OT - AeroPress Coffee

tenpenny_05

This forum seems to be in the know of all things good. But I don't see coffee brought up very often. I assume a good cup of coffee in the morning is a requirement for most eggers, right?

I went through a snobby coffee phase with expensive grinders, french press, imported beans, the whole bit. It got to be too much and I honestly got burned out trying to find the perfect cup.

Fast forward to my current job where we actually get awesome locally roasted coffee to use in our office. I was super excited until I tasted it out of the high mileage/poorly maintained commercial coffee pots.  I decided to resurrect some of my coffee toys, but it was usually way too inconvenient just to make a good cup at work. But then I found the aeropress. 

At first, it looks like its just another french press, but it actually uses paper filters and air pressure to brew and filter the coffee. It is very clean, very easy to use and brews a great cup of coffee.  The best thing is you can take it anywhere and make coffee anyplace there is hot water.

Have any of my fellow eggers tried one of these??

Killit_and_Grillit

Hmm...that looks like my new camping toy. I’ll check that out. 

Our office order just showed up with December’s coffee. Gonna be some jittery typos today!

gdenby

I have one. Have been considering digging it out of storage, 'cause I bought myself a Baratza grinder as Christmas present. There's a company in town that roasts some pretty good stuff, and another a county away that does even better. With the AeroPress, there isn't any chance of over heating the brew.

GrillSgt

When I need coffee I need coffee NOW. I use a Cuisinart grind and brew with a stainless carafe. Made the night before and programmed to be ready about 2 minutes before I get downstairs. Colombian is our go to but enjoy Guatemala and used to be a Kona fan.

Used a French press for a few years, the best. 

Edit: also have enjoyed some Ethiopian but a lot of them are way past by the time we purchase. Stale tasting.

tenpenny_05

I shelved mine for awhile too. It makes really really strong coffee, almost like a moka pot.  It hurts me to add water to good coffee, but it almost needs it to make a nice smooth cup with one of these.

tenpenny_05

GrillSgt said:

Used a French press for a few years, the best. 

French press is good, but I find them messy and you get all that silt in the bottom.  
Not saying this is the be-all-end-all, but it really works for me if I want one solid cup of coffee.

vcool

The directions for the Aeropress say you should add water, basically like an Americano.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I think the Aeropress is one of the best most convenient and best tasting brewing systems when I do have coffee.  The only down side is sometimes I love the silt and chewiness you get in a coffee from a french press.

If you didn't know the Aeropress is made by the same dude who made the Aerobie (flying disc kinda thing)

Carolina Q

I've had one for years. I see they've changed the color, but otherwise, the same. I drink quite a bit of coffee and used to use it for every cup for quite a long time, but got tired of messing with it and haven't used it in ages. I always made the Americano version. 

I tried a French press a few times (Bodum, I think), but never once did I have a decent cup.

Far from a coffee snob, now I use a Bunn drip machine and a grocery store tub of Folger's ground. When I get up, I measure the coffee and place my coffee cup on the hot plate. Pour the water in the machine and when my cup is about half full, I pull the cup out while replacing it quickly with the carafe. I'm sipping coffee in seconds. With the Bunn, a whole pot takes only 3 minutes or so anyway, but I want it NOW!

tenpenny_05

Yea Bunn coffee makers are nice. I guess having hot water on tap from our coffee machines at work make the aeropress convenient. I can have a cup ready in less than 3 minutes too.   Where as at home I either have to microwave water or put a kettle on.

ColtsFan

I use to have one. It was okay. Now I use a chemex and I am pleased

NCSmoky

I have one and it is a great travel brewer but I am a diehard Chemex user. Clean bright coffee that allows you to taste all of the subtleties of the different beans. 

Eoin

It's amazingly good. And cheap. Here's my Eureka grinder (burr) and Dualit milk frother / heater. Had this lot on the counter ready when I saw this thread, was just making a coffee. As @vcool said, the same guy invented the Aerobie flying disc, which is many times better than a frisbee.

Carolina Q

Okay, I decided to drag it out of mothballs. I used to use Café Bustelo Espresso Grind canned coffee (the yellow cans in every store everywhere). Like I said, not a coffee snob. Looked in the pantry and all I had was half a can left from the last aeropress cup - 5 or 6 years ago, maybe more! So, why not? Washed all the parts, heated some water and made a cup.

It was actually pretty, umm, not horrible! Guess I'll go buy some fresh coffee.

Zaltydog

I use an aeropress every morning. It works well for a good, quick cup. I even took the thing with me on a two week Alaskan camping trip last summer. You can buy metal filter disks for a more french press like cup, or use the paper for a cleaner cup. I roast my own beans each week and grind just before use. The whole process is quick and results in a good cup with plenty of options to experiment with easily. I use the inverted method.

oldgeezeystax

At home I have a Capresso burr mill grinder, electric tea kettle, and insulated french press that we use daily and love.  At work we have a Chemex but I generally drink tea in the afternoon.

I've always been curious about the aeropress but have always shied away because hot water and plastic sketch me out, same reason I'm not really on board with sous vide.

Eoin

@oldgeezeystax the Aeropress plastic is really good quality, as it is for their flying ring. I make a cup a day and have had mine for about 3 years. It is still in good condition and seals perfectly. They are a class organisation.

