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Old 03-14-2006, 06:36 AM   #1
Mad Dawg
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Republic of Texas
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AeroPress Review

Based on Ted's recommendation, I popped for an AeroPress from CBC. It arrived yesterday, along with some Sulawesi Toraja and Kauai Kahuna that I couldn't resist. I roasted some of the Toraja just to Full City last night, and brought it to work to brew in the AeroPress today. My first impression:

WOW!

OK, from the beginning....

The AeroPress method of brewing is, to me, totally counterintuitive. I mean, get real! Ten seconds of stirring followed by 20 seconds of pressing, using 175 degree water?? Give me a frickin' break! Can't possibly get decent extraction that way, right? Wrong, Dawg. I don't understand it, but it works....in spades.

I ground the Toraja using a c-mill ("whirly-blade") grinder, because that option was portable enough for me to carry to work. I checked the temp on the office coffee maker's hot water outlet - dead on 175 degrees. I brewed my first cup as a double (2 scoops of beans and about 4oz of water. Everything worked as promised, and a small double shot of espresso sat in my cup. First tentative sip: BLAM! Amazing aroma, concentration, extraction. I then diluted it a bit, according to the instructions, to make an Americano. What resulted was an exceptionally smooth, potent, flavorful cup. Really impressive preservation of floral and spicy notes with no overriding bitterness, very concentrated varietal nuances in the brew. I snorked that cup down in short order and then brewed up a triple. That used the last of the beans....and is definitely handing me a caffiene buzz!

Random observations:

- AeroPress coffee is brewed using microporous filter paper. Nonetheless, the brew is remarkably similar to French press coffee (although it's MUCH more concentrated)...and has no least trace of sediment.

- AeroPress brewing calls for a LOT of coffee! The 1/2-cup (green) batch of Toraja that I roasted last night made the equivalent of 5 espresso shots, which would dilute to 5 small cups of "regular coffee." Using the drip maker here at work, the same amount of beans would have generated about a quart of brewed coffee of good strength.

- AeroPress coffee, before dilution, is espresso. I can testify that the method is quite effective at extracting the caffiene from the grounds. I'm going to have to learn how to pace myself, as I've got a 60hz hum in my ears and my hands are a bit shaky at the moment.

- If you're using fresh-roasted beans, you'll need to stick to doubles. When I went for a triple, the foam I always get when the hot water hits the grounds threatened to expand up out of the brewing chamber before I could get all of the water in.

- The AeroPress itself is very clever in design, and cleanup is ridiculously easy. It comes with everything you need except coffee and water.


My AeroPress is definitely coming with me when I'm on the road, and may very well become my office standard.

Bottom line: IMO, the AeroPress is a must-have accessory for you coffee geeks, especially if you love espresso but don't want to plunk down about a grand for an espresso machine.

Thanks for the heads-up, Ted! This was money well-spent!
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