Ready to fire the thing into the sun
February 10, 2021 5:05 AM Subscribe
Why does my Aeropressed coffee taste like water no matter what I do
I've had better coffee consistently from cheap Mr. Coffee style coffeemakers.
I've tried several magical mystical "tried and true" methods involving combinations of:
1) Inverted method (from the very devil for folks with dyxpraxia or ADD)
2) Fine grind of apparently high quality coffee
3) Warming the (fancy metal) filter
4) Paper filters, metal filters, whatever.
5) Exact measurements of coffee and water from alleged experts online
The brew still tastes like ... water.
Grinding my own beans is not an option.
I would like to know exactly what YOU are doing to get a good cup of coffee out of this infernal hipster gadget... before I throw it out.
I've had better coffee consistently from cheap Mr. Coffee style coffeemakers.
I've tried several magical mystical "tried and true" methods involving combinations of:
1) Inverted method (from the very devil for folks with dyxpraxia or ADD)
2) Fine grind of apparently high quality coffee
3) Warming the (fancy metal) filter
4) Paper filters, metal filters, whatever.
5) Exact measurements of coffee and water from alleged experts online
The brew still tastes like ... water.
Grinding my own beans is not an option.
I would like to know exactly what YOU are doing to get a good cup of coffee out of this infernal hipster gadget... before I throw it out.
Does coffee made in other ways still taste good? (I ask because I'm just beginning to feel normal after eleven months of radical changes in taste, including finding nearly all coffee tasteless. I've gone from a pound-a-week consumer to a few-cups-a-month consumer. For months I switched to Vietnamese-style coffee, which was at least sweet and chicory flavored.)
I assume you're probably already doing this, given the inverted experiments. . . but, sticking the plunger in immediately and letting the water sit for around two minutes before plunging is what I do. To me, a boring, right-side-up, paper-filter, boiling-temperature cup with fine-ground dark coffee is more or less indistinguishable from a fancy coffee shop pour-over. I'm not convinced that it's better, but it's not worse. (It's definitely not espresso.)
posted by eotvos at 5:27 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I assume you're probably already doing this, given the inverted experiments. . . but, sticking the plunger in immediately and letting the water sit for around two minutes before plunging is what I do. To me, a boring, right-side-up, paper-filter, boiling-temperature cup with fine-ground dark coffee is more or less indistinguishable from a fancy coffee shop pour-over. I'm not convinced that it's better, but it's not worse. (It's definitely not espresso.)
posted by eotvos at 5:27 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
wow, first answer and a total whiff on reading comprehension - im sorry - was still sipping my first cup of coffee.
have you had and enjoyed aeropressed coffee that someone else has made for you?
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 5:29 AM on February 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
have you had and enjoyed aeropressed coffee that someone else has made for you?
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 5:29 AM on February 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
Wow that’s quite weird!
I would like to know exactly what YOU are doing to get a good cup of coffee out of this infernal hipster gadget... before I throw it out.
- run a paper filter under some water (read this somewhere to help reduce any “paper” taste)
- set up the aero press for the “inverted method”
- one scoop using the scooper that came with the aero press (are you using that scooper?)
- pour hot water. Let it sit a minute or two.
- press it out
- I even often top it off with more hot water to make it less strong (!).
Your dilemma is quite strange! Have you tried this coffee in another method recently to be sure it’s not the coffee?
Uh, you can taste other things right? Sorry, just feel I have to throw that one out there with *waves hands around* everything going on.
And if you do want to give up on the aero press, I’d recommend a Clever Dripper! I find it much easier to use and easier to clean.
posted by like_neon at 5:31 AM on February 10, 2021 [8 favorites]
I would like to know exactly what YOU are doing to get a good cup of coffee out of this infernal hipster gadget... before I throw it out.
- run a paper filter under some water (read this somewhere to help reduce any “paper” taste)
- set up the aero press for the “inverted method”
- one scoop using the scooper that came with the aero press (are you using that scooper?)
- pour hot water. Let it sit a minute or two.
- press it out
- I even often top it off with more hot water to make it less strong (!).
Your dilemma is quite strange! Have you tried this coffee in another method recently to be sure it’s not the coffee?
Uh, you can taste other things right? Sorry, just feel I have to throw that one out there with *waves hands around* everything going on.
