Sometimes we just need to try something new. Recently for me, it was the AeroPress. A little late to the game, maybe, but it was definitely an eye opener. I personally really enjoy brewing my coffee by pour over. My Brewista Pour kettle has been used a lot in the last three years! However, it seems it might start to get a break now.
I like to sample all of our coffee through many of the brewing techniques out there, including running it through an espresso machine to help generate our flavor profile. I purchased my first AeroPress three weeks ago and have since been working on refining the grind. While I am still working on perfecting the grind size, I am loving the cups that are being produced. A few things to consider, though…
Learning Through the Process:
First of all, I am a by the books, weigh-the-coffee-and-water kind of guy. The instructions indicate to use one rounded scoop (refer back to my blog post on which is the right scoop). Well, using THEIR scoop, an extra rounded scoop per cup was added, and knocked down to be level. Water was heated as suggested to 175o F and poured to the appropriate mark. In this case, the mark was the circled “1”. Next, I stirred it as suggested for 10 seconds. Then, the plunger was gently pushed into the barrel and slowly pushed as directed.
The outcome? Only a small amount of coffee came out. I realized this was ground much finer than what I normally would do for a pour over. Interestingly enough, I had something closer to espresso in about 20 seconds. First, the sniff test… OH MY! Cooler water, faster extraction time, phenomenal aroma. The taste? Amazing.
This first coffee I used was our Costa Rica Central Valley. This method of brewing really brought out the fruity flavors and highlighted the citrus, and it even brought out some of the floral tones in this coffee. Next came our new Honduras COMSA. Brewing in pour over and espresso, it has an overall fruity flavor with highlights of raspberry, blueberry, some stone fruit acidity, light chocolate, and caramel tones. When brewed via the AeroPress, the berry notes are brought to the forefront and amplified. The body is increased and overall, a remarkable cup is produced.
Everybody asks me what my favorite coffee in the Tierras Planas Roasters lineup is. Rarely, do I get asked what my least favorite is. In this case, my least favorite as a pour-over, a French press, a drip brew, and as an espresso had been the Colombia El Tambo we recently had. (Yes, I know it was a very good coffee. We had lots of customers who swore by it and were very sad when it departed.) I had a small bag of beans left and figured, what the heck, try it with the AeroPress. This brew of this Colombian made me go, “Wow! This is what everyone has been craving with this coffee!”
Then I thought, let’s try this… Let’s brew two cups at a time AND make an Americano of sorts. AeroPress calls it “American-styled coffee”. As a result of doing this, one of the very best cups of coffee to be made in my house was produced. The aroma, the flavors, and the overall experience are just top-notch. Each round provides a brilliant cup that eliminates the monotony that can come with brewing a pour over.
Try it Yourself!
Try it Yourself!
If you haven’t had the opportunity to have a cup made by AeroPress, I strongly recommend giving it a try. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest adding this to every kitchen that has more than one method of brewing coffee. If you are a rotational person, this will give you one more level of variation to get to your favorite (maybe even your new favorite) cup. While the other coffees were really good, the Colombian coffee is the coffee that really sold me on this brewing method.
Additionally, t’s compact, easy to use (seriously, all you need is the AeroPress, ground coffee, and hot water), making it a top choice for travel. In fact, I am going on a 10-day camping trip this summer and I am seriously considering taking this rather than the percolator I usually bring. The weight and space requirements are really attractive for this activity.
I am still working on the grinds of each of the coffees to optimize extraction. Once I have these identified, I will also list the AeroPress grind as a grind option for our coffees. Be sure to keep your eyes open for that information on the website and be sure to reach out if you have any questions. Happy brewing!