Coffee Snobs - Aeropress?

FlatFender

FlatFender

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
1,108
Location
Raleighish
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
Anybody use an Aeropress? Any tips?

I picked one up yesterday, and I'm immediately making better coffee than I was before, but I feel like there's got to be more science behind it.
 
Big snob here... My experience/research over the years. They work great. I use a Bodum French Press though. Simple and cheap. No micro filter, but I know how to make coffee. The key to great French press is the grind. A conical bur grinder set to a course grind is the best. It gives you a consistent grind for a consistent steep. That's the goal. No filter will fix that. You can filter out the fines but you can't stop them from over-steeping and turning bitter. Second is water temp. You don't want boiling water. You want just off boiling water. Over 200° and you "burn" the coffee, so to speak. You lose body and aroma, and add bitterness. Also, pour your coffee as soon as it's steeped. All of it. If you make more than your cup holds, pour the rest into a carafe to stop the steeping process. On top of that, grind your beans when you need them, they get stale faster than you think...

Aeropress makes as good a cup as can be made from what I've seen, but it doesn't fix other issues.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ive never heard of it before, but hey, if it works press on. I am pretty happy with my keurig. The key to good coffee is good water, I use filtered water to make mine, and I can tell a difference when the filter needs to be changed. What kind of beans are you using?
 
Looks like a different take on a French press. I've used a French press before and it works well. Currently I use an old school percolator.
 
dave33;n65181 said:
Ive never heard of it before, but hey, if it works press on. I am pretty happy with my keurig. The key to good coffee is good water, I use filtered water to make mine, and I can tell a difference when the filter needs to be changed. What kind of beans are you using?
Click to expand...

Your coffee snob card is hereby revoked...

Keurig is for when you're at the office and don't have time to make a good cup of coffee... It's not possible to get a well steeped, full bodied cup of coffee from a pod machine...

Here's all you need to know about why not to pod...
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-...s-taste-gross-2016-3/#violation-1-the-grind-1
 
Last edited by a moderator:
chiefjason;n65195 said:
Looks like a different take on a French press. I've used a French press before and it works well. Currently I use an old school percolator.
Click to expand...

It is a French press with an extra level of filtration and pressure to steep faster. The pressure is the advantage. You can practically make espresso with it. Easy to get a very full body.
 
bigfelipe;n65200 said:
Keurig is for when you're at the office and don't have time to make a good cup of coffee... It's not possible to get a well steeped, full bodied cup of coffee from a pod machine...

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-...s-taste-gross-2016-3/#violation-1-the-grind-1
Click to expand...

Oh I agree its not optimal by any means, but with a wife, 2 kids, 60+ hr workweeks and a never ending honey do list if it wasnt for the speed of the keurig I would have to chew the grinds on the way to work in the morning. On the rare downtimes I get I have had pretty good luck grinding beans and putting them in a reusable filter cup.
 
bigfelipe;n65180 said:
Big snob here... My experience/research over the years. They work great. I use a Bodum French Press though. Simple and cheap. No micro filter, but I know how to make coffee. The key to great French press is the grind. A conical bur grinder set to a course grind is the best. It gives you a consistent grind for a consistent steep. That's the goal. No filter will fix that. You can filter out the fines but you can't stop them from over-steeping and turning bitter. Second is water temp. You don't want boiling water. You want just off boiling water. Over 200° and you "burn" the coffee, so to speak. You lose body and aroma, and add bitterness. Also, pour your coffee as soon as it's steeped. All of it. If you make more than your cup holds, pour the rest into a carafe to stop the steeping process. On top of that, grind your beans when you need them, they get stale faster than you think...

Aeropress makes as good a cup as can be made from what I've seen, but it doesn't fix other issues.
Click to expand...

We use the biggest Bodum made, 51 ounce. And a electric water pot that is temperature programmable.
 
fishgutzy;n65316 said:
We use the biggest Bodum made, 51 ounce. And a electric water pot that is temperature programmable.
Click to expand...

Good point! Electric kettles are awesome! We have two. That cuts down the time to make french press coffee drastically. Boil a whole pot of water in a couple mins.
 
