# Help me understand if I want an aeropress.



## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

I've never had coffee from an aeropress. I'm very curious.

K, I can go and buy one and find out. But I don't want to be in a situation where the only brew method I don't own is a siphon. I can't find a Cafe that serves aeropress.

I don't really enjoy percolated coffee.. So French press is my least favourite.

But then I go and play poker at my friends house. The host offers Nespresso. But I've tried taking my porlex, V60 and some decent beans, then suddenly everyone wants that.

Grinding 60 grams and dripping 3 times is no fun either..

What's the most I can squeeze out of that thing in one press? Would it be any quicker or convenient work flow wise?

Am I right in thinking that I don't need a scale, assuming that there's the physical Max in ml the thing can receive? Then I can leave the scale at home, with beans put into small pre-weighed bags?

Are they durable? I worry my V60 might crack during transport..

TIA


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## GingerBen (Sep 7, 2017)

They are pretty much unbreakable unless you actually try and smash it with a hammer. Dropping it won't harm it at all. I can get 15g coffee and 250g water in mine but that's about the most you can do in one quick fill otherwise you have to let it settle a bit then top it up which isn't the end of the world but not ideal. I've not measured the max capacity of it but with coffee in as well it's probably in the 260-270g water range.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

French press (& aeropress) is immersion/steep, not percolation (drip, moka, percolator, espresso).

Aeropress is fine for 1 brew at a time, not a good option for brewing for a group, unless you have 1 each/1 between 2 people.

Auto drip or French press is probably best option for brewing from 60g in one hit. Or 2x V60s at 30g a pop (need scales).

Any brewer where you add coffee & water together will really need scales, as you can't see the water line when the coffee gets wet & froths up. You could do a dummy run with a glass FP with a marking, water in first up to mark (weigh once & hit the mark for subsequent brews), then coffee?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

u2jewel said:


> I've never had coffee from an aeropress. I'm very curious.
> 
> K, I can go and buy one and find out. But I don't want to be in a situation where the only brew method I don't own is a siphon. I can't find a Cafe that serves aeropress.
> 
> ...


It's a plastic v60 isn't it ? If not why not get one.

What is it about the FP you don't like ? As IMHO this would be the least faff big brew method .

Silt ? Strength ? Lack of Sweetness?


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## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

Thanks for responses guys.

Sorry, I screwed up the original post.. I meant immersion, not Percolation... I love all drips, especially V60. My kalita close second.

I don't know what it is about French press... Maybe it is one discipline in coffee brewing I've been prejudiced about unfairly.

In hotels and restaurants I've had one too many silty, over extracted and bitter, not to mention the times when used in conjunction with French roast or equivalent which is far too dark for me..

I do have a FP, an old one, probably very cheap one, and no one knows where it came from or who got it. It's just there and has been for ever! I've tried it, but maybe my grinder can't produce enough large particles sizes without inundating it with fines at the same time..

Maybe time to retry, since it brings huge convenience to making larger quantities...

Following on this line, I cannot remember the last time I had a really good batch brew. If and when I do go to a Cafe, somehow it's not offered, and would lose to other offerings like a single serving drip or espresso based drink..

By the sounds of things, AP will take just as long (considering the immersion time necessary) and won't be able to pull off the quantity I need in one go...


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

u2jewel said:


> I do have a FP, an old one, probably very cheap one, and no one knows where it came from or who got it. It's just there and has been for ever! I've tried it, but maybe my grinder can't produce enough large particles sizes without inundating it with fines at the same time..
> 
> Maybe time to retry, since it brings huge convenience to making larger quantities....


You don't need any special/magic grinder for French press, if you have too many fines go coarser, but your grind shouldn't need to be any/much coarser than 1-2 mug drip grind, a grind coarse enough for a 60g drip brew probably won't extract in a glass press. The trick is to grind as fine as you can before silt/suspended solids make the brew bitter & try really hard not to kick up silt at the end of brew (40 min at the very least for a 60g dose).

Use James Hoffmann's 'no plunge' method & discard the first 50g or so out of the press as the floating oils hold a fair bit of silt, it's not all at the bottom of the press.


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## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

MWJB said:


> You don't need any special/magic grinder for French press, if you have too many fines go coarser, but your grind shouldn't need to be any/much coarser than 1-2 mug drip grind, a grind coarse enough for a 60g drip brew probably won't extract in a glass press. The trick is to grind as fine as you can before silt/suspended solids make the brew bitter & try really hard not to kick up silt at the end of brew (40 min at the very least for a 60g dose).
> 
> Use James Hoffmann's 'no plunge' method & discard the first 50g or so out of the press as the floating oils hold a fair bit of silt, it's not all at the bottom of the press.


