Aerobie AeroPress Espresso Machine & Coffee Maker

Oh boy, where to start with a product that hypes itself this much.  The packaging is oh so cheesy; reminiscent more of a toy maker than the manufacturer of a serious coffee making device.  But, this can be forgiven, as Aerobie is a toy maker; known for their flying ring shaped disc.  Kinda makes you thing that the inventor of the Aeropress must have failed to convince anyone in the coffee industry of his device.  But, both the inventor and the company making the Aeropress are having the last laugh.  And, yes, we are laughing with them, not at them, though the claim that this makes espresso is, well, laughable.

Ideally, a cup of coffee should be uncomplicated.  But a really good cup of coffee, a great cup of coffee, can get very complicated.  What beans to use; what kind of water; what method of brewing.   And you will get differing opinions from most anyone you ask.  I've never been a fan of anything that makes as many claims as the Aeropress.  But, it makes a great cup of coffee uncomplicated. 

The Aeropress essentially uses air pressure to aid in what is otherwise a drip process.  And, since the rubber plunger seals so tightly, you get more flavor into the brew.  The instructions advise that the result of the plunging is a concentrate that you then add water to to make an "Americano".  Or, as they say, you can drink it as a double espresso.  Here is where I take issue with the makers.

To make true espresso you need around 10 BAR (give or take) of pressure, as well as water that is heated to as near to 195 degrees as possible.  The Aerobie folks recommend using cooler water, 175 degrees.  So within the pages of their own instructions can be found that this does not make espresso.  The concentrate, since the oils are trapped in the paper filter, is smooth and tasty, not too unlike espresso.  But, it's not espresso, it's only real strong coffee.  Once you get this through your head, and you are okay with it, then you are ready to try the Aeropress.

According to the instructions, you put a paper filter in the holder, twist it onto the bottom of the tube, put two scoops of coffee in, and add hot water.  Stir for 10 seconds, and slowly plunge, taking 20 seconds to do this.  As usual with these kinds of things, this is pretty much the basic method without any real tips on how to optimize the Aeropress.  My first cup following the instructions was actually pretty disappointing.  So the next time, I heated the water to 195 degrees, and ground the coffee slightly finer.  The results were very good.

I've seen tips that other people have tried, particularly inverting the whole contraption, and letting the grinds steep longer.  You can invert the Aeropress, but you must be very careful not to spill it when it's time to place a cup on top, and invert again to plunge.  Steeping any longer than what the instructions state, the 10 seconds, will not make a good cup of coffee (concentrate).  Rather than extending the steep time, I would recommend stepping the grind down a notch or two (if you have a grinder).   I found that a grind that was about halfway between espresso and drip to be good.

So what do you do with the finished product?  I add 200 degree water, twice the amount of water as there is concentrates, making a ratio of 2:1.  You can also add the concentrate to steamed milk for a latte (instead of using espresso, which this is not), or you can refrigerate it for use later.  I found the finished product, an 'Americano' made from the 2:1 ratio to be quite delicious, smooth, and rich.  Using the Aeropress will not yield coffee with the same mouthfeel as drip or press, but it is good.  It is very similar to what you get with a Chemex.

Now, I have seen that people believe the Aeropress uses too much coffee.  You can always cut down the amount of coffee, and dilute with less water.  Just use something other than your 24 ounce biggie mug, the one with the Far Side cartoon or catchy phrase on it.  Using the giant mugs that most Americans are accustomed to might tempt you to fill it to the brim, when you really are making about 12 ounces of coffee here (which is plenty big enough for one cup).

Clean up is, as per the instructions, very simple.  Simply unlock the filter holder, push the plunger out through the end, discarding the filter and puck.  Wash the rubber plunger, but the tube will be clean already from the action of the plunger.  Wash the little plastic grate that holds the paper filter, and you're done.  Clean up takes less than a minute, probably about half a minute.  So, this really is uncomplicated; 30 seconds to brew, 30 seconds to clean up.