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The Aeropress is a cheaper alternative for making espresso at home, camping, or traveling as a manual espresso maker.
It isn’t a true espresso though, it’s more of a robust, strong filtered beverage with a lot of flavor but doesn’t reach the depths of traditional espresso.
This is where this Aeropress espresso recipe comes into play, and it will get you as close as possible to the real thing.
How to make a shot of espresso with an Aeropress
1. Fill your Aeropress with hot water (196 degrees), put your filter cap on, insert the plunger and plunge it a few times to prime it. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then discard the water. If you are able to use an electric thermometer to know when your water is hot enough this will make things easier.
2. Grind your beans medium-fine (about 1/3 of the size you would normally use for Aeropress – I set my grinder to the 18 mark). Grind 18 to 20 grams of whole beans, Load up your Aeropress when it’s ready (don’t add too much, or you’ll risk clogging!). Turn upside-down and plunge a few times, then flip back upright. Use just enough pressure to see the coffee rise.
3. Screw on the cap as tightly as possible. Now aerate your Aeropress by shaking it around for about 10 seconds: you will start to hear some bubbling sounds when you have gone long enough!
4. Now add the hot water and put on your filter top, plunging again 2 – 4 times (depending on how finely you ground your coffee!). If there are any bubbles in there, don’t worry; give the Aeropress a little shake (or stir) to get rid of them.
5. Now pour out the coffee into your favorite espresso cup and enjoy!
That’s all there is to make this recipe! If you find that it tastes too bitter, try using an even finer grind size or add less hot water next time;
You can also experiment with medium-dark roasts that will be less bitter than darker, but darker roasts will have more ‘body’.
I hope you enjoyed this Aeropress espresso recipe; let me know what you think about it in the links below!
If you’re looking for some deals on Aeropress gear or accessories, then click here to visit Amazon!
Is Aeropress good for espresso
It seems like a good idea because it’s fast and efficient, but it can’t make a real espresso since it isn’t able to reach 9 bars of pressure.
You can make a damn good shot of dark robust coffee that will resemble an espresso in many ways.
Plus, if you use the inverted Aeropress method (also known as French press Aeropress), you can aerate your coffee while extracting it!
The issue is usually grinding: It uses a relatively large grind for its extraction.
That means that all of the flavors come through when making Aeropress espresso – including bitter ones, which do not make for good espresso.
The other problem is the temperature: most people brew with boiling water (212 degrees F), but only 196 degrees Fahrenheit (92 degrees Celsius) is necessary for espresso.
It will require patience and experimentation to find out exactly how to make Aeropress coffee taste as good as I can brew it now.
This Aeropress recipe will brew you a dark, robust coffee that resembles a shot of espresso that you would never be able to achieve without an espresso machine.
How to use a coffee scale to make your Aeropress Espresso.
Using a coffee scale is important since it allows you to measure the exact amount of coffee grounds you need.
Most people make espresso in a cup rather than a portafilter (single shot). Since we’re going to be using both the filter and brew basket, I think it makes sense also to use the two spoons included with the Aeropress and aim for 24 grams of coffee instead of 28.
The reason why is because when you double up on your grounds, you’ll get more extraction, but less water flow through your grinds… so it will make a better shot of espresso.
24g will give you roughly around an ounce of brewed espresso, which at 8-9g/oz is what you’d expect in a single shot.
Measure out 24 grams of beans for your Aeropress Espresso Mixer: Place your included metal scoop on top of the scale and level it off with something that has an edge to it.
You could also simply adjust the display to exactly 0.00 on the scale and then add your beans until you reach 24g! After that, grind away!
It’s better to overground here, so don’t worry about not having enough grounds; after all, just make sure not to go BEYOND 28g or else your espresso will be too strong… which isn’t bad, but I think most people would prefer a little more water here than less.
How Aeropress Espresso Differs From Real Espresso
The flavor in true espresso is much more developed and tastes like a combination of caramel and chocolate, whereas the Aeropress espresso tastes a little more bitter and flat.
It also has a more watery crema than real espresso.
You can aerate the Aeropress coffee by pouring slowly, but you will still have less crema than in a metal or glass machine.
I’ve found the best way to get some crema is to make separate shots and pour them both into one cup – this makes it easy to aerate them to create a foamy crema.
Make sure to get espresso roast coffee
lifeboost coffee makes the best dark roast coffee beans for the Aeropress since they use beans specifically for Aeropress machines!
Lifeboost is an organic, fair-trade coffee that is lower in acidity and has been proven to be healthier than other coffee brands.
