AEROPRESS

THE AEROPRESS IS A VERSATILE, AFFORDABLE AND EASY TO USE SLOW EXTRACTION METHOD. IT CONSISTS OF A CYLINDRICAL BODY, A PLUNGER AND A FILTER CAP. AFTER ATTACHING THE FILTER CAP AND A PAPER FILTER TO THE BODY, COFFEE AND HOT WATER ARE ADDED, THE PLUNGER IS INSERTED AND THE COFFEE IS PRESSED.

BY PLAYING WITH SEVERAL VARIABLES, YOU CAN BRING OUT DIFFERENT FLAVOURS, AROMAS AND MOUTHFEEL: FOR EXAMPLE, ACCENTUATE THE BODY AND CHOCOLATE NOTES OR ENHANCE THE ACIDITY AND FRUITINESS OF YOUR COFFEE.

THIS IS BECAUSE NOT ALL THE FLAVOURS IN COFFEE ARE EXTRACTED AT THE SAME RATE. WHEN YOU POUR WATER OVER GROUND COFFEE, THE BITTER COMPONENTS ARE THE FIRST TO BE EXTRACTED, FOLLOWED BY THE SWEETNESS, JUICY ACIDITY AND ASTRINGENCY.

WITH AN AEROPRESS, YOU CAN MAKE BOTH ESPRESSO AND FILTER COFFEE. OBVIOUSLY, YOUR ESPRESSO WON'T HAVE MUCH CREMA (THE TASTY BROWN FOAM THAT SITS ON TOP OF AN ESPRESSO) BUT YOU CAN GET CLOSE TO A REAL ESPRESSO EXTRACTED WITH A MACHINE. FOR THAT, DON'T FORGET TO GRIND YOUR COFFEE VERY FINELY...

THE AEROPRESS IS THEREFORE AN EXCELLENT ALTERNATIVE TO FILTER COFFEE MAKERS OR EVEN TO AN ESPRESSO MACHINE BECAUSE OF ITS PRACTICALITY (YOU CAN EASILY SLIP IT INTO A SUITCASE OR A BAG TO GO ON A TRIP) AND BECAUSE OF ITS AFFORDABLE PRICE (ABOUT 30 EUROS). TRY IT AND SEE!

MAKING COFFEE WITH AN AEROPRESS - ADRIAN HEYS' RECIPE.

WEIGH 20G OF COFFEE BEANS ON A SCALE.

GRIND THEM MEDIUM-FINE, THEN SMELL THE SWEET AROMA OF THE FRESHLY GROUND BEANS.

HEAT 200G OF WATER (IDEALLY TO 85°C).

IN THE MEANTIME, MOISTEN THE FILTER ATTACHED TO THE CAP AFTER SCREWING IT TO THE CYLINDRICAL BODY TO BOTH HEAT THE CUP AND PREVENT THE UNPLEASANT TASTE OF PAPER. DO NOT FORGET TO EMPTY THE WATER.

POUR THE HOT WATER OVER THE GROUND COFFEE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDRICAL BODY. STIR FOR 20 SECONDS.

PUSH THE PLUNGER INTO THE CYLINDRICAL BODY AND PRESS SLOWLY TO EXTRACT ALL THE SUGARS FROM THE COFFEE.

LET IT COOL FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE TO APPRECIATE ALL THE DIFFERENT FLAVOURS OF YOUR COFFEE.