The Aerobie AeroPress is somewhere between a steeped coffee and an espresso as it utilises both immersion and pressure to create its distinctive brew. This coffee maker is a favourite among enthusiasts because of its convenient, portable design and its ability to deliver an intensity and depth of flavour that is similar to what you get from an espresso.
There are many different home coffee makers on the market, but the AeroPress does stand out due to its rather unique brewing method, which is not like any other on the market. It uses a filter and allows the grounds to steep, but it also uses pressure to force the hot water past the coffee and into your cup.
This article will go into detail about what the differences are between traditional filter coffee and espresso, and what sets the AeroPress apart as a home coffee device so that you can decide whether it’s the right pick for you.
What is Filter Coffee?
The term “filter coffee” is used pretty broadly and it can be tricky to define. Almost all coffee uses a filter of some kind, but usually when people are referring to “filter coffee” they mean a method where grounds are placed inside a paper filter before hot water is poured over the top so and slowly drips out underneath.
What Makes Espresso Coffee So Unique?
Espresso coffee can only truly be created using an espresso maker, and it is distinct because it uses high pressure to create the brew. For an espresso, a small amount of very hot water is forced over coffee grounds at high pressure, resulting in a rich and intense coffee that has a distinctive foamy “crema” on top.
Why is Espresso Used Instead in Cafés Instead of Filter Coffee?
You will almost always find that a shot of espresso is the basis of any coffee drink that you have in a café or restaurant, whether for a latte, a cappuccino, or an americano. This is because the flavour density, boldness, and strength of the coffee persists when you add milk or water, and the coffee taste stands out.
How is Filter Coffee Different from Espresso Coffee?
Filter coffee, or pour over coffee, allows the grounds to steep for a period of time and instead of needing pressure it only uses gravity to draw the water through. This method needs more coffee grounds and more water, and the resulting coffee is less acidic and comes out tasting lighter and cleaner, with less intensity.
How is AeroPress Coffee Different from Filter or Espresso?
AeroPress coffee is stronger and more powerful than filter coffee, but it is not as bold and rich as an espresso. While you can adjust the way that you use your AeroPress to get different styles of coffee, it isn’t designed to produce light and mellow brews and it can’t fully replicate the intensity of an espresso.
How Does the AeroPress Coffee Maker Work?
To understand what sets the AeroPress method apart from the others you need to know how it works. The AeroPress has a chamber in which grounds can be placed with hot water and these can then steep for a brief time before a plunger is used to force the liquid through the filter below and into your cup.
Does the AeroPress Make Espresso Coffee?
The AeroPress can create a coffee that is similar to espresso, but it is not exactly the same. For espresso you need around 9 bars of pressure, and the grounds don’t need to steep, whereas the AeroPress can only produce 1 bar of pressure, so it allows the grounds to immerse in the water before pressure is applied.
How Do You Get Good Flavour from an AeroPress?
You want to use medium-fine grounds for a normal brew and add 200ml of hot water (wetting all of the grounds) before placing the plunger in the top and waiting for two minutes. Give it a quick swirl, wait for another half a minute, and then gently press the plunger all the way down over around 30 seconds.
Can You Make Espresso-Like Coffee with an AeroPress?
Unlike any other home coffee device, the AeroPress does use pressure alongside immersion to create your coffee, so it can make a drink that is surprisingly close to espresso. No filter coffee, no matter how many grounds and how little water you use, can replicate this as it cannot get as much soluble coffee in its extraction process.
Why Doesn’t an AeroPress Produce Crema?
One of the signatures of a true espresso is the crema – the thin layer of tiny bubbles that sit on the top of the cup. This is caused by tiny bubbles of CO2 that are forced through the filter along with the liquid, but it requires significantly more pressure to appear than an AeroPress is capable of delivering.
Why is AeroPress Not as Concentrated as Espresso?
Due to the force with which an espresso machine makes its brew, it gets significantly more soluble coffee into the final mixture. An espresso machine can make a drink that is 10% soluble coffee and 90% water, whereas an AeroPress will usually make a drink that is 98% water, so it will not have as much body and density.
How Do You Make the Most Intense AeroPress Coffee?
If you want to increase the intensity of your AeroPress coffee you can buy something like a Fellow Prismo aftermarket filter attachment to increase the pressure build-up compared to the normal lid. You should also use a metal filter, which the Fellow Prismo is equipped with, because paper filters can absorb some of the oils from your brew.
What Method Produces Espresso-like Coffee from an AeroPress?
If you have your metal filter in place, and your Prismo filter attachment in place, you want to add about 16-20g of espresso-fine coffee into the bottom and tamp it down until it’s dense. Then, pour over 80ml of freshly boiled water, which should sit on top of the grounds, before plunging smoothly for around 30 seconds.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.