Gianfranco's Notes
    Gianfranco's Notes

    AeroPress

    3 min readUpdated Nov 13, 2026

    Created: 2026-11-13 10:45
    #coffee/recipe #note

    The AeroPress combines full-immersion steeping with gentle air-pressure percolation through a paper micro-filter. Because immersion extraction is forgiving of flow channeling, the AeroPress produces a sweet, clean, and full-bodied cup across light to medium roasts.

    Equipment & Baseline Parameters

    • Brewer: AeroPress (Standard Upright Position — safer and more consistent than inverted)
    • Filter: 1 Paper Micro-Filter (no need to pre-rinse per Hoffmann blind tests, or quick rinse if preferred)
    • Grinder & Baseline Setting:
      • Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro: 11 – 13 clicks (Fine to Medium-Fine; 11–12 for light roasts, 13–14 for medium roasts)
    • Dose ($D$): 11.0g (Standard 200g cup) or 15.0g (250g cup)
    • Water ($Y$): 200.0g (for 11g dose, Ratio 1:18) or 250.0g (for 15g dose, Ratio 1:16.7)
    • Water Temperature (Kettle):
      • Light Roast: 95°C–99°C
      • Medium Roast: 90°C–93°C
      • Dark Roast: 83°C–85°C
    • Target Total Brew Time: 2:30 – 2:45

    Step-by-Step Protocol (James Hoffmann Upright Method)

    1. Setup: Insert 1 paper filter into the AeroPress cap, twist onto the chamber, and place upright on a sturdy mug or carafe over a scale.
    2. Dose: Add 11.0g (or 15.0g) of freshly ground coffee and shake lightly to level the bed.
    3. Pour (0:00 – 0:15): Start the timer and pour all 200g (or 250g) of hot water from the kettle, wetting all grounds during the pour.
    4. Insert Plunger Seal (0:15): Immediately insert the plunger roughly 1 cm into the top of the chamber and pull up slightly. This creates a vacuum seal that stops coffee from dripping through the filter during immersion.
    5. Steep (0:15 – 2:00): Let the coffee steep undisturbed until 2:00.
    6. Swirl & Settle (2:00 – 2:30): Holding both the mug and AeroPress chamber, give the brewer a gentle swirl at 2:00 to knock down the floating crust. Wait 30 seconds so all grounds settle into a flat filter bed at the bottom.
    7. Gentle Press (2:30 – 3:00): Press down very gently and steadily (using just the weight of your forearm) for 30 seconds, pushing all the way through the hiss.

    Concentrate / Iced / Milk Bypass Variant (18g : 90g)

    • Dose: 18.0g ground finer (9–10 clicks on C3S Pro).
    • Water: 90.0g at 92°C–95°C.
    • Protocol: Pour 90g water, stir vigorously for 10 seconds with the paddle, insert plunger seal, steep until 1:00, swirl gently, and press from 1:15 – 1:45.
    • Serving: Dilute with 90g–110g hot water (Americano style), pour over 100g ice (Japanese Iced AeroPress), or top with steamed/frothed milk.

    References

    1. James Hoffmann - The Ultimate AeroPress Technique (YouTube)
    2. James Hoffmann - Espresso-Style Coffee From The AeroPress (YouTube)

    See Also

    Tags

    #coffee #coffee_recipe #aeropress #immersion #hoffmann #brewing

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