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Aeropress

Aeropress coffee maker

Aeropress is a unique, easy to use device that takes the best features of espresso and the French Press and creates a third choice for our favourite caffeine. It is small, compact and easy to store when not in use. The Aeropress makes one or two cups at a time, perfect to start your day off right or to enjoy yourself after dinner.

Aeropress is highly recommended as a first coffee brew method because it is easy, inexpensive and yields a good cup.  It is also great for travelling due to its small size.

To learn more about Aeropress keep reading!

What is the Aeropress

Aeropress is a press style coffee maker invented by Alan Adler, inventor of the Aerobie Flying Ring. The coffee maker works with a combination of immersion and pressure to produce coffee grounds as fine as espresso. It makes 1 to 3 cups of very strong coffee or espresso-like coffee in about one minute. According to some, it produces some of the best coffee as compared to other press-type brewers like French Press.

Since it makes such a strong brew, Aeropress is best enjoyed black. You can, however, add a touch of cream or milk to cut through some of the acidity. Aeropress coffee is great for making iced coffee too! Enjoy!

Benefits of using an Aeropress:

1) The Aeropress makes a delicious cup of coffee.   It can make what is called an Americano which consists of simply hot water and a shot of espresso (Chemex does not do this).  If you like your coffee like I like mine, strong but low in acidity then this method will yield an extremely tasty cup of coffee.

2) It is inexpensive to use.  With the Aeropress, you can buy your own coffee, grind it yourself and make as much coffee as you want.  I recommend buying the whole beans to keep your cost low and freshness high!

3) It is simple to clean up with just hot water and no paper filters needed (if you buy the metal filter). The Aeropress is also very small and easily stored in any sized space.

4) It makes 1-4 cups of coffee at a time which can be customized to your liking.   

5) You can make cold brew with it or hot!  

Drawbacks to using the Aeropress :

The Aeropress requires hot water which can be difficult if you are travelling. Generally boiling water is easily accessible in modern times but sometimes an electric kettle or microwave will need to suffice for heating your water if you are not near a stove.

Who should consider buying an Aeropress?

I recommend the Aeropress as a great first coffee brewing method because it is inexpensive, easy to use and makes good tasting coffee.  Also portable, this would be a great choice for camping or travelling.  The Aeropress also makes an excellent cup of cold brew!  It’s easy to make, tastes good and is very low acidity which makes it easier on the stomach.  

I recommend buying whole bean coffee from your local roaster to save money and ensure freshness.  Most small coffee roasters will offer their full range of coffee with information regarding how it was grown, where it is from and the roast degree (similar to how wine is described).  This is important in choosing what kind of roast you want in your cup!  I recommend looking for something with an origin similar to what you enjoy drinking.  For example, if you drink dark roast coffee often, look for something dark roasted from the region that it is grown in (i.e Mexico or South America).  Light roasts are usually too bright and acidic for my preference but some people like them!  If you want to try it out, buy different kinds and see what you like.  If it isn’t to your liking then you can simply re-grind it into a French press or use the espresso grinds in an Aeropress (or Chemex, but that’s another guide).

If you don’t have a coffee grinder then pre-ground will be a reasonable substitute.  This will not yield the same results as freshly ground beans but it is a reasonable alternative if you are really in need of coffee or don’t have one when camping.   

If you do have the resources to grind your own beans then I recommend using a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder.  

Alternatives to Aeropress

Chemex, French press or percolator will be the most readily available in most places.

Chemex is not as widely used but will yield a flavorful cup if done correctly.  

French press is a low-cost alternative to the Aeropress and often has a much better flavor than drip-machine coffee.

Percolators are similar to the French press in that they produce a very flavorful cup of coffee but is not as widely used as the others.  Some people like to drink their coffee black and percolators really extract all the flavours which some people don’t like (i.e they want something milder).

Cleanup is not difficult with any of these but the Aeropress is definitely easier if that is something you are concerned about.   

Some other coffee brewing methods you can try (if you have access to them): Turkish, vacuum pot, direct-drip.

 

If this seems like a lot then perhaps just buy an Aeropress and experiment with it. It’s a low-budget investment and you can always try to find other ways of making coffee if you want more variety.

 

Enjoy your cup and happy brewing!

Aeropress at lake

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