!

Take a look at our online store for everything you will need to get started!

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