And if you do want to give up on the aero press, I’d recommend a Clever Dripper! I find it much easier to use and easier to clean.
posted by like_neon at 5:31 AM on February 10, 2021 [8 favorites]
I do a scoop of fine ground coffee, fill to the #2 mark with 200 degree water, stir with a spoon, press immediately, water down to 10 or 12 ounces.
If the problem is too watery, I'd try more of everything that makes it stronger -- put more coffee in, use finer coffee (you're already doing that), hotter water, put more water in the top with the coffee, stir more, let sit longer, put less water in after. One or more of those is why it's not tasting the way you like. So try doing it all "wrong" in that direction at once, and then dial back to something reasonable.
posted by john hadron collider at 5:33 AM on February 10, 2021
If the problem is too watery, I'd try more of everything that makes it stronger -- put more coffee in, use finer coffee (you're already doing that), hotter water, put more water in the top with the coffee, stir more, let sit longer, put less water in after. One or more of those is why it's not tasting the way you like. So try doing it all "wrong" in that direction at once, and then dial back to something reasonable.
posted by john hadron collider at 5:33 AM on February 10, 2021
I use a pre-ground, just under espresso-strength roast (say a 4 or 5 out of 5 roast) coffee from a good supermarket own brand.
Inverted method (sorry!).
Full, almost heaped scoop of coffee into the chamber. 75ml of boiling water (yes, properly boiling-from-a-kettle-boiling) into a small french cafe-style glass (I can eyeball the right level) then pour from the glass straight onto the coffee (this cools the water to about 86-87 degrees C, I've tested it). Stir well then pop the end on with a paper filter. The glass is irrelevant, I just like drinking a shot of coffee from it.
Leave for 2 minutes, then push hard to extract the coffee back into the glass. I ignore the advice and keep pushing once I'm pushing air - this creates something thinner than but akin to a crema. I get an espresso-amount of coffee from this. Not quite as intense, but very, very nice.
Part of the trick is that the coffee I use is ground just right, and consistently so. I can think of other coffees that have come out much more watery. It's a fine grind, table salt size at most, but not so fine as to be powdery.
Try these in order, one at a time for a fair test:
- First, use a paper filter, not metal. I find the extraction much nicer.
- Then make sure your water is not too cool. 85oC-ish.
- Leave long enough - a couple of minutes.
- Try different brands until you find one that's ground to the right size.
posted by dowcrag at 5:34 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Inverted method (sorry!).
Full, almost heaped scoop of coffee into the chamber. 75ml of boiling water (yes, properly boiling-from-a-kettle-boiling) into a small french cafe-style glass (I can eyeball the right level) then pour from the glass straight onto the coffee (this cools the water to about 86-87 degrees C, I've tested it). Stir well then pop the end on with a paper filter. The glass is irrelevant, I just like drinking a shot of coffee from it.
Leave for 2 minutes, then push hard to extract the coffee back into the glass. I ignore the advice and keep pushing once I'm pushing air - this creates something thinner than but akin to a crema. I get an espresso-amount of coffee from this. Not quite as intense, but very, very nice.
Part of the trick is that the coffee I use is ground just right, and consistently so. I can think of other coffees that have come out much more watery. It's a fine grind, table salt size at most, but not so fine as to be powdery.
Try these in order, one at a time for a fair test:
- First, use a paper filter, not metal. I find the extraction much nicer.
- Then make sure your water is not too cool. 85oC-ish.
- Leave long enough - a couple of minutes.
- Try different brands until you find one that's ground to the right size.
posted by dowcrag at 5:34 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have a French press, not an aeropress, but the idea is mostly the same. Grind size makes the biggest difference. I've found that coarsely-ground coffee for the French press just isn't strong enough for my liking. Too fine, and it doesn't taste good. Regular, drip-style grinds work best for me.
If you want to ditch it, I would recommend getting a Moka pot. They're inexpensive, easy to clean, fast, and make strong coffee. Straight out of the pot, it's more like espresso, but you can dilute it with water to your preferred strength—half Moka pot coffee + half water makes a mighty good cup of coffee. Get a 6-cup maker for two servings, or a 3-cup maker for a single serving.
posted by vitout at 5:39 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you want to ditch it, I would recommend getting a Moka pot. They're inexpensive, easy to clean, fast, and make strong coffee. Straight out of the pot, it's more like espresso, but you can dilute it with water to your preferred strength—half Moka pot coffee + half water makes a mighty good cup of coffee. Get a 6-cup maker for two servings, or a 3-cup maker for a single serving.
posted by vitout at 5:39 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I never figured the goddamned fiddly little fucker out, either, and I really hope you fire it into the sun.
posted by Don Pepino at 6:09 AM on February 10, 2021 [10 favorites]
posted by Don Pepino at 6:09 AM on February 10, 2021 [10 favorites]
You say it isn't an option, but dialing in a grind for the Aeropress is fairly fundamental to its operation. If you're getting grocery store "drip" grind or anything close, you're not going to get a great extraction on it. The aeropress is indeed fussy, and can produce good coffee, but one of the main variables that it relies on is proper grind size.
