Hardware
Aeropress
Coffee from a Flying Toy Inventor
In 2005, Alan Adler, the American inventor of the frisbee-like, tearingly fast Aerobie throwing ring, also invented a new method of brewing coffee: the Aeropress.
As with the frisbee, the Aeropress created a hype, ‘flying' off the shelves. Five years on, the Aeropress is still popular, due to its appealing simplicity and the sturdy taste of the coffees it brews.
How it works
The Aeropress looks a little like a polyester syringe, consisting of two parts: a cylinder and a plunger with a rubber seal. Its mechanism is amazingly simple. Hot water is poured onto the coffee and pushed through the ground coffee with the plunger. The following guidelines will help you along. Don't be discouraged by the ‘maths': these are included if you want to get the most out of your Aeropress. An Aeropress coffee is always a succes!
There are two basic method for using the Aeropress:
1. Upside down
2. Up straight
We prefer the first method, because brewing this ‘upside down' way, the coffee does not trickle through the filter before the plunger is pushed through. It gives you more control over extraction time. It is definitely worth trying the other method as well though. Taste the difference!
Why not try out variations in grinding degree, extraction time, etc.? See what works best for you and don't forget to taste the coffee after it has cooled down a bit. Many coffees acquire a delightful bite at lower temperatures.
The recipe below is tailored to one of Bocca's (Amsterdam) top coffee beans: the Panama Sun dried.
What you need:
Aeropress plus accessories
Water boiler
Digital scales with tare function (for measuring water and coffee)
Mug or jug
Thermometer for measuring water temperature
Coffee (roast filter coffee)
Coffee grinder
Hario Buono Kettle (optional)
Upside down
Place a paper round filter in the black filter tray, then rinse the filter. Position the plunger at the #4 mark of the Aeropress. Place the Aeropress upside down on the scales. Tare the scales (zero setting).
Boil the water. Grind the coffee (grind size between filter and cafetiere). A finer grind makes for a more complete extraction, but may result in a bitter brew. In order to get the correct dosage, the scales are used. Add 12 grams of coffee in the Aeropress (assuming a ratio of 16.6 g/ml of water to each gram of coffee).
Slowly pour 200 g/ml of water (at 90˚ C) onto the ground coffee and start counting! (2 minutes) from the moment the water hits the coffee.
Stir a set number of times using the Aeropress stirrer, then twist the filter tray onto the chamber.
When the designated time has passed, turn the device over (the filter tray is now at the bottom end) and place it on the mug. Now calmly push the plunger downward, allowing this to take around 50 seconds. Push on until a hissing sound is heard.
The 200 g/ml of water is the maximum amount the Aeropress chamber can hold.
Pouring the water measure by measure will prevent clotting.
Experimenting with variables such as grind size? Make sure to stir a set number of times! More stirring means more extraction, as in brewing tea!
Enjoy!
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