Get a stainless steel filter for it from Amazon. You get more of the coffee oils than with the paper filters and better taste in my opinion.
I usually do the inverted method.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I'm the guy that goes to Starbucks and orders "a cup of coffee". As long as it's reasonably strong and black, I'm good. That is not to say I don't appreciate a good cup of joe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HMP
Okay, so I started taking notes with it so I'm not always trying stuff all willy-nilly. Seems like the most consistent cup I get with my store bought ground coffee is 1.5 scoops, filled to the #4 with 200* water (I suspect my meat thermometer might be off a tick, because I tried 180* water and it didn't brew well at all) for 1:15. This seems to make a killer cup.

I'll pick up a burr grinder next week.
 
There's a burr grinder... EcoGrinder or something like that that I got off Amazon that nests inside the Aeropress... Not great for large amounts of grinding but makes it nice for traveling.

Yea I'm that guy who will make his own coffee in the hotel room.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
FlatFender;n66118 said:
That's exactly what this is. Plain jane, rich, full flavored cup of black coffee.
Click to expand...

Oh ok. Well you have my attention now. I was thinking this was some version of a $15.00 Starbucks cup o' crap.
 
FlatFender;n66096 said:
Okay, so I started taking notes with it so I'm not always trying stuff all willy-nilly. Seems like the most consistent cup I get with my store bought ground coffee is 1.5 scoops, filled to the #4 with 200* water (I suspect my meat thermometer might be off a tick, because I tried 180* water and it didn't brew well at all) for 1:15. This seems to make a killer cup.

I'll pick up a burr grinder next week.
Click to expand...

200-205 is the sweet spot for proper extraction.
 
BurnedOutGeek;n65212 said:
168-175 degree water, and get a good grinder.
Click to expand...

Oops, my bad. That's the finish temp I like to drink it at.
Brewing temp at 198-205

Got spoiled with my oxo brain and haven't used the press in a while, had to actually go back and look it up.
 
Coltdefender1911;n66108 said:
What happened to a plain ole cup of coffee?
Click to expand...

My house, 6:30am every morning when my $30 Mr. Coffee kicks on.
 
http://www.scaa.org/?page=cert2

[h=3]At this time, current SCAA Certified Home Brewers are:[/h]
  • Technivorm Moccamaster
  • Behmor Connected Brewer or Behmor Connected Coffee Brew System
  • KitchenAid Coffee Maker KCM0802
  • KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Brewer (model KCM0801OB)
  • Bonavita Coffee Maker (model BV1900TS)
  • Bonavita BV1900TD 8-Cup Digital Coffee Brewer
  • OXO On 9-Cup Coffee Maker
  • OXO On 12-Cup Coffee Maker
  • Wilfa Precision Coffee Maker
  • BUNN 10-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
  • Behmor Brazen Connected 8 Cup Coffee Maker
Click to expand...

Your coffee needs to be brewed from 195-205 to get a proper brew of coffee. Most anything else will give you coffee flavored water. /snob

That is not to say a superior manual brewer, like a Chemex, can't make a good brew of coffee. You just need to have something like an electric kettle next to it, and pour in the water a bit at a time. A french press, aeropress, vacuum press will all give you decent, but not excellent brews, as the temperature of the water is no longer in control.
 
Bodum here as well. Sandy uses a Mr Coffee with gold filter for the every morning coffee. She makes pretty good coffee after I taught her the proper grind...
 
This here is some good shit.

pEEdjAg.jpg
 
Had a tough choice between a technivorm and the oxo. In the end as you cans see I took the oxo and it's been spectacular. Working from home and drinking about a pot a day, I just didn't have time to keep up with the press, which I still use just not nearly as often.
Here's this morning's cup
 

Attachments

  • 20170122_084548.jpg
    20170122_084548.jpg
    179.9 KB · Views: 2
Last edited by a moderator:
I like coffee that tastes like coffee, strong and black. I've gone back to the old stovetop percolator.
 
Reading this thread while enjoying my coffee made with a drip machine using tap water and Harris Teeter ground coffee, I appreciate how easy it was to make and how little effort in cleanup and maintenance is required. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.threadbombing.com\/data\/media\/3\/tumblr_l0wgrvQgrM1qzh5gno1_500.jpg"}[/IMG2]



That said, I also recognize I better not ever try Phil's coffee for fear that it will make me realize what I'm missing out on. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I also use a keurig. Its easy. If there is a better way id like to try it. Someone post up pics of your set up.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mightyox04;n67253 said:
I also use a keurig. Its easy. If there is a better way id like to try it. Someone post up pics of your set up.
Click to expand...