Even with that said, even after more than a decade in the coffee industry, I only used an aeropress for travel and camping, because it is indestructible. I think brews from an aeropress tend to be lighter in body, and tend to amp up acidity. I'm not a huge fan, but it has its place. I do not get the hype around it however.
If you're looking for more body, and can't change your grind size, I would certainly check out an immersion brewer like a Clever or a knock off thereof. With preground coffee you'll have more control (the main variable you can control easily is water/coffee contact time).
posted by furnace.heart at 7:04 AM on February 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
Even with that said, even after more than a decade in the coffee industry, I only used an aeropress for travel and camping, because it is indestructible. I think brews from an aeropress tend to be lighter in body, and tend to amp up acidity. I'm not a huge fan, but it has its place. I do not get the hype around it however.
If you're looking for more body, and can't change your grind size, I would certainly check out an immersion brewer like a Clever or a knock off thereof. With preground coffee you'll have more control (the main variable you can control easily is water/coffee contact time).
posted by furnace.heart at 7:04 AM on February 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
This is weird, my aero press makes some of the most deliciously strong coffee I can imagine.
Seems like nobody read the manual?
Make sure you are stirring the coffee for at least 20 seconds. It comes with a stir stick and you need to do this per the instructions. I don’t see anyone else mentioning stirring the coffee.
I always used 2 full scoops to make one cup of strong coffee. I grind my own from beans right before using it with a hand grinder, but even when I use pre-ground coffee it’s still pretty good.
posted by soylent00FF00 at 7:05 AM on February 10, 2021 [11 favorites]
Seems like nobody read the manual?
Make sure you are stirring the coffee for at least 20 seconds. It comes with a stir stick and you need to do this per the instructions. I don’t see anyone else mentioning stirring the coffee.
I always used 2 full scoops to make one cup of strong coffee. I grind my own from beans right before using it with a hand grinder, but even when I use pre-ground coffee it’s still pretty good.
posted by soylent00FF00 at 7:05 AM on February 10, 2021 [11 favorites]
I don't know if it makes a difference, because I've never done anything else, but I always use an espresso blend in my Aeropress. The specific one I like is this one - I realise a London coffee roaster isn't directly helpful for you, but the details of the beans and the roast might be useful.
I grind the beans as finely as possible (it's powder, really). One 15ml scoop per mug (with a tablespoon measure), paper filter, water from a just-boiled kettle up to about the 3.5 mark, Aeropress *not* inverted because playing juggling games with boiling water seems like a terrible idea, stir ten times and then plunge.
I drink the coffee black, and obviously taste is a very personal thing and YMMV, but I enjoy it enough that I'm usually disappointed by black coffee anywhere else.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:07 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I grind the beans as finely as possible (it's powder, really). One 15ml scoop per mug (with a tablespoon measure), paper filter, water from a just-boiled kettle up to about the 3.5 mark, Aeropress *not* inverted because playing juggling games with boiling water seems like a terrible idea, stir ten times and then plunge.
I drink the coffee black, and obviously taste is a very personal thing and YMMV, but I enjoy it enough that I'm usually disappointed by black coffee anywhere else.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:07 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
On the grind: are you buying pre-ground coffee or is grinding your own using the machine available in the grocery store (NOTE: I'm in the US, not sure if this is commonly available elsewhere) an option? That will at least let you control grind size, without buying a grinder.
posted by mosst at 7:10 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by mosst at 7:10 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Inverted method, 15 grams of coffee at a medium-fine grind (4 out of 10 on my grinder). Water from electric kettle at 190-195 deg F.
Add just enough water to cover & wait 30 seconds.
Add water to #4 line, stir, and wait 1 minute.
While waiting, put paper filter in thingy and get it wet.
Add filter thingy to press, turn into cup, and press until I hear air. This makes like 6-8 ounces of pretty strong tasting coffee. I add 8 ounces of water to make an Americano.
posted by muddgirl at 7:12 AM on February 10, 2021
Add just enough water to cover & wait 30 seconds.
