# My attempts to brew good Aeropress with a Sage Smart Grinder Pro



## GingerBen

I am VERY new to what I would call proper coffee - i.e. quality, fresh beans and grinding them myself. I've had my Aeropress about a year and was enjoying using pre-ground (but still decent quality) beans for a good while. However I wanted to kick things along a bit so I have now got hold of a Gaggia Classic to go with my Aeropress and a new Smart Grinder Pro to start learning how to make 'proper' coffee.

This is the first grinder I've owned so I'm very much learning the ropes and enjoying the process of dialing it in for Aeropress (espresso comes next!).

I've done a lot of reading on recipes and watched a lot of videos but nothing beats having a go at it and seeing what you like/don't like IMO.

My results on the first few brews are below and all use the Foundry Roasters method for Aeropress and their Finca San Fran beans.

Recipe is 15g coffee, inverted AP, 30g pour of off boil water and stir grounds for 20 seconds, add rest of water up to 240g total weight, add cap with rinsed filter, press air out and flip on to cup at 1:15, finish with a 10 second press.

Cup 1 - Method as above using grind setting 25 -tasted pretty good, some cherry notes which are highlighted to look out for with this coffee

Cup 2 - As above but went finer on the grind to 20 - tasted OK, perhaps a touch bitter?

Cup 3 - As above but went coarser to see the difference. Grinder set to 30 - less bitter but a bit 'thin' Cup 1 was better

Cup 4 - As above but grinder set to 23 - similar to cup 3. OK but not great

Cup 5 - Used 16g coffee but rest of recipe the same, back to grind 20 - better mouth feel than cup 3 but maybe a touch too much body

Cup 6 - Standard recipe (15g) but grinder set to 15 which is the finest so far (range is 1-60 with 1 being finest). Best flavour in terms of bringing out the more chocolaty notes I can smell in the grounds which are amazing, fruity notes coming through as it cooled down. Wondering whether to go finer or not next time?

I add a splash of milk to my Aeropress coffee just as an FYI for anybody that would like to throw any advice/critique my way - it would be greatly appreciated!

Anybody with a SGP and an AP have any great recipes to share or a guide as to whether going finer would be a good idea? I'm going to try it anyway to see how it is but wondering if I'm in the right ballpark etc. The coffees I've made have all been more than drinkable but nothing blowing me away yet and hitting the notes I was expecting. Perhaps AP isn't the best method for this? As I said I'm very new to this so my expectations might be way off lol.

I'll keep updating this as I go and with other coffees to keep track of what I like and don't like so much and maybe it will help another newbie as well at some stage.


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## Dylan

@MWJB

dont think he has an SGP, but always gives impeccable advice on how to get great brewed.


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## MWJB

This is the recipe I have settled on for now, not sure where the grind setting would be on a SGP, but it's the same setting I use for 1 mug manual drip brews (a shade coarser might work too?), I guess check the weight of the draw down after pulling the plunger, or if you get excessive drip through at fill? I use a drip stand on regular kitchen scales, with a 2nd set of scales on the stand, under the cup...you can simplify this set up after dialling in.

12g dose ground at 2+6 on Feldgrind.

220g boiling water straight in (I use a compact kettle & weigh the water into it before boiling, allowing for evaporation etc.) & fit the plunger in just enough to stop flow.

You get ~30g of watery drip through, discard this & place AP on a new cup.

2:00 after filling, pull out the plunger & let it drain under gravity, break any crust at this point. I'm finding the first minute drains at ~1g/sec.

At 4:30 total time replace the plunger & press slowly until you see dry bed in the AP, until about 5:00.

You should get ~155g of coffee about 1.28%TDS in the cup.


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## GingerBen

Thanks that sounds like an interesting way to do it. I'll give it a go and compare how it tastes to what I've been doing. I shall report back in due course!


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> This is the recipe I have settled on for now, not sure where the grind setting would be on a SGP, but it's the same setting I use for 1 mug manual drip brews (a shade coarser might work too?), I guess check the weight of the draw down after pulling the plunger, or if you get excessive drip through at fill? I use a drip stand on regular kitchen scales, with a 2nd set of scales on the stand, under the cup...you can simplify this set up after dialling in.
> 
> 12g dose ground at 2+6 on Feldgrind.
> 
> 220g boiling water straight in (I use a compact kettle & weigh the water into it before boiling, allowing for evaporation etc.) & fit the plunger in just enough to stop flow.
> 
> You get ~30g of watery drip through, discard this & place AP on a new cup.
> 
> 2:00 after filling, pull out the plunger & let it drain under gravity, break any crust at this point. I'm finding the first minute drains at ~1g/sec.
> 
> At 4:30 total time replace the plunger & press slowly until you see dry bed in the AP, until about 5:00.
> 
> You should get ~155g of coffee about 1.28%TDS in the cup.


just gave this a try and I like the results so thank you for the advice. I went a touch coarser than before to allow for the longer brew time but could maybe have gone further as only got about 15g initial drop through. Overall it's a lighter tasting drink than usual aeropress with less body but it tastes good.


