Baristas always make brewing coffee look like an unfathomable process facilitated by ludicrously expensive machinery. But in reality, it’s all a farce – a well-told lie that forces you to shell out money you don’t have for necessary caffeine.
It all boils down (pun intended) to knowing about your beans and knowing how to use your apparatus properly.
Here’s a tip for how to get the best coffee, sourced straight from one of Edinburgh’s many prestigious coffee bars, Filament.
Why and how to use an Aeropress
Photo by Geir Darge
A little-known fact about the Aeropress: pretty much every ‘filter’ brew you order in a good coffee shop will be made with it.
In days gone by the V60 (or “pour over”) was the preferred technique for crafting fragrant filter brews. However, it’s slow and its annoyingly delicate: two things the Aeropress most certainly isn’t.
What actually is an Aeropress?
Photo by Geir Darge
A rudimentary comparison would be likening it to giant coffee syringe that you simply plunge into a mug. More than just being simple, it’s also devilishly cheap when comparing it a decent V60.
How to get the best tasting coffee
Photo by Geige Darge
Firstly you want to pull the plunge out to the very top and set it standing upside down, then take your water, heated to around 90°C, and pour it into the Aeropress’ chamber. We do this to heat up the plastic before putting the coffee in so that the water stays as close to 90°C as possible.
Whilst the water heats the interior of the press, it’s a good idea to deal with your beans. For an Aeropress, you want to grind your beans just a little finer than what you would use for a cafetiere.
It is possible to use any type of bean grind in an Aeropress but if you are looking to craft a coffee like the baristas do it you best option is to stick to slightly coarser coffee and bump up your brew time.
Once you have ground your beans up, discard the water from the Aeropress and then empty in your coffee. At this stage, you will want to have a small jug, or something of that sort, to pour in the rest of your water. It will help you pour more slowly and ensure that the coffee doesn’t clump. Decant the water into the press as smoothly as you can, making sure to move rotate the jug as you pour.
Photo by Geir Darge
When you have reached about a centimeter from the top, stop and then leave the grounds to sit for approximately two minutes. Whilst your coffee brews, take the Aeropress’ top and filter paper and pour the remainder of your hot water over it, before screwing it on to the top.
After two minutes have passed, you are at last ready to have your Java. Upturn the press and place over a mug (or jug) and in a clean and controlled motion, push the plunger down and literally inject your cup with coffee.
What is so great about this whole process is that it is, in relative terms, it’s a super fast way to make good coffee, as well as being clean and hassle free. You don’t have to take a course to know how it’s done; just have a quick read of this article and you’ll be set.