Add water to #4 line, stir, and wait 1 minute.
While waiting, put paper filter in thingy and get it wet.
Add filter thingy to press, turn into cup, and press until I hear air. This makes like 6-8 ounces of pretty strong tasting coffee. I add 8 ounces of water to make an Americano.
posted by muddgirl at 7:12 AM on February 10, 2021
How much are you making and how much are you elongating it with water? I usually do a triple shot, then fill the mug the rest of the way with water. A single shot Aeropress Americano is not nearly strong enough for me.
posted by en forme de poire at 7:21 AM on February 10, 2021
posted by en forme de poire at 7:21 AM on February 10, 2021
Go to ALDI, buy a brick of Cafe Bustelo for $3, and see if you get better results.
Fussing with beans and grinders is a waste of time for me, and this is a solid cup of coffee that works. Keep the water at 170F. (For me that's 8oz of tap water @ 2:00 in the microwave. YMMV.)
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:27 AM on February 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
Fussing with beans and grinders is a waste of time for me, and this is a solid cup of coffee that works. Keep the water at 170F. (For me that's 8oz of tap water @ 2:00 in the microwave. YMMV.)
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:27 AM on February 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
I got an aeropress when I was 16 (saw it in the back of mental floss like any teen girl lol) and have been using it for the 15 years since. It's either you have a medical problem messing with sense of taste, your water isn't hot enough, your high quality coffee is still not very fresh, you're not agitating or letting the grounds bloom first, not letting it brew long enough. I don't bother with inversion, not when I have really good coffee. Are you adding too much water and not enough coffee? You say you are following experts, but eff em. Use less water. double your coffee. Make it too dark and then pull back. Easiest method of experimentation. But here is the thing, I never had this much trouble. Never ever. It's less likely a tweak and more likely something fundamental is off, like grind size. Also light acidic fruity varieties are shit in the aeropress, which is fine bc I never liked them, but they are very popular and I think that accounts for a lot of people struggling with the aeropress. Good luck!
posted by wellifyouinsist at 7:39 AM on February 10, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by wellifyouinsist at 7:39 AM on February 10, 2021 [7 favorites]
A couple more thoughts: pressing it shouldn't be like pressing a French Press, because the grind is more fine. It's tough for me to press and so it's not hard for me to press slowly but maybe a strong person might press too quick? It's a solid like 10 count.
posted by muddgirl at 7:56 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by muddgirl at 7:56 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Also can we watch the hipster denigration here? I've never been hip, but an aeropress doesn't take counter space or forward thought. If y'all don't like it, don't use it.
posted by muddgirl at 7:58 AM on February 10, 2021 [12 favorites]
posted by muddgirl at 7:58 AM on February 10, 2021 [12 favorites]
(Sorry if my comments came off weird! That was definitely meant to be ironic hipster self-deprecation.)
posted by en forme de poire at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by en forme de poire at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Non-inversion, filtered water, LaVazza pre-ground coffee
1. Pour a mug of Britta filtered water into electric kettle. (We have crummy, flat tasting water in my town, hence the Britta, which makes the taste of our drinking water palatable. I sometimes travel with my Aeropress and notice that the quality of drinking water varies enormously. My Aeropress coffee tastes worse in some places and better anyplace near the delicious water coming down from the Catskills to New York City through pipes that are over 100 years old.)
2. Put 2 scoops of LaVazza Gran Aroma (or any other LaVazza pre-ground type, which seems to be a powdery espresso grind. Espresso grind requires some muscle to press down the plunger, but so be it.) into the chamber over a wet paper filter.
3. Almost boil water until you hear sizzling. If water boils, let kettle sit for half a minute. (IMO, making sure you don't pour boiled water, only pre-boiled water, is important.)
4. Pour water up to #4 level and let it sit for 30 secs or so.
5. Stir with paddle in one direction about 10 times, then another direction 10 times or so.
6. Add rest of water.
6. Plunge for 20 seconds.
posted by Elsie at 8:23 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
1. Pour a mug of Britta filtered water into electric kettle. (We have crummy, flat tasting water in my town, hence the Britta, which makes the taste of our drinking water palatable. I sometimes travel with my Aeropress and notice that the quality of drinking water varies enormously. My Aeropress coffee tastes worse in some places and better anyplace near the delicious water coming down from the Catskills to New York City through pipes that are over 100 years old.)