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> just gave this a try and I like the results so thank you for the advice. I went a touch coarser than before to allow for the longer brew time but could maybe have gone further as only got about 15g initial drop through. Overall it's a lighter tasting drink than usual aeropress with less body but it tastes good.


You might be able to up the strength a little once you are settled with a good, repeatable flavour balance, with a bigger dose?

Sure, I prefer clarity & not so big on body/mouthfeel. Bear in mind that the brewer has no concept of body, or not - that comes from what you do with it & you can tweak to your preference


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> You might be able to up the strength a little once you are settled with a good, repeatable flavour balance, with a bigger dose?
> 
> Sure, I prefer clarity & not so big on body/mouthfeel. Bear in mind that the brewer has no concept of body, or not - that comes from what you do with it & you can tweak to your preference


indeed I'll try it again tomorrow to see if I can repeat it but might make the grind a touch coarser to see what that does. I'll experiment and see how it goes. Thanks


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## GingerBen

Just went 5 coarser to 35 and it's great. Got 20g run off so may go to 40 on grinder next and see how that tastes.


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## GingerBen

Tried a 5 min steep with 15g on setting 35. Not bad but not great. Longer steep maybe?


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## GingerBen

Just made a good one.

16g coffee at grind 35 on the SGP. Inverted AP. Added 150g off boil water and stired just enough to get grounds all wet. Added 100g water to make total weight of 250g. Put cap on and left for 2 mins. Then flipped and removed plunger and let drip through. At 4:30 mins replaced plunger and pressed remaining coffee through. Very nice.


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## GingerBen

Just made the same brew with Foundry's Biftu Gudina and it's nice. Very different to the Finca San Fran. Dryer, grassy sort of flavour. Definite honey notes on the aroma, less so in the flavour. @MWJB would you suggest a different type of grind or method for this type of bean?


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> Just made the same brew with Foundry's Biftu Gudina and it's nice. Very different to the Finca San Fran. Dryer, grassy sort of flavour. Definite honey notes on the aroma, less so in the flavour. @MWJB would you suggest a different type of grind or method for this type of bean?


I would stick to a working recipe, then gradually pin down the grind setting, after trying beans from several origins (Kenya at one end, Costa Rican honeys & pulped natural Brazils at the other). If your recipe needs constant fiddling, then it itself is not consistent. Grind should mostly also be constant, but with a little leeway for optimising with small adjustments.

Always make a few brews at a given recipe & grinds setting to see how a coffee averages out.


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> I would stick to a working recipe, then gradually pin down the grind setting, after trying beans from several origins (Kenya at one end, Costa Rican honeys & pulped natural Brazils at the other). If your recipe needs constant fiddling, then it itself is not consistent. Grind should mostly also be constant, but with a little leeway for optimising with small adjustments.
> 
> Always make a few brews at a given recipe & grinds setting to see how a coffee averages out.


That's great, thanks. Just made another Biftu as above so will see how it is second time

round


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## GingerBen

Very good coffee this mornin using the Foundry Biftu beans.

15.5g coffee at grind 20. Inverted ap add 125g water and stir gently to wet it all. Add 125g water to total 250g then add cap and press air out. Flip on to cup pull plunger up to stop drips and leave for 3:30 mins. Best one yet with these beans.


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## lake_m

I like the sound of this recipe - it's close to the one I'm currently using, but I use 200g water and don't push the air air out before flipping. I also do the steep with it still inverted. How do you get 250g in there? Mine is almost full to the brim with 200g!


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## GingerBen

lake_m said:


> I like the sound of this recipe - it's close to the one I'm currently using, but I use 200g water and don't push the air air out before flipping. I also do the steep with it still inverted. How do you get 250g in there? Mine is almost full to the brim with 200g!


i have it barely connected so there is only about 5mm of the plunger inside the brew chamber then when filling after the first pour I top it up which normally takes it to 230g or so then it settles after a few seconds and I add the last 20g or so.


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## GingerBen

Just started some of Rave's crows nest filter blend. Brewed up in the AP as above as this recipe has been working pretty well so far but I'm sure could be better. First impressions are it's a very smooth but fairly ordinary every day drinker. Nothing wrong with that but might try a different recipe to see if it makes a difference.


