The Aerobie AeroPress can be used with almost any kind of ground coffee, including those that are intended for French Press or other plunger coffee makers, though there are specific grind sizes and roasts that are recommended. The versatility of the AeroPress is one of its greatest features, and ultimately the choice of grounds is yours.
There are many different types of coffee grounds on the market, from different beans to different roasts and grind sizes, and each one will make a unique cup of coffee. If you want to find out exactly what sort of coffee to put into your AeroPress, it’s worth exploring all of the options that are out there.
This article will go into detail about the AeroPress coffee maker, including how it works compared to the French Press and what coffee grounds work best with it, as well as the different types of coffee grounds on the market and how each one might change the brew that you get.
What is an AeroPress?
Whether you are thinking of buying one yourself, or just getting used to one that you own, understanding the AeroPress as a device will help you to choose the right coffee for it. The AeroPress is designed to quickly and efficiently deliver a strong and intense coffee using pressure to replicate some of the features of an espresso.
How Does the Aerobie AeroPress Work?
The AeroPress has a chamber with a filter attached which rests on a mug, where coffee grounds are placed. You let the coffee steep in hot water for a short period of time and then, using the plunger, force the water over the grounds and through the filter– the combination of pressure and steeping is what extracts the flavour.
Can the AeroPress Make Espresso Coffee?
People like the AeroPress so much because it can replicate some of the intensity and richness of an espresso, even using espresso-fine grounds, but it can’t create the real thing. True espresso requires 9 bars of pressure to deliver the right level of concentration, but an AeroPress is only capable of producing around 0.75 bars.
Does an AeroPress Make French Press Coffee?
Like the French Press, the AeroPress is an immersion brewer but, unlike the French Press or other plunger coffee makers, it uses pressure in the brewing process. This adds more flavour intensity into the brew, but the steeping time is shorter, so the drink that you end up with won’t be as heavy, but cleaner and less muddled.
What Makes the AeroPress and the French Press Immersion Brewers?
A full-immersion brewer is any type of coffee maker that allows the coffee grounds to steep, completely submerged, in hot water. In an espresso machine, a drip coffee machine, or a pour over coffee maker, the hot water is always moving while it is in contact with the grounds, so it is not “fully immersed” for a long time.
Do French Presses and AeroPresses Use the Same Coffee?
Both the French Press and the AeroPress can, technically, be used with any kind of ground coffee, but some types suit each one better. For a French Press, a coarser grind size is recommended whereas the AeroPress is better suited to medium-fine grounds – and when it comes to roasts and beans, it is all about preference.
Why Does a French Press Use Coarser Grounds?
The main reason why a French Press needs grounds that are coarser is so that the solid coffee doesn’t slip through the plunger and into your drink. If the grounds are too fine your coffee will be muddy and gritty, with lots of grounds swirling around in it, because there is no paper filter to separate them.
Why Does the AeroPress Use Finer Grounds?
To get more extraction and flavour out of your coffee in a shorter space of time, finer grounds are better because they have more surface area for absorption. The AeroPress uses a filter that won’t let grounds pass through into your cup, and it uses pressure for rapid extraction, so medium-fine grounds give a good flavour and good extraction.
How Does the Grind Size Affect the Taste of the Coffee?
In general, the more coarse the grounds are, the more mellow your coffee is going to be, and with finer grounds, you get more intensity and depth to the flavour. If your grounds are too coarse, they can under-extract and your coffee will be watery but if they are too fine, your coffee can over-extract and become bitter.
Can You Change the Steeping Time to Suit the Grind Size?
With the AeroPress and a French Press, you can leave coarser grounds to sit longer, so they have more time for extraction, or you can leave them for less time if they are finer. If you use French Press coffee in your AeroPress, you might find that it tastes diluted if you don’t leave it to steep for longer.
Can You Use Any Roasts or Beans for an AeroPress?
When it comes to the type of roast and bean that you are using, the difference is all in the taste, and that is a personal preference. Most people opt for a medium-dark roast in their AeroPress, because it gives strength but allows for some of the nuances of flavour to come through, but really it’s up to you.
How Does the Roast Affect the Flavour of the Coffee?
If coffee beans are roasted for more time, they become darker, losing some of their caffeination but making their flavour more intense and bitter. Lighter roasts will contain more of the origin flavour of the beans and produce a mellower coffee overall, but they will be more highly caffeinated.
How Does the Origin of Coffee Affect the Flavour?
Whether your beans are coming from Brazil or Vietnam, and whether they are Arabica, Robusta, or Liberica strains, they will all have different qualities and flavours. The world of coffee is a vast and varied one, and to find out what tastes the best, you should get exploring and see what’s out there.
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.