Brewing guide
AeroPress
Part immersion, part pressure, all versatility — the camping-trip champion that also wins brewing competitions.
The setup
Invented in 2005 by Alan Adler — the same engineer behind the Aerobie flying ring — the AeroPress brews by steeping coffee briefly, then pushing it through a paper filter with gentle air pressure. It's fast, mess-free, indestructible, and so consistent that it has its own World Championship. There are two camps: standard (filter-side down) and inverted (assembled upside-down so nothing drips until you flip it). The recipe below is the simpler standard method.
You'll need:
- AeroPress + paper filters (rinse first)
- Medium-fine grinder
- Kettle
- Scale + timer
- A sturdy mug
Lower temperature is a feature here — 80–85°C tames bitterness and suits the short, concentrated brew.
Recipe — 15g coffee, 220g water
| Step | Time | Water | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add coffee + bloom | 0:00 | 50g | Stir 3× to wet everything |
| Fill | 0:20 | +170g | Top up to 220g, insert plunger to seal |
| Steep | 0:20–1:10 | — | Let it sit; give a gentle stir at 1:00 |
| Press | 1:10–1:40 | — | Push slowly, stop at the hiss |
Stop pressing the moment you hear air hiss — pushing past it pulls bitter, dry-tasting compounds through.
Try the timer
AeroPress 15g recipe timer
Press Space to start/pause.
- 0sCoffee + bloom+50ml
- 20sFill to 220g+170ml
- 1mStir+0ml
- 1m 10sPress slowly+0ml
Common mistakes
- Pressing too hard. It should take 20–30 seconds. Forcing it channels water and over-extracts.
- Water too hot. Boiling water + a fine grind = harsh. Drop to ~83°C.
- Forgetting to rinse the filter. Quick papery taste, easily avoided.