I've used a keurig for years, but I couldn't stand to drink that brown water any longer.

This is the Aeropress:

jkfpsvc.jpg
 
Ok thanks. I might give that a shot. So you heat water and poor it into that? Im still drinking coffee out of a NCGO mug. A CFF mug would be great.
 
You do want to use a mug that is somewhat "sturdy"..... Ask me how I know.
 
I have been using the aero press for about a year. I bought it for camping and liked it so much that I use it every day. I probably wouldn't though if I didn't already have a electric tea kettle. I've thought about upgrading to a kettle you can set the temperature on, as my current one boils the water and then turns off. I use the inverted method as well, which is definitely best way to ensure it all steeps evenly. Be sure to wet the filter once you put it in the cap. I've found that the cleanup is easy and way better than a standard drip machine. Just pop the "puck" in the trash and rinse the rubber end and cap. I discovered this press by watching Yankee prepper on YouTube. He also sells his own coffee and it's awesome. He roasts it when you order and throws it in the mail that day. He gets beans from all over the world. Check him out if your interested. I have a electric burr grinder and for camping I have a small stainless one that nests inside the aero press.
 
Mightyox04;n67784 said:
Ok thanks. I might give that a shot. So you heat water and poor it into that? Im still drinking coffee out of a NCGO mug. A CFF mug would be great.
Click to expand...

Basically, yeah.

Just came home from grocery shopping with a grinder and some whole beans. Things are getting interesting.
 
So when I was reading this thread, I assumed the Aeropress was some large expensive piece of equipment and that cleanup would be a real PITA.

Hence my earlier post:
drypowder;n67231 said:
Reading this thread while enjoying my coffee made with a drip machine using tap water and Harris Teeter ground coffee, I appreciate how easy it was to make and how little effort in cleanup and maintenance is required.
Click to expand...

After seeing the pic FlatFender posted, I looked it up. It's only $30, takes up less space than my drip coffee maker and from their promo video, looks easier to keep clean (my coffee maker gets pretty nasty before I can be bothered to clean it).

And I do have an electric kettle gathering dust in a cupboard (and meat thermo and heat gun, so I can dial in time to get to the proper temp), so color me intrigued.

Would this be an upgrade in taste over drip coffee if I continued to use ground coffee (I use Harris Teeter brand ground coffee)? Is store bought ground coffee the correct fineness of grind to work with an Aeropress? I'm sure that as bigfelipe noted earlier, freshly ground beans is the way to go, but I can't be bothered (or maybe I can be eventually, since I do have a coffee grinder - though I have only ever used it to grind oats and flax seeds).

So for a stubborn fool who insists on using pre-ground coffee, is an Aeropress a significant upgrade in taste over drip?
 
drypowder;n68204 said:
So when I was reading this thread, I assumed the Aeropress was some large expensive piece of equipment and that cleanup would be a real PITA.

Hence my earlier post:


After seeing the pic FlatFender posted, I looked it up. It's only $30, takes up less space than my drip coffee maker and from their promo video, looks easier to keep clean (my coffee maker gets pretty nasty before I can be bothered to clean it).

And I do have an electric kettle gathering dust in a cupboard (and meat thermo and heat gun, so I can dial in time to get to the proper temp), so color me intrigued.

Would this be an upgrade in taste over drip coffee if I continued to use ground coffee (I use Harris Teeter brand ground coffee)? Is store bought ground coffee the correct fineness of grind to work with an Aeropress? I'm sure that as bigfelipe noted earlier, freshly ground beans is the way to go, but I can't be bothered (or maybe I can be eventually, since I do have a coffee grinder - though I have only ever used it to grind oats and flax seeds).

So for a stubborn fool who insists on using pre-ground coffee, is an Aeropress a significant upgrade in taste over drip?
Click to expand...

I've been using it for about a week with regular 8 O'Clock grounds from the grocery store, and I'm amazed how good it is.
 
FlatFender;n68218 said:
I've been using it for about a week with regular 8 O'Clock grounds from the grocery store, and I'm amazed how good it is.
Click to expand...

8 O'Clock coffee is good. I usually drink it by 6:30 though. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom