
How AeroPress Fans Are Hacking Their Way to a Better Cup of Coffee - sudoscience
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/04/14/399337724/how-aeropress-fans-are-hacking-their-way-to-a-better-cup-of-coffee
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wampus
I use my AeroPress twice a day, every day and love it. But the article is
mistaken in calling it espresso. It's not even close, although someone has
rigged one to produce espresso[1].

And don't let the article fool you, there are really only three important
factors: water temperature, grind size, and steep time. Varying these can get
different characteristics from a particular roast, and it's fun to experiment!
What I found most surprising was how differently the same roast can taste from
an AeroPress vs. an expensive espresso maker. If I don't like it from one,
there's still a good chance it will be delicious from the other. Very strange!

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIfZ84qtBOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIfZ84qtBOc)

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sprice
Absolutely agree on the three important factors. But I'd say the fourth is
bean quality. Makes all the difference.

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pa5tabear
You don't think pressure matters when plunging? I've speculated that a faster
plunge might extract more solutes from the coffee grinds due to greater liquid
penetration into the coffee grounds from higher pressure.

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semi-extrinsic
It's hard to get that much pressure variation with an aeropress. The plunger
is around 5 cm x 5 cm, so the full body weight of a male human (say 90 kg)
only gives you 3.5 bar. That's if you're standing on your aeropress. A real
espresso machine puts out 9 bar.

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ams6110
Had no idea the inventor was 76 years old. Good to see someone not buying into
the notion that anyone over 30 is a has-been.

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glibgil
The world is run by people over 30 and us over 30s know it. That we don't
challenge the conventional wisdom that wonder kids are disrupting everything
is just a demonstration of our secure confidence.

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derefr
I tend to read that wisdom as referring to things like mathematical theory
being mostly advanced by people under 30. People's brains seem to hold onto
some extra bit of IQ between 20 and 30, that can be used to do some "wondrous"
things. Of course, most big things that need doing don't need a supergenius;
they need 10-20 years of steady hard work, so by the time you accomplish those
you are indeed 30+ (or, god forbid, 40+.)

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rkeniger
"god forbid"… it happens sooner than you think, kid.

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derefr
That was sarcasm. I'm no kid myself :)

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lightyrs
I was using the AeroPress Inverted Method for about two years with varying
degrees of success, however, I finally soured on the clunkiness, mess-making
potential, lack of easy containment/storage, and lack of body to the coffee it
produced so I sold out and got a Nespresso VertuoLine. It's such a refreshing
experience to just push a button and have espresso (actual espresso) or
coffee. The only downside was the lack of bean choice, however, a clever
YouTuber put me on to a method of reusing the pods with your own grind. So
when I get tired of the Nespresso flavors, I brew my own (although this is
pretty rare since the Nespresso varieties are pretty damn rich and tasty).

I still keep the AeroPress around though — who knows why — affectation maybe.

~~~
e12e
Hm. I'll have to acquire and open one of those capsules. I was under the
impression that the toxic mess was some kind of freezedried, nasty paste (I
certainly haven't tasted a nespresso that tastes like "real" espresso (nor
anywhere near what I can get from my aeropress). But if one considers to re-
fill the capsules (which would imply you'd need to vacuum seal them in order
to keep the fresh-grind taste, or make them just before/soon before having a
coffee...) -- sounds like more work than just getting a proper espresso
machine.

On the off-chance that you're not trolling... which Nespresso flavours have
you found to be "rich and tasty" (by which I take it you mean comparable to
freshly-ground beans from a specialist, along the line that a barrista would
use)?

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nl
I have a real automatic coffee machine and a professional level manual one at
work, and I find Nespresso pretty good. I can't remember the name but my
favourite flavour is in a pale gold capsule.

It's not as good as my machines do, but way better than your comment implies.

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guelo
Aeropress is made out of polypropylene plastic which has been found to leech
quats and oleamide. I have become more and more alarmed at how often coffee is
prepared or delivered via plastics that are prone to leach, specially at the
higher temperatures of coffee. From plastic drip coffee machines to the lids
on coffee cups sold at cafes. Even glass french presses normally have a
plastic in the lid. This is one reason why I currently prefer the pour over
method.

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signal11
Have you tried the Moka Pot?
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot)
It's very popular in Italy.

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pfooti
I have a very fine stainless steel mesh strainer for my aeropress (replacing
the little paper discs). Using it, I'm able to let the coffee steep for 45+
seconds, gaining the benefit of the inverted method without needing to mess
around with inversion.

That said, I still prefer well-executed pourover (once I got the hang of my
pourover method) to aeropress coffee but I think that's more of a personal
preference thing. Nowadays I travel with the aeropress (and a nice travel
grinder that fits inside) and do pourover at home.

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kaishiro
Can I ask what grinder you're using that fits inside the aeropress? The ones
I've seen are always these terribly boxy little devices.

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ptomato
I use a Porlex Mini for that.
([http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044ZA066/r](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044ZA066/r))

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kaishiro
Awesome, thanks!

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Gaussian
I have found my AeroPress coffee to be lacking body. I returned to pour-overs
and French presses.

Having read this, I feel I must again tinker with the Aeropress.

Likely case of "Doing it wrong."

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cag_ii
I wasn't a big fan until I read about the inverted method [0]. You might give
that a try if you haven't already.

[0] [http://stumptowncoffee.com/brew-
guides/aeropress/](http://stumptowncoffee.com/brew-guides/aeropress/)

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garfij
Everyone talks a lot about the inverted method, but I feel like you get the
same controlled steep time by easing the plunger in a little and then pulling
back out a little to create negative pressure inside tube.

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cmn27
This x 1000. To my mind, espousing the inverted method betrays a scant grasp
of vacuums and basic physics.

Allowing a drop or two of coffee to escape early to the cup massively
outweighs the risks of using very hot water to give something a very high
centre of gravity.

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thenomad
Practical point: I've had an Aeropress for years, using it at least once a
week, often daily, always inverted.

I've never knocked it over. It's much more stable inverted than you might
think.

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cmn27
And ditto from my perspective. But it still bugs me when I have my kids
running around that the exception that proves the rule will arise, and it's
more robust to have the AP directed into the mug at brew time than inverted,
so I just rely on the vacuum to work the magic.*

But for me, the key point is that there's no appreciable difference in the
coffee either way.

*Although you might legitimately point out that the whole caboodle is taller as a result doing it the old fashioned way, which increases the chances of it being knocked over.

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mrmondo
I've tried a great many ways of brewing coffee including several Aeropress
setups - I can honestly say that Aeropress is no better than your standard
French press - it's not even close to espresso or even a handpresso or similar
device.

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moultano
However, it is much easier to clean than a French press, doesn't require a
particular grind size, and you can use either a paper or metal filter if you
are worried about cafestol or like oilier coffee.

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beloch
A french press can be cleaned simply by rinsing it out, with the occasional
more thorough cleaning. Also, you can vary the grind size considerably. It's
only superfine grinds that will clog the filter.

I have an aeropress, but I rarely use it. Maybe I'm just a clutz, but I always
have to wipe the counter down after using an aeropress (especially with the
inverted method), while a french press is pretty much mess-free. The aeropress
is very fidly. That's great if you're in the mood to experiment but not so
great if you just want a decent cup of coffee. I do like the results of the
aeropress for making iced coffee, but generally prefer the flavor of french
press coffee. Paper filters remove a lot of coffee's flavor-rich oils.

The one deal-breaker that some people have with french presses is the sludge
they let through, especially when used with a low quality grinder that doesn't
produce grounds of uniform size. If you can't stand sludge and have a crappy
grinder you pretty much have to use something with a paper filter.

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moultano
The aeropress is self cleaning. You just plunge it into the trash.

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beloch
Yeah, and then you rinse off the grounds that stuck to the edges. Then you go
back and rinse out the funnel for putting the grounds into the aeropress. Then
you rinse off the stir-stick. Then you clean up all the grounds that didn't
make it into the funnel. Then you get the drips that escaped if your inverted
technique wasn't flawless.

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csours
I would like to "hack" together a stainless steel AeroPress, at least the
outer tube, I think the press is fine.

I don't know whether I've been pressing too hard or what, but I've noticed
that my cylinder is expanding.

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x3n0ph3n3
Mine has been stress-cracking from heat expansion and contraction. Definitely
thinking of giving it up in favor of my glass french press.

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elwell
If it's cracking your probably using water that's too hot. I've used mine
almost daily for years with no issues at all.

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wampus
Same here. I never use water over 180 degrees Farenheit and never put it in
the dishwasher.

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kylecesmat
For most coffees you're going to want to be a little higher, around 198-203