2. Put 2 scoops of LaVazza Gran Aroma (or any other LaVazza pre-ground type, which seems to be a powdery espresso grind. Espresso grind requires some muscle to press down the plunger, but so be it.) into the chamber over a wet paper filter.
3. Almost boil water until you hear sizzling. If water boils, let kettle sit for half a minute. (IMO, making sure you don't pour boiled water, only pre-boiled water, is important.)
4. Pour water up to #4 level and let it sit for 30 secs or so.
5. Stir with paddle in one direction about 10 times, then another direction 10 times or so.
6. Add rest of water.
6. Plunge for 20 seconds.
posted by Elsie at 8:23 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have been using aeropress for 12 years. I also have a French press and ceramic filter holder thing for pour-over, but I use aeropress most often due to tasty coffee and easy cleanup.
My routine for a strong cup of coffee is:
- Start tap water boiling in the kettle (our tap water is inoffensive)
- Grind medium-dark roast beans to drip, not as fine as espresso (substitute freshly roasted beans ground while you wait at your favorite coffee place)
- Put in a dry paper filter, set the contraption on my mug
- Add two scant scoops of grounds (I actually eyeball based on height in my coffee grinder)
- Water a few minutes off boiling, poured in to level 4
- Stir and count to 20
- Press; I have to put some muscle into it
I also have a metal filter and prismo cap with a tiny nozzle for making "espresso"; for that I use a darker roast and just follow the directions that came with the cap. That makes even stronger coffee.
I've found that pre-ground coffee beans taste better prepared via pour-over than aeropress. But also I only get pre-ground beans if whoever is getting groceries gets confused, so they are not as fresh and lovely as they could be.
posted by esoterrica at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
My routine for a strong cup of coffee is:
- Start tap water boiling in the kettle (our tap water is inoffensive)
- Grind medium-dark roast beans to drip, not as fine as espresso (substitute freshly roasted beans ground while you wait at your favorite coffee place)
- Put in a dry paper filter, set the contraption on my mug
- Add two scant scoops of grounds (I actually eyeball based on height in my coffee grinder)
- Water a few minutes off boiling, poured in to level 4
- Stir and count to 20
- Press; I have to put some muscle into it
I also have a metal filter and prismo cap with a tiny nozzle for making "espresso"; for that I use a darker roast and just follow the directions that came with the cap. That makes even stronger coffee.
I've found that pre-ground coffee beans taste better prepared via pour-over than aeropress. But also I only get pre-ground beans if whoever is getting groceries gets confused, so they are not as fresh and lovely as they could be.
posted by esoterrica at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
My method of choice also uses filtered water and a fine grind. Those are important elements. A friend who couldn’t get good coffee from his Aeropress (despite using good water and coffee) thanked me for showing this method to him, so I think it works.
Measure 22g of coffee and put it in the Aeropress. (I use a cheap food scale. You can find old ones at the thrift store. But there may be some small measuring cup or spoon lying around your house that holds about this much.)
Pour in 50g of 190F water, and let it sit for 50 seconds. (If I don’t have my kettle with set temperatures, I boil the water and let it sit for 20-30 seconds with the lid off the pot.)
Agitate the grounds using a bar spoon (or in my case, usually a butter knife) for about 10 seconds
Pour another 50g of water over the course of 10 seconds.
Rest for 10 seconds.
Plunge over the course of 20 seconds.
I probably don’t follow any of these steps to the letter any more, and just roughly estimate the times. But I tried to be punctilious at the beginning to get a feel for it. Good luck!
posted by a sourceless light at 9:28 AM on February 10, 2021
Measure 22g of coffee and put it in the Aeropress. (I use a cheap food scale. You can find old ones at the thrift store. But there may be some small measuring cup or spoon lying around your house that holds about this much.)
Pour in 50g of 190F water, and let it sit for 50 seconds. (If I don’t have my kettle with set temperatures, I boil the water and let it sit for 20-30 seconds with the lid off the pot.)
Agitate the grounds using a bar spoon (or in my case, usually a butter knife) for about 10 seconds
Pour another 50g of water over the course of 10 seconds.
Rest for 10 seconds.
Plunge over the course of 20 seconds.
I probably don’t follow any of these steps to the letter any more, and just roughly estimate the times. But I tried to be punctilious at the beginning to get a feel for it. Good luck!
posted by a sourceless light at 9:28 AM on February 10, 2021
on team "Into the Sun!" here. Complete waste of time and grounds for a tiny amount of tepid and weak coffee.
posted by scruss at 9:30 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by scruss at 9:30 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Large enough amount of coffee, Fine enough grind, hot enough water, long enough stirring.