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## GingerBen

Crows nest brewed at grind 20. 15g coffee steeped inverted for 2:30 then 30 second plunge. Total water weight 250g. Tastes a bit like filter coffee that's been left to sit for too long. Has a metallic finish and no depth. Back to the original recipe and maybe tweak it the other way.


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## GingerBen

Noticed this is a light/medium roast. @MWJB is it worth keeping the recipe the same but grinding finer for a lighter roast? My other idea was to steep for longer, say 5 mins before a 30 sec plunge.


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> Noticed this is a light/medium roast. @MWJB is it worth keeping the recipe the same but grinding finer for a lighter roast? My other idea was to steep for longer, say 5 mins before a 30 sec plunge.


I only brew light/medium roasts in my Aeropress, you shouldn't need to change grind for coffees past 1st crack, to just into 2nd. If you hold the coffee & water together for the entire brew, before plunging, try more like 20min.


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> I only brew light/medium roasts in my Aeropress, you shouldn't need to change grind for coffees past 1st crack, to just into 2nd. If you hold the coffee & water together for the entire brew, before plunging, try more like 20min.


Thanks for that. As it happens I accidentally brewed for 15 mins earlier as got distracted by the kids. Definitely had more depth but wasn't that nice to drink. Will try longer and see how that works out.


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> Thanks for that. As it happens I accidentally brewed for 15 mins earlier as got distracted by the kids. Definitely had more depth but wasn't that nice to drink. Will try longer and see how that works out.


You have to be pretty fine o the long steeps.


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> You have to be pretty fine o the long steeps.


espresso fine or somewhere between 'normal' Aeropress and espresso?


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> espresso fine or somewhere between 'normal' Aeropress and espresso?


I don't know what "normal" Aeropress grind is. You can use all sorts of grind settings (except coarse), depending on the recipe.

Inverted, you could go espresso fine, or close to it, but add water first, then coffee, wet the coffee, steep & plunge very gently.

I wouldn't keep chopping & changing recipes & grind settings. If you need to keep changing one or the other, it's not a good recipe.


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## GingerBen

MWJB said:


> I don't know what "normal" Aeropress grind is. You can use all sorts of grind settings (except coarse), depending on the recipe.
> 
> Inverted, you could go espresso fine, or close to it, but add water first, then coffee, wet the coffee, steep & plunge very gently.
> 
> I wouldn't keep chopping & changing recipes & grind settings. If you need to keep changing one or the other, it's not a good recipe.


Fair enough, that makes sense. My issue, or why I keep altering things, is that I'm new to grinding my own beans so I'm not sure that a recipe I'm using is the best it can be. I suppose using a tried and tested recipe then finding the grind setting that works for me is the best way to pin it down. I'm definitely guilty of overthinking simple things and probably confusing myself with 100's of aeropress recipes that I've looked at.


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## MWJB

GingerBen said:


> Fair enough, that makes sense. My issue, or why I keep altering things, is that I'm new to grinding my own beans so I'm not sure that a recipe I'm using is the best it can be. I suppose using a tried and tested recipe then finding the grind setting that works for me is the best way to pin it down. I'm definitely guilty of overthinking simple things and probably confusing myself with 100's of aeropress recipes that I've looked at.


Make few brews with the same recipe & grind, simply score them out of say, 5 or 9 (allows for neither like/dislike). Average up the scores, if they average near the middle there's room to improve. If they average at the middle or lower, or you are finding you don't like /don't know if you like individual brews - definitely change something.


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## GingerBen

Just made a nice brew with the method from Extract roasters website.

18g coffee 240g water inverted method. Coffee and all water in at once. Start timer and stir for 30 seconds. Wait a minute then add cap and flip. At 2 mins plunge for 30 seconds. Nice brew using raves crows nest blend


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## GingerBen

Repeated and worked nicely again. For other SGP users (if any are reading) I'm using grind setting 20 with the top burr set at 6 which I believe is the factory setting. Seem to find this working nicely for brews under 5 mins as other than an accidental 15 minuter that's all I've done. Any other SGP users suggest a grind starting point for much longer AP brews? Interested to give a 30 minute brew a shot


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## GingerBen

Rave Honduras Clave De Sol this morning, finally finished the crows nest blend (was alright but wouldn't buy it again). So far I'm getting a lot of milk chocolate and some strawberry (they say raspberry). Definitely smells like strawberry creams from quality street in the bag which is similar to the Foundry Finca San Fran I had a couple of weeks ago and really liked.


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