# Heart Roasters - Aeropress Technique



## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

I've been trying this method with the Aeropress recently with good results.

Heart Roasters - Aeropress Technique

I am using 5/8 turns out on the Lido and I sometimes like to dilute a small amount (maybe 5-10% added water)

As with most AP techniques, it isn't perfect, as I don't think it highlights the aromatics as well as other techniques. What you do get, though, is a sweet and fruity cup every time.

It is not an inverted method so there is no contact with the rubber bung, which is a bonus if you suspect (like me) it is contributing to off flavours.


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

I do the same thing for non-inverted, only reduce the dose and contact time. From a purely parsimonious point of view it saves a few pennies!


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

I agree. Smaller dose and shorter steep means reducing bean expenditure. If drank undiluted it is strong enough and very tasty.


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

Maybe should have added that I too reduce the dose but keep the ratio and contact time the same.

So 12g -170g water ~70g/L

What ratio do you use and what effect does the reduced contact give?

I guess its similar to the 30-30-30 method, but this seems to give better results to me.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

tribs said:


> It is not an inverted method so there is no contact with the rubber bung, which is a bonus if you suspect (like me) it is contributing to off flavours.


I think I need to explore this bung-avoidance methodology, been mega-unimpressed with the cups Ive been having recently from the old AP . My v60-01 has been blowing it out the water in terms of aromatics , sweetness and flavour separation


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

Mine smells of stale and over-extracted coffee. I can't be sure it makes it's way into the cup, but it doesn't half put me off.


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

I have been trying different things but recently I have had been results from 15g in 200g water, inverted half way fill and steep for 30secs, then top up to 200g and stir, immediately place cap on top and plunge for around 30secs. Total time is about 1min 30secs. Drink undiluted, very sweet and juicy yet not too strong.


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

I've just tried the Heart method again with the same beans as yesterday, but this time flipped so it was inverted during the steep.

I am now certain there is taint from the bung. Tastes almost as it smells, dry and powdery. I recognise it from previous brews too. No wonder I had been struggling with the AP until switching to uninverted.


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

tribs said:


> I've just tried the Heart method again with the same beans as yesterday, but this time flipped so it was inverted during the steep.
> 
> I am now certain there is taint from the bung. Tastes almost as it smells, dry and powdery. I recognise it from previous brews too. No wonder I had been struggling with the AP until switching to uninverted.


I have tried inverted and non inverted and I have not been able to get a good cup without 10 seconds stirring. Maybe this is because my kettle cant pour with a narrow spout of water which can penetrate to the bottom of the grinds and wet them all without stirring. The cups have been tasteless.


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

Tried the above method. The cup tastes bitter and there are no aromatics on the nose. Not a nice cup I have to say. When I done my inverted this morning I sat smelling it until it was almost cold before I started drinking it.


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

What method do you use inverted and what beans are you using?

Also, what grind setting did you use?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Milesy said:


> I have tried inverted and non inverted and I have not been able to get a good cup without 10 seconds stirring. Maybe this is because my kettle cant pour with a narrow spout of water which can penetrate to the bottom of the grinds and wet them all without stirring. The cups have been tasteless.


I too have found stirring to be pretty important with the Aeropress, whether using a kettle or not. Finer grinds don't seem to saturate as easily as coarser.

I modified my Aeropress technique based on what I do with the CCD & french press...fill un-inverted, stir for 10 seconds then periodically taste off the top. When the undery flavours subside - plunge. I'm using around 63g/l (when you push right through to the hiss, you end up about the same cup ratio as a 60g/l drip brew, due to the Aeropress retaining less moisture around the grinds) and a fine (espresso) grind, the fine grinds seem to get waterlogged quicker and sink, meaning you can taste off the top without loads of grit. A fair bit drips through the filter before you plunge, but that doesn't concern me. I used to think plunging pushed too much oils through, flattening off the flavours and surpressing juicier/fruitier flavours, but I think this method (where a proportion drains under gravity, then the remainder is pushed through) gives a good balance balance between body & juicyness?


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

Interesting. Will give that a go as I'm not keen on the arbitrary 1:30 secs steep. It might be fine for one bean at that grind setting, but maybe not another.

Just to be clear, do you push TO the hiss or THROUGH the hiss?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I think once you get to the hiss, the show is pretty well over & done. Once there is hissing, the difference in retained liquid is pretty marginal, whether you stop or continue to press. I could stand to be proved wrong though.

If I was using a 60g/l dose I'd be more inclined to stop as the liquid level was still around the top of the grinds bed.


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

Just tried your method, MWJB. I used 3/8 turns on the Lido (actually 1/4 but my zero seems to have tightened by 1/8 ) and aimed for the same ratio of 63g/L.

I overshot my water by 20g though, giving 56g/L









I perservered stirring and sipping and stopped at when I thought the underiness had gone. As I was way low on my ratio, I tried to stop before the hiss. Ended up with a final cup ratio (if you can call it that) of 67.5g/L. I timed but forgot to check right at the end, but approx 4 mins.

A nice cup, plenty of sweetness, in that respect better compared to the heart method. Aromatics on a par, more than acceptable. Just a hint of bovril though, which suggests a little under, perhaps.

Will have another go and try and hit my water target and aim for slightly hotter water. Was only around 82-3C in the AP this time (30 secs off boil).


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## winchester coffee school (Nov 27, 2012)

I tried the inverted method a few times.....it didn't taste any better to me, just a bit messier.

I put 18 gramms of coffee in a Tiamo hand grinder, boil my kettle with filtered water, pour some water through the filter into the cup im going to drink from, this cleans out the filter and also heats the cup.

Leave the water to cool for 2 minuites, empty the grinds into the Aeropress, pour about an inch of hot water into the grinds to preinfuse, then after 10 secs fill the Aeropress up to the level 3 line, stir 10 times in a round and upward motion (very technical) leave for a further 20 seconds and insert plunger.

Push down for approx 20 seconds......hey presto I usually end up with an exrtemly rich full bodied coffee....I add just a splash of milk to mine.

I absolutly love this method of brewing.

When I first came across the Aeropress, I thought they were another American Gimmick....especially with the cheesy slogan.

How wrong was I !!


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