Aeropress - Any experienced users on here, I need tips!

[Time Waster]

I've had an Aeropress Go for a few years now. I bought one for my Nephew's 18th as he likes coffee and liked what came so much I kept it and got a second to send to him. He loves is and apparently it went to uni with him and gets a lot of use. I however keep going back to it after a long time with it in the cupbaord graveyard of kitchen devices that sounded so promising but never met the promise with their realisation.

So I am wondering again, what am I doing wrong? Is it just practise to get it right? Whilst to my untrained pallet it seems to make real coffee less bitter than even the French Press / Cafetiere method. It is quick too, even with the messy tidy up and leaving it out to dry. However it is the strength I find becomes random with use. I once read that it is one spoon per cup and the numbers represent cups. IME I use mugs and do not like espresso / expresso coffees. So I fill it up to the number 3 with water and use one spoon with a little bit more. I then top up the mug with boiled water (Americano style) and I then add milk (rather too much milk as I actually like a milky coffee). So when I repeat the process each time I should get similar results but I do not. One cup will be weak as anything, thee next will have me bouncing off the walls. What could be the reason? Am I really doing the same thing each time and getting different results?

So how do you make a single mug of coffee with your aeropress? Any advice?

BTW We buy beans and grind with a mechanical grinder then put into a small container. We get about two or three days of morning coffee out of that container as it is not very big. My partner uses a stove top or a french press for about 3 cups in the morning, and I make the odd one each day as I feel like it. She mostly drinks tea and herbal tea except for the morning. I drink mostly instant through the day. However I am thinking of using my aeropress more. I am thinking of going decaff and a local supermarket sells swiss water filtered decaff beans (whatever that means they say it is naturally decaff). I am thinking that this then instant decaff through the day. I think the proper coffee bean version of decaff might make it more palateable to be without the caffeine.

So any tips really? Things like what do the numbers really mean as 3 = one mug for me with a little hot water added? How many of the Aeropress spoons of coffee is needed to get a non-bitter average strength cup? Stuff like that, the details to get it right every time.

Thank you for your patience in reading this!!

 

[KneesUp]

I use ours every day since the electric machine broke a few months ago. All the markings have worn off though so I can't comment on where I fill to. I use an old HUEL scoop per coffee - I don't use a full scoop, maybe about 3/4 of a scoop. I only put coffee and water in the Aeropress. I put the coffee in, then half fill it with water, then stir it, then fill up the rest by pouring water over the spoon (to wash the coffee of it) I also use a metal filter rather than the paper ones (because I kept forgetting to order more and it's annoying when you run out)

Seems to be fairly consistent for me.

 

[chriswoody]

I use an Aeropress Go on my bikepacking trips and absolutely love it. Normally at home I freshly grind my coffee in a hand grinder and use a French press to brew it. I have marks on my grinder telling me how much I've ground and I know the perfect amount for the strength of coffee I like. What I do for my Bikepacking trips is to grind a number of days worth of coffee and decant them into a couple of small Nalgene bottles. I've carefully decanted exactly one coffees worth into the Nalgene bottle and marked the outside with permanent marker. I've ended up with a series of marks, so I know how much coffee is the perfect amount to tip into the Aeropress. I've not actually used the Aeropress spoon, but again, I would quickly decant the perfect amount of coffee into it and just make a note of how full it was.

As for brewing, I'm a big fan of the inverted method. So I'll pull the plunger out as far as possible, then rest the Aeropress upside down and tip the coffee grounds in. Then when the kettles boiled I'll tip just enough water in to cover the grounds, then wait a minute. I'll then fill the rest of the way to the top, pop the filter on, then leave it for 5 minutes or so. Then I'll tip it back the right way over a cup and slowly plunge down. I'll then top the cup up with fresh boiling water. This seems to give me a good consistent brew everytime and certainly the best camping coffee I've experienced.

 

[MontyVeda]

Loved my aeropress (original) but it wore out after a few years. not got round to buying another yet but i still have a big stack of filters

 

[winjim]

Invert aeropress, two scoops of freshly ground coffee, fill with water just off the boil(forget the increments), stir well, metal filter on top. Warm milk in frother, forget about coffee cos the kids need breakfast, swear, press coffee, add milk, drink while making another one for the flask to take to work.

 

[BrumJim]

Loved my aeropress (original) but it wore out after a few years. not got round to buying another yet but i still have a big stack of filters

You can get a replacement rubber seal part.

 

[Gwylan]

Invert aeropress, two scoops of freshly ground coffee, fill with water just off the boil(forget the increments), stir well, metal filter on top. Warm milk in frother, forget about coffee cos the kids need breakfast, swear, press coffee, add milk, drink while making another one for the flask to take to work.

First works problem, obviously. 😀

 

[newts]

Many things come into play.
Grind size.
Water >95c as a guide.
Each bag of beans is different & takes a few brews to dial in.
Dwell time in the press can vary for different coffees & your personal taste, somewhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes.
Brew with a lesser amount of water & top up after you've pressed into the cup.

Sounds a bit of a faff, but a little experimenting & you'll be getting your perfect brew nearly every time. ☕

 

[Dadam]

I love my Aeropress (original not a Go) but don't use it a lot these days since I got a bean to cup machine at home. Generally I just take it on holiday. I used to leave it at work and I'm considering doing that again as the output of work's drip machine is decidedly average and also depends on other folk putting the right amount of grounds in it.

I'd definitely echo the tip to use the inverted method, and ignore the marking. My method is this. Put 1 aeropress scoop per mug required into the inverted tube with plunger already inserted. Top up with kettle water just off the boil. Stir a little. Wait 2 mins. Filter head on and press into mug. If doing 2 mugs split 50/50 into other mug. Top mug(s) up with hot water, add milk or whatever to taste.

Lack of consistency is probably variation in your grind, or how long you let it brew.

If you find a bean brand you like that's consistent, then experiment with grind settings and brew time until you're happy and make notes.

 

[newts]

If you find a bean brand you like that's consistent, then experiment with grind settings and brew time until you're happy and make notes.

Sound advice.