I can say I have tried and compared a lot of coffee brands, but lifeboost is my favorite one. After all, it works well with any machine, manual or automated.
What is the best filter to use
The fellow Prismo metal filter is the best filter to make Aeropress espresso since it doesn’t allow the grinds through, but it definitely will give you a solid crema.
Another benefit of the metal filters is that you can make espresso in the Aeropress and then shoot out a second one with no problem since you don’t have to worry about changing out a paper filter.
What Is The Brew Time
One of the advantages of the Aeropress is how quick it brews your cup of coffee, it should only take around two and a half minutes to enjoy your brew.
What is the best grind To Use to get the best cup of coffee
I would make your coffee grounds the size of table salt or sugar. That way, you can get a pretty even mix and not have any clumps but still grind it fine enough that your espresso won’t taste gritty.
The size of your Coffee grounds is critical for receiving the best-tasting Aeropress espresso, so make sure you don’t grind it too big, or else the coffee will taste muddy and burnt.
Beware of making them too fine since this will keep you from being able to plunge your Aeropress
A normal coffee maker uses a fine course, so make sure to change the setting on your grinder before brewing this espresso-style drink.
How long should I let my beans grind
It would be best if you ground your beans for espresso until they are somewhat fine but can still be considered a coarse grind.
The important part is to make sure they aren’t too fine so that it doesn’t clog up the mesh filter part of the Aeropress; otherwise, you might have some issues getting your coffee out and will probably have some grounds in your drink!
What is the ideal pressure for espresso with Aeropress
The pressure is important when you make espresso with an Aeropress. I would say you should get about 20 to 25 PSI when using it; however, depending on the size of your cup of coffee and how much coffee you add, this may vary a little bit.
The point is to make sure that there isn’t a lot of resistance when plunging the Aeropress because if there is too much resistance, it won’t be able to push through all of the coffee grounds and could cause some issues.
If you notice that when you are pushing down on top of the plunger, it doesn’t go down very easily; just add less coffee to lower your pressure or try a medium-fine grind size.
What type of coffee should you use
It really depends on what flavor you are looking for in your espresso. However, if you want something smooth with an even taste, I would recommend using a medium roast or light-dark roast coffee from Lifeboost.
Darker roasts tend to have stronger tastes but could end up becoming too bitter or oily depending on how much water you add, and medium-roast coffee tends to be smoother, so I would recommend trying both out and seeing which one you like better.
What temperature should the water for Aeropress be
The temperature for espresso should be around 196 degrees to make the espresso taste the best; however, it could be anywhere between 195 and 200 degrees. This is because if your water is too hot, you will burn out a lot of the oils in the coffee, which could make it taste burnt.
If your water isn’t hot enough, then it won’t extract any of the flavors from your grounds so that it will taste bland.
Also, make sure the water is fresh and hot because if it’s been sitting out for a while, that could cause you to have under-extracted espresso.
Does Aeropress taste like espresso
Espresso tastes very different from Aeropress, in my opinion, because of the temperature and pressure required.
However, I can say that Aeropress espresso comes pretty close to tasting like real espresso since it is still hot and made with strong coffee. Still, there’s just something about Aeropress that makes me prefer it over regular coffee, even if it doesn’t taste exactly like actual espresso.
How much coffee do you use for Aeropress
To get a nice-sized cup for one person, then I generally use 20 grams of grounds; however, sometimes, I only add 15 grams or 25 grams depending on the flavor profile I’m looking for.
If you want to make more than one cup of coffee, you can easily multiply the amount in this recipe; however, remember that you should use less for a bigger batch since it is harder to distribute if you don’t have enough grounds evenly.
How far down should you push the plunger
When I make an Aeropress espresso, I generally try to get about 1/3rd or 1/4th of my total brew volume out by pushing the plunger down just below the little circle on top.
This way, it ends up being strong enough but not so strong that I feel like gagging when drinking it!
However, if you want more than one shot of espresso, then you could always add more grounds and put less water or pour more water and add fewer grounds to get the desired amount of espresso that you want!
Why is AeroPress coffee so good
Aeropress coffee is good because it isn’t too hot, and you can make it as strong or as weak as possible, depending on your preferences, and the brew time is under 3 minutes.
I also really like it because it’s so easy to clean and doesn’t take much space compared to other espresso makers!
It is a compact coffee maker that’s easy to use, stores easily, makes good espresso/coffee tastes better than drip machines when used properly, and doesn’t make too much mess as other espresso makers can.
