What is AeroPress? What are the features of the AeroPress coffee maker? Detailed instructions on how to use it! What should you pay attention to when making espresso?

In 2005, Alan Adler, then approaching his 70s, invented the AeroPress out of dissatisfaction with traditional coffee brewing methods.

As shown in the picture, this syringe-like tool is the coffee extraction device known as the "AeroPress." (For more about the history and evolution of the AeroPress, you can check out this detailed article: "Link") Traditionally, the AeroPress has been primarily used for making single-origin coffee, but after drinking too much plain coffee, some people might want to change things up, for example, with a cup of rich and flavorful milk coffee. However, making milk coffee has quite high requirements for the base coffee - the concentration must be high enough to compete with the flavor of the milk without being overwhelmed. So, the question arises: can the AeroPress make "espresso" that meets these conditions?

Of course! It absolutely can. But it's worth noting that, in the broad sense, espresso refers to coffee extracted by an espresso machine. The "espresso" mentioned by FrontStreet Coffee here refers to a cup of high-concentration coffee. And making a high-concentration coffee with the AeroPress is not difficult - we just need to slightly adjust the extraction parameters.

How to Make "Espresso" with AeroPress?

To increase the concentration of a coffee, you can easily achieve this by increasing the amount of coffee grounds used or reducing the extraction water. In short, it's about increasing the coffee-to-water ratio. By increasing the coffee-to-water ratio, the space for coffee substances will be compressed, thus increasing the concentration.

However, simply increasing the coffee-to-water ratio is not enough. Since the AeroPress uses immersion and pressure extraction, without continuously注入 "fresh hot water," the extraction efficiency will be relatively lower. Therefore, we also need to adjust other extraction parameters to achieve higher extraction efficiency.

Adjusting the grind to be finer, increasing the water temperature, increasing the number of stirs, and extending the extraction time are all adjustment targets we can choose. Specific decisions need to be made based on the actual situation. For example: when the grind cannot be made any finer, we need to increase extraction efficiency in other aspects, such as raising the water temperature, extending the time, and so on. Alright, without further ado, let's have FrontStreet Coffee share how to use the AeroPress to make a cup of high-concentration coffee!

Extraction parameters are as follows:

• Beans used: Medium-dark roast Warm Sun Blend
• Coffee amount: 20g
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:3 (because coffee grounds absorb a certain amount of water, FrontStreet Coffee found through multiple experiments that 1:3 is the most suitable ratio)
• Grind setting: Espresso grind (flour-like)
• Extraction water temperature: 94°C
• Extraction method: Inverted brewing
• Time: One minute

First, let's assemble this "syringe" and then turn it upside down.

Then add the coffee grounds and hot water in sequence.

Stir for 10 turns and wait for one minute.

When the time is up, we put on the cap and take a prepared cup to place upside down on top. Then, holding the AeroPress and cup firmly, flip the entire thing over.

Finally, we apply some force to the piston and slowly press down.

When fully pressed to the bottom, the extraction is complete! As you can see, although this coffee is small in quantity, its color is very dark, which means it has a quite high concentration! A small sip, hey! It has that distinctive flavor! Now, FrontStreet Coffee believes what everyone is most concerned about is what effect it would have to use this for making latte. Very good, FrontStreet Coffee immediately frothed some milk foam for making it, with the following parameters:

• AeroPress concentrated coffee: 40ml
• Milk foam: 200ml

And then we got a cup of milk coffee that looks quite good!

However, FrontStreet Coffee took a sip and found, hmmm... it's a bit weak. That makes sense, although the AeroPress uses the same grind and water temperature as an espresso machine, the pressure is still somewhat insufficient. It's natural that it can't produce such rich coffee. But that's okay, at this point, we just need to slightly reduce the proportion of milk, and the coffee flavor will stand out. As expected, FrontStreet Coffee readjusted it, and the taste was indeed richer than the previous time. Of course, continuing to increase the amount of coffee is also a good option, but relatively, the cost will also increase to some extent. The specific approach depends on your own trade-offs! Alright, friends who have an AeroPress in hand, give it a try~

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473