More Aeropress love!

sarkozy

Or: the Able filter at €15 will repay itself after three years of buying filters!

Personally, I have both more out of convenience. I don't want to be carrying filters around with me all the time between home and work.

sarkozy

I've also observed that the paper filter massively improves the colour of the coffee from something quite dull-looking to something utterly vibrant, and this definitely improves the flavour and overall experience!

Planet X

OUCH!
Just made or tried to make my second of the morning.......inverted......only to forget to put the paper filter in.

Went everywhere!

murphyebass

I asked this in another thread but probably better placed here...

Anyone use an MDF grinder when making Aeropress? Out of curiosity what grind setting do you use most of the time?

James_R

Love my Aeropress, she's had some serious use the last few weeks while I was repairing my Classic. Now the Classic is back on her feet - it's espresso all the way. If I had a second grinder dialled in for aeropress I'd use it more. Takes me about 80+ turns on the adjuster wheel on my Iberital MC2.

Speaking of second grinders, I'd love one of these:

http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/madebyknock-knock-hausgrind-t28566-20.html

adrian522

I just use a hand grinder for filter or aeropress, works fine.

James_R

Any recommendations? Hario?

adrian522

I use the porlex, but the Hario ones are fine too.

http://coffeeangel.com/product/hario-skerton-hand-grinder/

http://coffeeangel.com/product/hario-mini-mill-hand-grinder/

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/grinders/products/porlex-tall

Woodpecker1

murphyebass wrote: »

I asked this in another thread but probably better placed here...

Anyone use an MDF grinder when making Aeropress? Out of curiosity what grind setting do you use most of the time?

Not sure about the MDF but generally a course/medium grind is used . Same as a French press grind.

I like to use a grind suitable for a percolator coffee machine as it does not leak when brewing. Medium grind.

My Gaggia only gets used on a Sunday morning now. This aeropress love is not going away.

donnacha

FYI I have an order in for one of the 2nd Batch of Hausgrinds - I'm expecting delivery end of Feb so I'll be selling on a Hario Skerton if you are interested. €30.

My vario will also soon be taking on filter/aeropress duties. Just waiting the delivery of a steel burr set from Baratza to replace the ceramic burrs - supposedly a significant step up on filter grind consistency so I'm looking forward to comparing this side by side to the Maestro Plus when they arrive. Likewise I'll probably then sell on the Maestro plus but it'll probably be late March/early April.

James_R

donnacha wrote: »

FYI I have an order in for one of the 2nd Batch of Hausgrinds - I'm expecting delivery end of Feb so I'll be selling on a Hario Skerton if you are interested. €30.

My vario will also soon be taking on filter/aeropress duties. Just waiting the delivery of a steel burr set from Baratza to replace the ceramic burrs - supposedly a significant step up on filter grind consistency so I'm looking forward to comparing this side by side to the Maestro Plus when they arrive. Likewise I'll probably then sell on the Maestro plus but it'll probably be late March/early April.

Tempting donnacha!! I'll have a think about it. Silly question here but how many rotations is required to get about 18g of ground filter coffee?

Will you use the vario for both espresso and filter? this would be my ideal setup. That and an espresso machine upgrade that I'm on the verge of making.

donnacha

James_R wrote: »

Tempting donnacha!! I'll have a think about it. Silly question here but how many rotations is required to get about 18g of ground filter coffee?

Will you use the vario for both espresso and filter? this would be my ideal setup. That and an espresso machine upgrade that I'm on the verge of making.

Honestly I'm not 100% - it is quite a few rotations on a hand grinder. I only used mine when on holidays as I had two grinders at home and I tend to brew a chemex in the morning and bring this into work in flask. I'd say someone else here could tell you quicker than me.

The vario can be used for both espresso and filter but I have never done that. Though I grind by dose on the vario I've found it slightly tempermental when dialling up and down - so when I have a grind dialled in its a bit risky getting back to that point without a lot of waste on my part. The ceramic burrs are more suited to an even espresso grind distribution which is why I'm buying steel burrs from Baratza for it which they recommend for filter only use.

One thing that has really impressed about the Vario is though I've had a few issues I also got excellent support from both CoffeeAngel and Marco whilst it was in warranty - its great to have someone local. I still have had to spend money on it via Marco for other parts but what I've learnt since then is that getting parts shipped directly and fitting them yourself (from Baratza in the US) is the simplest approach. They also have a ridiculous number of how to guides for pretty much anything that could go wrong.

adrian522

so you are going to use the Vario for Filter, what will you use for espresso?

James_R

donnacha wrote: »

Honestly I'm not 100% - it is quite a few rotations on a hand grinder. I only used mine when on holidays as I had two grinders at home and I tend to brew a chemex in the morning and bring this into work in flask. I'd say someone else here could tell you quicker than me.