degrees for proper extraction.

Very good choice to never place it in the dishwasher, it takes just a few
seconds to clean and it lasts a lot longer

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dfan
The standard recommendation for the Aeropress, including from Adler himself,
is to use 175F water, much less hot than you'd use in other preparation
methods.

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technomancy
In Seattle at least, there is near-universal consensus among every coffee shop
I've been to using an Aeropress that 175 is much too low. Most go closer to
200.

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conchy
Was impressed with mine, but after the first few days the mess, fuss, and
hassle started to get a bit old. Next, this guy needs to invent the 21st
century version, which is connected to your water supply, filters and heats
the water, stores and grinds a few weeks worth of coffee, and you just press a
button and out pops your coffee, with no mess.

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haswell
I find it surprising that you find it to be overly messy / too much of a
hassle. Maybe I've just gotten used to it, but I find it much less of a hassle
than my old drip coffee maker, and it takes about 10 seconds to clean when I'm
finished.

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conchy
Perhaps I'm just a stickler for efficiency. If it's something that I'm going
to do two or three times a day, every day, for the rest of my life, I like to
think that I can economize every possible step and movement to the bare
minimum. Certainly some people like the ritual aspect of crafting something by
hand in multiple steps, and like I said, it was fun for me the first few days
until it got old. Now I just want to press a button and have my cup of coffee.

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marquis
If the inventor will please make a portable, electric burr grinder I would be
extremely happy. This is the missing piece, for travelers and those who cannot
otherwise own a proper burr grinder.

Edit: came across this which looks promising
[http://handground.com/](http://handground.com/)

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prostoalex
Blue Bottle recommends Portlex [https://bluebottlecoffee.com/travel-
kit](https://bluebottlecoffee.com/travel-kit)

Portable and electric are also mutually exclusive for car travelers, campers,
etc.

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marquis
I've been using the Hario hand grinder and I find it extremely difficult to
maintain a grip. Is the Portlex easier to hold? I'm female thus possible not
as strong as others who may be using this.

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mkj
Is that the Skerton? I find that annoying at times even with relatively large
hands. Wondered if the Hario MINI MILL SLIM would be better.

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sanityinc
I had the Skerton. The Porlex Mini is better in every way.

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mesozoic
So it's a french press made of plastic?

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nightski
Without the sludge.

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csours
With the stainless steel filter screen, you can even have some sludge!

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crazy1van
For the last few months I've been doing Aeropress or a pour-over in a chemex
on the weekends. I'm still getting my technique down for both and I can't
claim that either tastes remarkably better than my Keurig (I totally admit I
dont have a great palette for coffee), but it seriously is a lot more fun than
just pushing a button. I really looking forward to my weekend morning coffee
now.

Recently I've started doing cold brew coffee -- starting it Friday night and
then diluting it with hot water in the morning. For me it tastes noticeably
better and less bitter.

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enobrev
I've recently become a huge fan of the simplicity of a french-press cold-brew
- something I came up with on my own, while being completely unsurprised that
plenty of others have as well.

Just a course grind into a French Press full of water. Leave it on the counter
over night, and press in the morning. At first I was letting it steep in the
fridge, but found that it steeps stronger and faster at room temperature.
Sometimes I'll throw it in the fridge in the morning and let it steep longer
while chilling if I know I'll want iced coffee later in the day.

Cold brew definitely seems to maintain far more flavor. And I agree that it
tends to be less bitter, though I've found lowering my water temperature
(regardless of method) has removed most of the bitterness in my [near-]boiling
brews.

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chappi42
How complicated it has become to drink coffee ;-)

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BrainInAJar
Significantly less so. The Vacuum pot predates the french press, percolator
and auto drip.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_coffee_maker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_coffee_maker)

They're also a huge pain in the ass to use.

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mcguire
And dangerous, if you have a glass one. I do, from the '60s; it's cracked and
I've never tried it.

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benatkin
Is this article only available in a visual format? No audio version?

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gegtik
Honestly I would prefer a Clever Coffee Dripper any day of the week. zero
mess, probably even more dummy proof than the AP, higher capacity, imho better
coffee.

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simplexion
I know someone that loves International Roast instant coffee. Can someone
define "better" coffee to me?

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glibgil
Freshly ground, careful amount of roasting, proper picking time and storage of
beans. Those differences are very easy to taste. If someone appreciates the
difference in taste then it is better to them. Why is this a difficult concept
to you? Are you trying to talk others out of their preferences and suggest
that instant coffee should satisfy them? Are you trying to be a sort of anti-
snob? Sounds a little snobby in a different direction.

Update: Thanks for the downvote. I get the message. I should never answer a
stupid question. Apologies.

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Domenic_S
You're being downvoted because your response started informative and then
turned snotty. Would have been great with just the first 3 sentences.

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glibgil
I didn't want it to be great. I wanted to tell the guy the answer he already
knows: different coffee tastes different. Can't my comment be just not-great?

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oldmanjay
Your comment can be damn near anything you want it to be. Do you expect that
you should never get downvotes because you don't want them? I don't even
understand why people pay attention to votes, but to have such an emotional
reaction to the comment score truly boggles me.

Note: I don't expect this to be a great comment either. Downvote away! I
honestly don't care.

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elliott34
I always wind up making a mess everywhere with mine

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wampus
You might benefit from the inverted method and using a normal teaspoon to add
the grounds and stir, instead of using the included accessories (I never use
the funnel, and the stirring paddle is just...weird).

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raisedbyninjas
Unless I want to break out the kettle to heat the water, I heat the water in
my cup and then pour into the press. My coffee cups pour like shit, leaking
steaming hot water about. Plus if my ceramic coffee cup isn't pre-heated this
way, the resulting coffee is luke-warm.

