The Perfect AeroPress: A Precision Brewing Guide

The AeroPress is remarkably versatile, producing everything from espresso-style concentrates to clean filter coffee. Its immersion brewing and pressure extraction create a smooth, rich cup with low acidity. Here's how to dial in consistently excellent results.

What You'll Need

• AeroPress with filter cap
• AeroPress paper or metal filter
• 15g coffee beans
• 220g water at 85°C
• Burr grinder
• Scale with timer
• Stirrer

Grind Size: 600-800 Microns

For the standard inverted method, aim for 600-800 microns—finer than pour-over but coarser than espresso. This range maximizes extraction during the immersion phase while allowing smooth plunging. Too fine (below 500 microns) makes plunging difficult and creates bitter, over-extracted coffee. Too coarse (above 900 microns) produces weak, tea-like results.

Starting Point: Begin at 700 microns for a balanced, full-bodied cup.

Fine-Tuning: The AeroPress responds beautifully to small adjustments. If your coffee tastes bitter or astringent, move coarser by 30 microns (try 730). If it tastes sour or lacks body, go finer by 30 microns (try 670). Because immersion brewing is more controlled than percolation, these smaller increments let you fine-tune flavor without dramatic swings in extraction.

Advanced Dialing: Once you're close to your ideal cup, 15-20 micron adjustments can reveal subtle flavor shifts—bringing out sweetness, enhancing clarity, or building body. This level of precision is where the real magic happens, letting you optimize for each coffee's unique character.

Bean Variables: Light roasts typically shine at 650-700 microns to ensure full extraction. Medium roasts are versatile at 700-750 microns. Dark roasts often work best at 750-800 microns to avoid bitterness. Record your exact settings—the repeatability means you can replicate your best brews perfectly.

The Brewing Method (Inverted)

Setup: Remove the plunger and flip the AeroPress upside down. Ensure the plunger is inserted about 1cm to create a seal. This inverted method prevents premature dripping and gives you full control over brew time.

Add Coffee: Add 15g of ground coffee to the chamber.

Bloom (0:00-0:30): Pour 40g of water and stir gently for 10 seconds to ensure even saturation. This releases CO2 and prepares the grounds for extraction. Let it sit until 0:30.

Main Brew (0:30-1:30): Add the remaining 180g of water (total 220g). Stir gently for 5 seconds. Attach the filter cap with a rinsed filter. Wait until 1:30 total brew time.

Flip and Press (1:30-2:00): Carefully flip the AeroPress onto your cup. Press steadily over 30 seconds using moderate, even pressure. Stop when you hear a hiss—pressing further extracts bitter compounds.

Troubleshooting

Too bitter or harsh? Move up to 730-750 microns, or reduce water temperature to 82°C. Also check your press time—pressing too slowly can over-extract.

Too sour or weak? Dial down to 650-670 microns, or increase water temperature to 88°C. Extend brew time to 2:00 before pressing.

Difficult to press? Your grind is too fine. Adjust coarser by 30-50 microns. If you're pressing hard and getting resistance, you're in espresso territory—move to 750+ microns for standard brewing.

Watery or hollow? Try going 20-30 microns finer to increase extraction and body. Alternatively, extend brew time by 15-30 seconds.

Inconsistent results? The AeroPress is highly repeatable if your variables are controlled. Check your water temperature, brew time, and press speed. With grind size locked in at a specific micron measurement, you eliminate one major variable and can troubleshoot the others more easily.

Recipe Variations

Concentrated (pseudo-espresso): Use 18g coffee at 550-600 microns with 100g water at 90°C. Brew for 1:00, press over 30 seconds. Dilute to taste or use for milk drinks.

Bright and clean: Use 13g coffee at 750-800 microns with 200g water at 83°C. Brew for 1:00, press quickly over 15 seconds. This highlights acidity and delicate flavors.

Cold brew style: Use 15g at 700 microns with 220g room temperature water. Brew for 4:00, press slowly. Serve over ice.

Final Tips

Fresh beans matter. Coffee degases significantly after roasting—use beans within 2-4 weeks of roast date for best results. Store in an airtight container away from light and heat.

Water quality impacts flavor dramatically. Use filtered water with 50-150 ppm total dissolved solids for optimal extraction.

Keep a brewing journal. Note your micron setting, water temperature, brew time, and tasting notes for each coffee. The AeroPress has so many variables that tracking them becomes invaluable. Your exact micron measurements create a reliable foundation—when you change other variables, you'll know precisely what shifted.

The AeroPress rewards experimentation and precision. The ability to make 15-20 micron adjustments opens up a world of fine-tuning that broader grind settings simply can't access. Once you've dialed in your technique, you'll consistently brew remarkably clean, flavorful coffee with minimal effort.