Brewed up in 2005 by a toy inventor, the AeroPress — a cleaner spin on the French press — uses a plunger to create a vacuum of air that quickly makes a strong, slightly sweet coffee. Tree City Coffee and Pastry co-owner Evan Bailey explains the process.
Boiling points
In a pot, heat 8 ounces of water until boiling. Let it cool for 1 minute, then use a small amount of hot water to wet the AeroPress and its disposable disc filter to get rid of any papery taste. "In coffee, you find that you don't want to shock things," Bailey says.
Daily grind
Measure 4 tablespoons of ground coffee into the filter cap and attach it to the bottom of the brew chamber. "The grind is somewhere between conventional drip and espresso — a little on the coarser side," Bailey says. Place the AeroPress on top of a cup and pour hot water for 10 seconds into the device until it reaches 7.5 ounces.
Press start
Using the included paddle, stir the mix that looks like a coffee slurry. "That activates the beginning of the brewing," Bailey says.
Take the plunge
Put the plunger on at an angle to keep some of the heat trapped inside. Let it sit for 1 minute and 15 seconds, stir again and then put the plunger in completely and slowly press down for 30 seconds. "You'll know when you've reached the end," Bailey says. "You'll hear this hiss, and you've pushed all the coffee to your cup."