Those are the variables that matter for us. We grind our own, unless there’s a mistake, and it is noticeably tastier than preground. But that isn’t due to the preground being weak.
The way we’ve gotten it too weak is if the water isn’t hot enough (mr Nat is a “preboiled” kind of guy but occasionally pulls the kettle too early), or if the grind is too large (I sometimes am impatient with the grinder, and we’ve definitely had this problem getting beans ground at the shop).
A year ago I was fairly strong (not so much now in these closed-climbing-gym days) and still pushing down the plunger on the proper grind is significant work. I actually tuck my toe under the counter to give me some extra oomph when I push down. There should be pretty good resistance if you’ve got the right grind. If it presses right through easily your grind is too large and your coffee will be weak.
If your grind is too fine, you already know it because you can’t get the damn plunger to go down. (I’ve made that mistake before too).
No matter what you do though, it’s not espresso, and my friend with the actual expensive espresso machine will always make a better cup. It’s different than a French press too, but so so much easier to clean. And I would say that my Moka pot does make a better approximation of espresso. But my Moka pot is a large size, and needs to be run full, so it’s a big waste (and a bit harder to clean) if it’s just two of us and just one shot each.
posted by nat at 10:08 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Those are the variables that matter for us. We grind our own, unless there’s a mistake, and it is noticeably tastier than preground. But that isn’t due to the preground being weak.
The way we’ve gotten it too weak is if the water isn’t hot enough (mr Nat is a “preboiled” kind of guy but occasionally pulls the kettle too early), or if the grind is too large (I sometimes am impatient with the grinder, and we’ve definitely had this problem getting beans ground at the shop).
A year ago I was fairly strong (not so much now in these closed-climbing-gym days) and still pushing down the plunger on the proper grind is significant work. I actually tuck my toe under the counter to give me some extra oomph when I push down. There should be pretty good resistance if you’ve got the right grind. If it presses right through easily your grind is too large and your coffee will be weak.
If your grind is too fine, you already know it because you can’t get the damn plunger to go down. (I’ve made that mistake before too).
No matter what you do though, it’s not espresso, and my friend with the actual expensive espresso machine will always make a better cup. It’s different than a French press too, but so so much easier to clean. And I would say that my Moka pot does make a better approximation of espresso. But my Moka pot is a large size, and needs to be run full, so it’s a big waste (and a bit harder to clean) if it’s just two of us and just one shot each.
posted by nat at 10:08 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
My guess would be that you're not using fine enough grounds. Buy Lavazza espresso-ground. Use plenty of it, then titrate down from there.
posted by Dashy at 10:54 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Dashy at 10:54 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Used the Aeropress for years and it always seemed to need about 15-20% more coffee grounds than using a V60 pour over, for example.
Seems like you've got lots of ideas up above, if you're a visual learner, maybe try the Stumptown walkthrough here.
I would echo Dashy's advice as well, put in a ridiculous amount of grounds to get a strong cup and then begin dialing it down until you're satisfied.
posted by jeremias at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Seems like you've got lots of ideas up above, if you're a visual learner, maybe try the Stumptown walkthrough here.
I would echo Dashy's advice as well, put in a ridiculous amount of grounds to get a strong cup and then begin dialing it down until you're satisfied.
posted by jeremias at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Water temp was what came to my mind immediately. At my office, I discovered that the surprisingly hot water directly out of the tap is just hot enough to work without me needing to use a kettle. Still, I can definitely tell the difference between that hot-enough water and when I actually properly heat the water at home: the hotter the water, the darker the coffee.
As others have said too, try adding more grounds and then you can dial it back. I usually don't properly stir, but instead turn the device as a I pour in water to make sure I've gotten all of the grounds properly wet. Also, I usually let most of the water drip through on its own before I slowly plunge--that makes a difference as well to give the water time to do its thing.
posted by past unusual at 1:07 PM on February 10, 2021
As others have said too, try adding more grounds and then you can dial it back. I usually don't properly stir, but instead turn the device as a I pour in water to make sure I've gotten all of the grounds properly wet. Also, I usually let most of the water drip through on its own before I slowly plunge--that makes a difference as well to give the water time to do its thing.
posted by past unusual at 1:07 PM on February 10, 2021
Also, follow-up thought, do you like your coffee to taste bitter? Personally, I hate bitterness and that's why I like the smoothness of an aeropress cup. But I know some people like that edge, so if you're one of them then an aeropress might not be the right method.
posted by past unusual at 1:11 PM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by past unusual at 1:11 PM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I guess one of the things I hate about the Aeropress is how technique-sensitive it is. Once you've dialed it in to your tastes, it works good. But getting there is a pain.
