Stanley's post above was at the level of faff I used to be at - nowadays I much more about feel. A bit like cooking. My theory is because I've faffed about with weighing and timing in the past I know what looks and feels about right so I no longer need to bother. And the coffee still tastes great. I do think there might be a touch of directional hifi leads about the whole thing - if you've invested the time or money in the experience you categorically can tell the difference; but the rest of the world thinks you are crackers 🙂
Aeropress still has it's place. No longer goes up mountains with me (gone cowboy for that) or in the home (I flit between moka pot, pour over or french press) but it lives in the van where it's self contained clean little pucks of grounds are a bit of a win.
And as to method - Hoffman-lite for me - i.e. no longer bother inverting, just the right way up a medium fine grind and pop the plunger in to stop it draining through. Wait for a minute or two before plunging.
For fear of upsetting the purists, I use an Aeropress with Aldi's French Blend ground coffee. I only really use it when camping as have an espresso machine at home (also used with Aldi ground coffee).
Upside down method, pulled right down to 4. Chuck a couple of heaped teaspoons on coffee in, pour some hot water in that's been off the boil for a minute to near the top, put the filter and lid (?) on and leave it for a few minutes while I make a cup of tea for the wife. Plunge it in to a mug and add a dash of milk.
Then sit in the sun with the dog and watch the world go by while waiting for everyone else to wake up.
This was yesterday morning (apologies, the mug pun doesn't work with coffee in)...
the Hoffman method for the Aeropress
Wasn't aware this had a name .. it just seemed like the obvious thing to do for a bit more brewing time when I got one. I've seen people inverting the whole thing to do similar which looked like a scalding mess waiting to be created.
No longer goes up mountains with me (gone cowboy for that)
That's the way to do it imo. I don't think people realise how great a good cowboy coffee can be and it's a load less stuff to pack.
Hang on...Kinross has a funky coffee roasters?
How times have changed.
Kinross is where they are not Milnathort, opposite where one of the pit stops on the Edi to St Andrews bike run. Is that still run ?
Much better roaster 10 miles further East in Glenrothes, perfect for my Haggis
V6 or maybe a V8 sound and go great but what's this v60 thing
I’ve seen people inverting the whole thing to do similar which looked like a scalding mess waiting to be created.
Yeah it does first time, then you learn to push all the air out before inverting it.
Eh? What am I missing? Remove filter cap, insert paper (I prewet so it sticks)
Pull plunger out to measure and a bit.
Invert plunger and cylinder and stand on plunger.
Add coffee. Add water. Stir (that's why plunger is measure and a bit, to allow space for stirring). Put filter cap on. Leave to brew.
When ready with one hand on mug and one on aeropress (you can hold at the join easily enough) put mug on top and invert both together.
As long as the seal is ok, nothing leaks at all.
The one in Milnathort is Heaven Scent (or something like that) who used to run the cafe in Dunfermline library and who buy their coffee from the Roasting Project in Burntisland, or so my parents tell me.
Can't believe my predicted text changed Gaggia to haggis
Heaven Scent is a good cafe, they were up at Knockhill circuit running the cafe last time I was there
Fwiw i did a blind taste test for inverted vs non-inverted method and couldn't tell the difference. For me, the non-inverted method is marginally less faff so that's what I use.
I agree that there's a bit of 'directional cables' around coffee at times but I still measure everything for 2 reasons:
- means I can be consistent without having to use judgement. Particularly useful for my uncaffeinated brain.
- I like weighing stuff out.
Yeah it does first time, then you learn to push all the air out before inverting it.
That would help : ) Was simply thinking how easily knocked over it would be Vs 'plugged' at the top, pre-pressing the usual way up
I guess if you're making a fairly short coffee and the plunger's well in it's more stable while inverted.
I reckon the aero press makes great coffee on the move.
i “think” the point of the aeropress over a cafetière is that it allows you to make espresso since you can use pressure with the aeropress plunger in the same way an espresso machine uses pressure to force the water through the coffee. You can’t burn the coffee either which I always think is the drawback of a stove top espresso machine
must admit I tend to use a bog standard filter machine in the mornings. Experienced guesstimating with amounts of Freshly ground “good beans” and fresh water and removing the coffee as soon as it’s brewed so it can’t sit on the hot plate seems to give a quick hassle free breakfast method. Not as “cool” as a v60 some digital scales and a swan neck kettle but I’m bad at getting out of bed until the last possible moment....
I’ve added a Fellow Prismo cap to my aeropress. Worth a look if you like the inverted method but don’t like the risk of spillage or the fact some liquid filters through before the plunger can be inserted.
I also enjoy using my 3 cup Moka with an aeropress filter in it. It fits like a glove and gives a lovely clean cup. Like a very strong aeropress I guess.
French press is alright but I’m not keen on the sludge even following JH’s method.
My daily go too is an espresso added to a small amount of hot water - a small long black.
It’s already been said but worth reiterating. It’s not possible to make an espresso with an aeropress. You’ll create at most about 1 bar of pressure vs around 9bar from an espresso machine.
