| In our roastery, I’m constantly exploring new brew methods and recipes. This past week, I found three recipes for AeroPress that I thoroughly enjoyed. After brewing each one, I tasted the coffee and experimented with some small changes. I found that I was able to highlight unique attributes in one coffee by changing my brew variables. How did I do this? In this post, I’ll share the recipes I found as well as the adjustments I made to emphasize the effect on the final cup. |
What is an AeroPress?The AeroPress was introduced to the coffee industry by Stanford scientist and engineer Alan Adler in 1984. The invention came about from Alder’s desire to brew his everyday coffee with lower perceived acidity and bitterness. An AeroPress is one of many tools used to brew coffee within the industry. It’s fast and easy to use, built for portable brewing. Many baristas enjoy it for its versatility and ability to brew coffees with different flavor profiles. There’s even a World AeroPress Championship where participants compete for the title of Best Brew. You can read the winning recipes here. |
The RecipesWhen I’m developing a new brew recipe, I start by referencing recipes from other coffee professionals online. I can use these as a jumping-off point. After brewing, I taste the coffee, then I’ll make one adjustment at a time, changing the brew’s final flavor profile to fit my preferences or to achieve desired outcomes. For this experiment, I used a washed coffee from Colombia, the El Tambo from AMACA that we highlighted recently in our blog. I knew this coffee was sweet, citric, and clean. I was intrigued to see how this coffee would showcase itself in each of these brew recipes. |
James Hoffman’s Ultimate AeroPress Recipe: (standard)Dose – 11g Grind – 4 EK / 450-600um (really fine) Water Amt – 200ml Water Temp – 208 degrees Fahrenheit Brew Time – 3:00 TDS – 1.23%
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This first recipe comes from coffee YouTube celebrity James Hoffman. It produces a familiar cup profile. I wanted to feature a recipe that highlight balances through flavor and tactile experience, and this recipe does exactly that. I ground the coffee slightly coarser than James does, because we wanted to achieve a super clean mouthfeel. As our team tasted this brew, we collectively agreed that it was an everyday crowd pleaser. One that we could keep coming back to drink anytime. All the attributes of sweetness, bitterness, and acidity within this coffee are in harmony with one another. We tasted notes of a heath bar and a lemon pastry when we brewed the Colombia El Tambo with this recipe.
This brew measured in at 1.23% TDS which is on the stronger side of the “ideal” measurement range, but the elevated strength only enhanced the balance of flavors in this cup. You could use a water bypass to dilute the brew slightly if you prefer less strength in your coffee. |
Scroll through for photos of this recipe being brewed |
April Coffee Roasters: (standard)Dose – 13g Grind – 6.75 EK Water Amt- 200ml Water Temp – 185 degrees Fahrenheit Brew Time – 2:00 TDS – 1.17%
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Our second brew recipe comes from April Coffee Roasters. It produces an entirely different flavor experience. The faster brew time and the inclusion of agitation at the start of the brew accentuates the acidity found in this coffee. We experienced more nuanced flavor, a refreshing mouthfeel, and a high-quality acidity that brightened the cup. Initially, the tactile experience is mouthwatering which then turns to a round, soft, juicy texture on the palate.
The original April Coffee Roasters recipe called for a water temperature of 190° which we lowered to 185°. We also poured the water a little slower than their instructions described. These small differences produced a lively and exciting cup that measured 1.17% TDS which is the “ideal” strength for brewed coffee according to the SCA Brew Control Chart. |
2021 World AeroPress Championship Recipe: (inverted method)Dose – 17g Grind – 6.75 EK / 810 um Water Amt – 200ml Water Temp – 176 degrees Fahrenheit Brew Time – 2:00 TDS – 1.56%
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This final recipe comes from 2021 World AeroPress Champion Tuomas Merikanto. His recipe creates a coffee with a much thicker, almost viscous body. When we brewed this recipe, we experienced a full, effervescent, and sweeter cup. Our goal for the final profile was to highlight the sweetness and body in the Colombia El Tambo. With this recipe we’re able to get a buttery, nougat-like sweetness and syrupy mouthfeel. Tuomas’ original recipe utilized two paper filters in the filter cap (it’s common for baristas to use more than one filter or to use a combination of metal and paper) but we went with just one for simplicity. He also uses 18g of coffee, which we lowered to 17g in our version. Lastly, he used a water formula from Third Wave Water, and we used the filtered water in our roastery which is calibrated to have a slightly lower minerality. The minute differences maintain the overall quality of the original recipe but makes it a little more repeatable on our brew bar. |
Scroll through for photos of this recipe being brewed |
Final NotesThe AeroPress is popular because there are seemingly endless ways to make coffee with it. Understanding the variables of extraction help you manipulate a create different cups of coffee with this simple and versatile brewer. Because of its small size, it’s possible to brew with a very small dose, stretching out a bag of coffee and giving you the satisfaction of dialing in the perfect cup. Whether you’re chasing balance, acidity, sweetness, or something else, the joy of brewing is in the process: try it and taste it. |