Anyway, just for fun, here's how we make coffee now with a 24 hour brew. Once recipe makes about 7l/8q of finished coffee, via ~2 quarts of concentrate you store in your fridge.
Get 150g of ground coffee (either grind it yourself or use pre-ground. Doesn't matter.) Put it in a heat-safe 2 litre container, like maybe a big old pickle jar. Fill the jar with 96C (just off the boil) water. Stir it a little. Put the lid on, and let it sit on the counter overnight.
The next day, without sloshing or shaking the container, gently pour off the coffee liqueur into another 2L container (maybe using a funnel if you've shakey hands). If you want to get all the juice out of the grinds, you can pour through a strainer or cheese cloth. Discard the grinds and refrigerate the liqueur.
To prepare drinking coffee at the strength we like, take 4oz/120ml of liqueur right out of the fridge (don't slosh the container, you'll disturb the mud) and pour it into a 16oz/500ml thermal cup, then top it off with boiling water. Use more or less water to taste.
Anyway, just thought I'd toss it out there. This is the method that has kept our Aeropress dusty for a couple years now.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:24 PM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Anyway, just for fun, here's how we make coffee now with a 24 hour brew. Once recipe makes about 7l/8q of finished coffee, via ~2 quarts of concentrate you store in your fridge.
Get 150g of ground coffee (either grind it yourself or use pre-ground. Doesn't matter.) Put it in a heat-safe 2 litre container, like maybe a big old pickle jar. Fill the jar with 96C (just off the boil) water. Stir it a little. Put the lid on, and let it sit on the counter overnight.
The next day, without sloshing or shaking the container, gently pour off the coffee liqueur into another 2L container (maybe using a funnel if you've shakey hands). If you want to get all the juice out of the grinds, you can pour through a strainer or cheese cloth. Discard the grinds and refrigerate the liqueur.
To prepare drinking coffee at the strength we like, take 4oz/120ml of liqueur right out of the fridge (don't slosh the container, you'll disturb the mud) and pour it into a 16oz/500ml thermal cup, then top it off with boiling water. Use more or less water to taste.
Anyway, just thought I'd toss it out there. This is the method that has kept our Aeropress dusty for a couple years now.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:24 PM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: hey everyone. After I calmed down from this morning's meltdown, I determined to experiment with different coffees ... and different filters. Already I'm getting somewhat better results just by going back to paper filters, although there's a long way to go.
I'll take all of your patient suggestions into account. Thank you!!
posted by Sheydem-tants at 3:26 PM on February 10, 2021
I'll take all of your patient suggestions into account. Thank you!!
posted by Sheydem-tants at 3:26 PM on February 10, 2021
How much coffee are you putting in? As a general rule, an Aeropress will need roughly double what you would put in a drip coffee maker. Also, how long are you letting it steep? I haven't used mine in a while but IIRC it needs to steep at least a minute or so.
The finished product should be something between espresso and drip coffee, so you need to add a bit of water. It's an Americano, basically.
posted by zardoz at 1:09 AM on February 11, 2021
The finished product should be something between espresso and drip coffee, so you need to add a bit of water. It's an Americano, basically.
posted by zardoz at 1:09 AM on February 11, 2021
Just wanted to leave a warning in here for all the "inverted" people: Once our press got rather old, well over 10 years, the plunger noticeably lost some mass/pressure in the connection with the cylinder. It was too easy to push. But more importantly, I burned myself quite badly twice trying to invert it, when the plunger slipped out (or got pushed out by the air bubble?) mid-inversion.
Boiling-hot water is never a thing you want to spray all over yourself. So beware.
We got a new press last year and it's noticeably more firm within the chamber. And I still don't invert. And I'm definitely not a hipster, I just like the self-cleaning part because Moka pots are a pain.
posted by Dashy at 7:26 AM on February 11, 2021
Boiling-hot water is never a thing you want to spray all over yourself. So beware.