How does AeroPress work
It’s a straightforward coffee maker that works by forcing water through the grounds then pushing it all out with a plunger, allowing you to be able to use less coffee while getting just as much flavor!
Can you use Aeropress for more than just espresso
Yes, I use it regularly to make iced coffee by adding a little milk and using the inverted method.
I recommend experimenting with your Aeropress to see what you can do with it instead of just making espresso!
How do you clean an Aeropress
After you make your Aeropress espresso it is very important to clean it since grinds can get trapped in the filter cap and brewing chamber.
You don’t want any mold or bacteria to grow where it can come into contact with your coffee.
I simply use soap, water, and a little bit of elbow grease to get it as clean as possible before I dry it off and put it away!
The best tips to make great coffee with the AeroPress are as follow:
1) Always use medium-fine ground coffee for Aeropress espresso
2) Grind your beans right before you brew your coffee, and never leave them sitting in a grinder for too long; otherwise, it will affect how your shot espresso tastes!
3) Use good quality water for brewing. The quality of your water can change how much flavor is extracted from the grounds, so make sure that you’re using filtered, clean water if possible.
4) The ratio between coffee and water for a quality shot of espresso is one teaspoon of grounds per ounce of water, according to Tungsten Coffee Makers, but feel free to experiment with different ratios to get the desired taste.
5) Make sure the brew time doesn’t go under 2 1/2 minutes or beyond 3 minutes, or you will under or over-extract your coffee
What’s an inverted method
It’s when you turn your Aeropress upside down after you’ve pressed down about 1/3rd of the way and then twist it back around again before continuing to push the plunger down all the way.
This allows you to prevent coffee from dripping into the cup while ensuring no air bubbles get trapped inside the coffee.
How to use the inverted method for AeroPress
To use the inverted method for Aeropress, you will want to make sure that your ground coffee is evenly distributed on both sides of the filter cap so that they can be pressed equally.
However, if you only have a few tablespoons in the bottom, I would not advise making inverted coffee as it wouldn’t come out well.
If you decide to use more ground coffee, then here’s how you would make espresso!
First off, take your AeroPress and flip it upside down so that the rubber part is facing up towards your counter or table.
Then turn over your container/cup and place it directly on the top of the plunger section of the AeroPress, where there is a small circle.
While holding the AeroPress and your cup with one hand, pour in 200 grams of hot water (if using 15 grams of coffee, then use 150 grams of water for inverted) into your brewing chamber.
Now that the hot water and grounds are inside, quickly pick up the AeroPress device and use a spoon to evenly spread out your grounds by scooping them around until you have about three-fourths or more covered as best as possible.
If any grounds fall through when you’re trying to add them to the top, as I said before, don’t worry because it’s not going to affect how well/how little coffee comes above since you just need enough on top so that it doesn’t block the water from hitting all of the grounds evenly!
After you have covered the grounds as best as possible, place your paper filter in the coffee and pour the rest of the water.
Be sure not to add more than 300 grams of hot water otherwise, it will overflow from the container and make a huge mess all over your counter/table.
Now that you’ve added all of your water, pick up the AeroPress device again and firmly insert the plunger so that nothing leaks out onto your table or counter (if any does, though, don’t worry because it’s easy to just wipe up with a paper towel)!
Be careful not to push down too hard, though, because some coffee can splash around from under the rubber top; to fix this problem, simply make sure that you are using a long enough container’s splash all over and/or the table/counter.
After pushing down, open up your AeroPress device and pop out the grounds using a spoon as best as possible, then enjoy!
If you have any questions about using an inverted method for Aeropress, feel free to leave a comment below since I’d be happy to help!
What’s the difference between the french press and Aeropress
One main difference is that French Press uses more water than an Aeropress (as stated in the recipe). In addition, it allows for different coffee grounds, so you can use a darker roast or something slightly lighter depending on how dark or light you want your coffee to taste.
You can even make tea or hot chocolate with your French press by skipping the addition of water and simply heating some milk inside it if you’re looking for something sweet.
Conclusion
This Aeropress espresso recipe was designed to be highly flavorful and accessible for beginners who are new to making their own coffee at home.
The Aeropress is a really cool invention that will make espresso-style coffee without the hassle or the need to buy an expensive machine.
The brew time is about 3 minutes and is highly customizable if you want a stronger or lighter flavor.
Give this one a try! If you liked this post, let me know by leaving your comments below. Also, I would love to hear what you thought about using the Aeropress instead of other brewing methods like a drip coffee maker, pour-over, or French press?