64mm Flat burr (profitec pro T64) very happy with in espresso range. Unimodal particle size distribution in espresso range (I think it was Socratic with the data) and I use the same grinder for V60 too. Single dosing with rubber blower and weight, so changing brew method not problematic (no purging required).

But this grinder has its limitations in that the coarser range is not as good. When I make V60 (02), I know not to push it beyond 20g dose. Especially with the newer hario papers. If I adventure beyond the 20g and dial the grind to go coarser to adjust accordingly, it's the fines I can't eradicate that prolongs brew time beyond optimum.

So for the above reasons, I have yet to try, but am not overly optimistic about what the grinder + FP combo can accomplish.

I will look into James Hoffmann's method. The oil which I find excessive will surely help to lighten things up.

Thank you


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

u2jewel said:


> 64mm Flat burr (profitec pro T64) very happy with in espresso range. Unimodal particle size distribution in espresso range (I think it was Socratic with the data)
> 
> Thank you


There is no such data  Socratic use sieves, which is great for coarser grinds & larger espresso particles, but it doesn't have the resolution to show the ~50um peak that gives rise to the "bimodal" tag. This need laser particle analysis.

You can brew espresso with unimodal grinds, if you like your shots 1:15 or longer  By the time the mode diminishes, you are in filter coffee grind territory, even fine manual brew grinds might be bimodal.

If your grinder works for espresso, it will work for FP, you may need to go coarser than before.


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## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

MWJB said:


> There is no such data  Socratic use sieves, which is great for coarser grinds & larger espresso particles, but it doesn't have the resolution to show the ~50um peak that gives rise to the "bimodal" tag. This need laser particle analysis.
> 
> You can brew espresso with unimodal grinds, if you like your shots 1:15 or longer  By the time the mode diminishes, you are in filter coffee grind territory, even fine manual brew grinds might be bimodal.
> 
> If your grinder works for espresso, it will work for FP, you may need to go coarser than before.


1:15 or longer 

Reminded me of that YouTube from Sweet Maria Jumbo espresso! I suspect it might taste better than what one might imagine!

I will have to try FP and see if it goes well with my grinder. If I don't like it, there's one hell of a workout waiting for me with my porlex mini.


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## Alan Kilroy (Dec 22, 2017)

One scoop in the provided scoop with an AP is about 13grs. (uncompressed). Inverted and filled to approx. 1-2 cm. from top of AP will give you less than a "cup" of coffee, not mug mind.

Just bought another one for the house (1 in work) because I cannot get a comparable drink from my Gaggia C.

And for this reason, and I was set on buying a Rocket, I will be steering towards a Moccamaster.


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## inso (Jan 11, 2018)

AP is good for one cup at a time. At this price, I think it's a great thing to have.


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## Hunkahunkaburninglove (Jan 15, 2018)

I love my aeropress, I take mine to work and use it daily

it's really not suited for more than one cup at a time though.


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## u2jewel (Aug 17, 2017)

Thanks for further responses guys..

Although I was looking for a transportable yet more convenient batch brew method to cater for multiple people than my V60, and have come to realise that AP is not it; I'm still kinda intrigued by how it might taste...

I think I've made enough V60 by now to know from experience by guestimating water level to ml poured in. So no scale, no gooseneck and suddenly it doesn't have to be a big case anymore .

Which reminds me... I've been meaning to try out that FP.


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## Sheena_Lance (Jan 24, 2018)

would like to try this advice,since I have so many freinds that usually go in our house over the weekends who loves my brews.



MWJB said:


> French press (& aeropress) is immersion/steep, not percolation (drip, moka, percolator, espresso).
> 
> Aeropress is fine for 1 brew at a time, not a good option for brewing for a group, unless you have 1 each/1 between 2 people.
> 
> ...


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## 9bar-ista (Jan 28, 2018)

Aeropress and friends isn't a very good idea. In fact, a large v60 is probably much more efficient for batch brewing. If you're afraid of breaking it, get a plastic one!


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## RoA19 (Feb 23, 2018)

I've got an aeropress & recently bought The Oomph to try. Similar brewing process but more adjustable. Oomph brew seems smoother to me. ymmv


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## expnor (Mar 18, 2018)

if you do plump for an AP consider getting a reusable stainless steel filter. opinions are divided (some people seem to prefer the paper) but i strongly prefer it with the metal for most coffees. whichever you way you make up your mind its not an expensive outlay.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

expnor said:


> if you do plump for an AP consider getting a reusable stainless steel filter. opinions are divided (some people seem to prefer the paper) but i strongly prefer it with the metal for most coffees. whichever you way you make up your mind its not an expensive outlay.


I've considered the metal filters but bought a spare pack of paper ones when I got my AP & haven't even finished the 1st pack yet!


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