We got a new press last year and it's noticeably more firm within the chamber. And I still don't invert. And I'm definitely not a hipster, I just like the self-cleaning part because Moka pots are a pain.
posted by Dashy at 7:26 AM on February 11, 2021
I go for the slightly-upscale beans in the bulk containers, usually a medium roast, and grind them to a "drip" grind the provided grinder. For each cup (12 oz mug) I use 3 slightly rounded tablespoons (about 15-16g) of grounds.
I use the inverted method, because I feel like if I use it filter-end down too much un-steeped water drips through. I wet the paper filter just so it sticks to the cap when I turn it over later.
I heat the water to not-quite-boiling (190°F on my electric kettle), pour it into the inverted Aeropress, and let it steep for 2 minutes. I give it a stir with the provided stick after pouring then a couple more times during the steep - basically, whenever the light brown foam is replaced by floating grounds. After my final stir I twist on the filter cap.
After 2 minutes I invert the (empty!) mug onto the filter end of the Aeropress and give it a quick flip. Just the weight of my two hands resting on the plunger is enough to slowly press it down...takes between 20-30 seconds. Then I top up the cup with the remaining hot water since the Aeropress only fills it about halfway.
That gives me a decently strong (for my tastes) cup, with a nicely rounded but full flavor. It's certainly possible to make it stronger using some combination of a darker roast / finer grind / more grounds per cup.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:01 AM on February 11, 2021
I use the inverted method, because I feel like if I use it filter-end down too much un-steeped water drips through. I wet the paper filter just so it sticks to the cap when I turn it over later.
I heat the water to not-quite-boiling (190°F on my electric kettle), pour it into the inverted Aeropress, and let it steep for 2 minutes. I give it a stir with the provided stick after pouring then a couple more times during the steep - basically, whenever the light brown foam is replaced by floating grounds. After my final stir I twist on the filter cap.
After 2 minutes I invert the (empty!) mug onto the filter end of the Aeropress and give it a quick flip. Just the weight of my two hands resting on the plunger is enough to slowly press it down...takes between 20-30 seconds. Then I top up the cup with the remaining hot water since the Aeropress only fills it about halfway.
That gives me a decently strong (for my tastes) cup, with a nicely rounded but full flavor. It's certainly possible to make it stronger using some combination of a darker roast / finer grind / more grounds per cup.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:01 AM on February 11, 2021
I got an aeropress after I shattered my french press. I am clumsy and it is indestructible.
I tried following very precise recipes from the internet, and after seeing how varied they were, just settled into what I think is easiest and laziest.
1 scoop of whole beans, usually something Ethiopian from the premium line of grocery store brand coffee; grind pretty fine (this is like, 12 / 30 of a Barazza Encore).
Put water on boil, stick the plunger into the chamber and fill with all the ground coffee for the inverted method. I don't mass my beans or spritz with water to reduce static; I don't taste well enough to be bothered.
Pour in boiling water all the way to the top, cap with paper filter and cap. Once I got distracted and let the water cool to like, 140, and that was ok too; the coffee was just not hot enough and slightly different flavored.
At this point, I sometimes put it over a mug to let the grounds settle to the bottom, but sometimes I forget. I usually do a "small chore" (unload the top rack of the dishwasher, e.g.).
Then I plunge! Usually tastes ok. The usual mishaps are if I don't place the paper filter well, and then I get some grit in the bottom of my cup. I don't think that affects that taste.
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:41 PM on February 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
I tried following very precise recipes from the internet, and after seeing how varied they were, just settled into what I think is easiest and laziest.
1 scoop of whole beans, usually something Ethiopian from the premium line of grocery store brand coffee; grind pretty fine (this is like, 12 / 30 of a Barazza Encore).
Put water on boil, stick the plunger into the chamber and fill with all the ground coffee for the inverted method. I don't mass my beans or spritz with water to reduce static; I don't taste well enough to be bothered.
Pour in boiling water all the way to the top, cap with paper filter and cap. Once I got distracted and let the water cool to like, 140, and that was ok too; the coffee was just not hot enough and slightly different flavored.
At this point, I sometimes put it over a mug to let the grounds settle to the bottom, but sometimes I forget. I usually do a "small chore" (unload the top rack of the dishwasher, e.g.).
Then I plunge! Usually tastes ok. The usual mishaps are if I don't place the paper filter well, and then I get some grit in the bottom of my cup. I don't think that affects that taste.
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:41 PM on February 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
These days we do a 24-hour semi-cold brew in big batches, but the aeropress is still there in case we have an emergency.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:15 AM on February 10, 2021 [3 favorites]