Theophan

tenpenny_05 said:

... I went through a snobby coffee phase with expensive grinders, french press, imported beans, the whole bit...

tenpenny_05 said:

French press is good, but I find them messy and you get all that silt in the bottom...

Carolina Q said:

... I tried a French press a few times (Bodum, I think), but never once did I have a decent cup...

Interesting how different our experiences are.  Back in the '70s I, too, did the "snobby coffee phase with expensive grinders, french press, imported beans, the whole bit," tried a bunch of different ways of brewing coffee, loved the idea of crystal-clear coffee but found that the rather muddy French press coffee, definitely not "good to the last drop," was just the best coffee of any I'd ever tasted (except for coffee in Paris, which is brewed like espresso but a much lighter roast, and I love that stuff).  I found that the longer I let it brew before plunging the grounds down to the bottom the better it tasted.  Sometimes I let it go 15 minutes or more.  Not as hot as it would have been, but man that stuff tasted good!

Unfortunately, for medical reasons I can't have caffeine anymore, and there just ain't no decaf that's really very good.  I drink it anyway, and I like it, but I don't love it, and I really used to LOVE a good cup of coffee.  I have a stove-top style espresso pot that I use sometimes, a French press one, but I bought my wife a Nespresso pot and she loves the coffee it makes, tons of cream like espresso but it's American coffee strength, to put in a mug, not a demi-tasse.  Their decaf is pretty good.  Sure miss real coffee, though.

Cashfan

Aeropress has been my daily coffee maker for close to two years now. I bought it to take camping and liked it so much I ditched the kuerig and the bunn. I have a water kettle and a burr grinder and make a cup of coffee that I love. It would not have worked for me years ago when I drank 2-3 pots a day, but being down to 1-3 cups a  day it works great for me. 

The aeropress is easy to use and clean, and versatile.  Different grinds, water temps and timing can really change the flavor of the coffee.

ttony604

I use a French Press, I found the biggest difference was roasting my own beans and ensuring a good ratio of water to grind for a strong tasting coffee, super happy with it. Then I tried condensed milk instead of sugar and cream!! Wow

GrateEggspectations

I cannot claim to be any great coffee connoisseur, but I do enjoy very bold coffee flavour. 

I hold the (perhaps controversial) belief that the fundamental factor contributing to a successful cup of coffee is not bean quality nor method of brewing, but the proportions between beans and water (with many, many commercial outfits - even coffee shops -  using ratios of far too few beans to water).

Once this balance is achieved (as it probably is with all of you who have taken an interest in the thread), fine tuning other factors will lead you to your perfect cup. 

I will have to check check out some of the toys that are being suggested. 

kweitz

I've had one for 10 years, got it from BB&B. Best cup of coffee I can make!

Yno

When we were camping a lot, we went through all the methods from Cowboy coffee (don't care for it) on up. French press is good but a pain in the butt to clean when you are camping off the grid. My two favorite methods turned out to be the Chemex for quantity and the Aeropress for quality. I still use the Aeropress occasionally at home, but if I am going to adulterate the coffee with Bailey's, I just use a Bonavita drip.

The_Stache

How does the Aeropress compare to the siphon makers flavor wise?

JohnB

I've had one for probably about 10 years or so. I was on a coffee forum and needed to replace my Moka pot. Someone suggested the Aeropress. I looked it up, was intrigued and bought it. I also purchased a metal filter which doesn't strain as finely as the paper filters do, so there's a little bit fuller mouth feel. I roast my own beans which helps. I use an old hot air popcorn popper so hopefully I don't fit into the coffee nut category.

Carolina Q

JohnB said:

I've had one for probably about 10 years or so. I was on a coffee forum and needed to replace my Moka pot. Someone suggested the Aeropress. I looked it up, was intrigued and bought it. I also purchased a metal filter which doesn't strain as finely as the paper filters do, so there's a little bit fuller mouth feel. I roast my own beans which helps. I use an old hot air popcorn popper so hopefully I don't fit into the coffee nut category.

Fuller mouth feel"?" You mean "a mouth full of coffee grounds with every sip"?

jonessteave

We don't drink coffee or tea so I'm a bit in the dark when it comes to the coffee and tea world. For those of you that supply coffee and tea is it popular? Are you thinking about buying a coffee machine or know about an event espresso bar? Do we buy an espresso machine or a coffee capsule machine?

kl8ton

@jonessteave
As usual, your input is invaluable.  Your dedication to the forum is noted and awesome.  You continually look into the archives to contribute your thoughts, help, and assistance YEARS and YEARS after the fact.  You then edit your posts within a minute of posting to ensure accuracy.  Please private message me your home address so I may send you a thank you/care package!  Keep on posting brutha!  

JohnInCarolina

jonessteave said:

We don't drink coffee or tea so I'm a bit in the dark when it comes to the coffee and tea world. For those of you that supply coffee and tea is it popular? Are you thinking about buying a coffee machine or know about an event espresso bar? Do we buy an espresso machine or a coffee capsule machine?

Have you registered for the Egghead Panel, Jones?  I feel like they’d value your opinion, since you have so much experience trying to sell stuff that nobody has asked for.  

kl8ton

Crap. After some old fashioned beverages . . An aero press is headed my way. 

Legume

kl8ton said:

Crap. After some old fashioned beverages . . An aero press is headed my way. 

They're good.  Have one in our trailer.