This week I'm taking you into the fascinating world of the Aeropress , which is a real game-changer for making coffee. The exciting story behind the Aeropress, as well as the aromatic heights that can be achieved with it, give it cult status. It's not without reason that the Aeropress World Championships are held every year - this year in Melbourne. Who we're keeping our fingers crossed for at this top-class event, what the story behind the Aeropress has to do with a Frisbee and how you can easily make coffee at home with the Aeropress, we'll explain right here. Enjoy reading!
The birth of the Aeropress
The Aeropress was born in 2005. The inventor Alan Adler, an engineer, was annoyed that he could never make exactly one portion of coffee for his cup with his coffee machine and the rest always got cold. He was bothered by the declining quality of the coffee that was left standing around. So he first started experimenting with a Melitta filter, but quickly realized that leaving it in the filter for a long time led to the release of more bitter substances. So Alan decided to skip this process and use pressure to press a coffee-water mixture through a thin filter sheet in a piston - the Aeropress was born! Alan himself was so convinced of his invention, which is "so intense in flavor, but not bitter", that he predicted it would be an enormous success. And so it came to be: In December 2023, the 15th World Championships in Aeropress Preparation will take place in Melbourne!
Why did Alan drink so much coffee? He invented the Aerobie Frisbee ring! Alan held the Guniess world record for the farthest object thrown by a human for a long time with the Aerobie - but it was beaten by a boomerang in 2005. The boomerang flew 427.2m - the Aerobie only 406.3m. It's a shame, but it's still a cool fact!
Aeropress preparation in action
The Aeropress invites you to experiment. Every setting can be adjusted individually. Whether it's the amount of coffee, the degree of grinding, the water or the extraction time - it's therefore not surprising that the slow coffee movement in particular loves preparing coffee with the Aeropress. But what does a world-class recipe for the Aeropress look like? We interviewed the two-time German Aeropress champion Carlo Graf von Bülow and got his recipe. If you don't know it yet, be sure to watch it. Click here for the video!
His recipe is as follows:
- 17g coffee grounds
- 250ml water heated to exactly 90 degrees Celsius
- 40s extraction time - And really not a second longer!
And which coffee is suitable for preparation with the Aeropress?
Basically, we think that the Aeropress is more suitable for fruity coffees and naturally prepared coffees. The really short extraction time means that the aromas that make the coffee special are in the foreground. So fruit, acidity, or fermentation taste. That's why our NÖÖRD coffee range is particularly suitable here. Here you have particularly fruity specialty coffees, which impress with their fruity aromas and a pleasant, present acidity.
What you need to pay attention to when preparing with the Aeropress:
One of the reasons the Aeropress is so popular is its adaptability. Therefore, pay particular attention to the following sources of error if your coffee with the Aeropress is not turning out as well as it should:
- If the coffee has a rancid aftertaste, it may be too old.
- If your coffee tastes bitter, it could be because the extraction was too long (almost impossible with the Aeropress) or you are using cheap industrial beans.
- The water temperature for the Aeropress should also not be too high. 90 degrees Celsius is perfect.
Now a word about the degree of grinding. Basically, you are encouraged to experiment here.
- The shorter, the finer
- The longer- the coarser.
- For the short extraction time of 40 seconds, choose a fine grind. If you press for longer, choose a medium to coarse grind setting.
Preparing coffee with the Aeropress may sound a bit complicated at first, but it's worth trying out Carlo's recommendation! After all, the Aeropress isn't just for home use, it's also perfect for on the go. Whether in the office, on vacation or hiking. The Aeropress's handy design means it can be carried in any bag. It's also a green alternative to capsule systems, and of course it tastes much better. So let me know if you've already immersed yourself in the world of the Aeropress, what your perfect recipe is and whether you'll be cheering Carlo on at this year's championships in Melbourne.
Thanks for stopping by!
Your Kaffeebrewda