The vario can be used for both espresso and filter but I have never done that. Though I grind by dose on the vario I've found it slightly tempermental when dialling up and down - so when I have a grind dialled in its a bit risky getting back to that point without a lot of waste on my part. The ceramic burrs are more suited to an even espresso grind distribution which is why I'm buying steel burrs from Baratza for it which they recommend for filter only use.

One thing that has really impressed about the Vario is though I've had a few issues I also got excellent support from both CoffeeAngel and Marco whilst it was in warranty - its great to have someone local. I still have had to spend money on it via Marco for other parts but what I've learnt since then is that getting parts shipped directly and fitting them yourself (from Baratza in the US) is the simplest approach. They also have a ridiculous number of how to guides for pretty much anything that could go wrong.

So there's really no one for all solution in going from espresso to filter. A second grinder seems essential.

Woodpecker1

James_R wrote: »

So there's really no one for all solution in going from espresso to filter. A second grinder seems essential.

My grinder does it quite well. The breville smart grinder. The espresso setting may not give enough adjustment for the real connoisseur though.

But one turn of the knob has it set for any grind.

sarkozy

Is it ever right to use a coarse filter/French press grind for Aeropress? I dropped into the Dublin Barista Academy, or whatever it's called, opposite Coffee Angel (which us undergoing renovations) for a €2 Aeropress made with The Barn Rwandan coffee, which is roasted in Berlin.

Now, the coarse grinds coupled with a short enough brew time made for a very watery, I-don't-know-how-to-describe-it tincture.

Is this *ever* right?

sarkozy

On the same day, I should say, I strolled up to the Coffee Angel stall at the IFSC to pick up a new bag of their Kebel Dumerso Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee. It was the first I ever made with an Aeropress and it's still, in this individual's humble opinion, the best value coffee around right now (3FE included).

donnacha

adrian522 wrote: »

so you are going to use the Vario for Filter, what will you use for espresso?

K3 Touch from the Bailies sale. Still getting the hang of it.

donnacha

sarkozy wrote: »

Is it ever right to use a coarse filter/French press grind for Aeropress? I dropped into the Dublin Barista Academy, or whatever it's called, opposite Coffee Angel (which us undergoing renovations) for a €2 Aeropress made with The Barn Rwandan coffee, which is roasted in Berlin.

Now, the coarse grinds coupled with a short enough brew time made for a very watery, I-don't-know-how-to-describe-it tincture.

Is this *ever* right?

Ugh - that sounds terrible. Did a 3 mths espresso Sub with the Barn late last summer. Must check out some of their filter roasts. Can you buy bags in this barista academy place?

sarkozy

donnacha wrote: »

Ugh - that sounds terrible. Did a 3 mths espresso Sub with the Barn late last summer. Must check out some of their filter roasts. Can you buy bags in this barista academy place?

Yeah, tenner a pop. That coffee was really, really awful, actually. Maybe the barn is lovely stuff, I didn't taste it. Is it?

I ground my own Coffee Angel Kebel Dumerso/Yirgacheffe in my Bodum burr grinder this evening for an after-dinner Aeropress. It was amazing. Surprised the 'Barista school' got it so wrong. It's really not that difficult to get wrong.

Planet X

.....that I made out of a bit of garden bamboo last week.
Can't be doing with the supplied plastic "Oar"

Alpha Dog 1

Newbie to coffee.

So I've bought the aeropress, so now I presume all I need is some beans and a grinder.

Anyone got a recommendation for both?

adrian522

Yep, hit up coffeeangel for your grinder.

Loads of options for beans but while inn coffeeangel may as well try them too...

Grinder:

I recomend this one if your budget will stretch to it.

Otherwise check out this one

Coffee:

Plenty of good coffee options and roasters but maybe try something like this for your first bag.

Alpha Dog 1

Cheers man, much appreciated.

Brian

Planet X wrote: »

.....that I made out of a bit of garden bamboo last week.
Can't be doing with the supplied plastic "Oar"
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc356/Kilroy8282/DSCN0522_zps1ee17ecf.jpg

Be careful with your "oar"; the aeropress T-shaped stirrer was specifically designed to prevent you from touching the bottom of your volume and thereby tearing the paper filter. Not an issue if you brew inverted, thankfully.

http://coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/216972#216972

Planet X

Invert.

Woodpecker1

Im getting very nice results from espresso grade grinding this week. Quicker brew times for a faster exit out the door in the morning.

Brian

Planet X wrote: »

Invert.

You say that, but a surprising number of "expert" brewers use the Aeropress upright, including the 2013 and 2012 world championship winners.

murphyebass

Brian wrote: »

You say that, but a surprising number of "expert" brewers use the Aeropress upright, including the 2013 and 2012 world championship winners.

Yeah I've tried both methods and don't see why the invert method gets so much hype/love.

Strikes me as someone saw it as a different way of using the aeropress and people went yeah that's better.

I bet most people couldn't tell the difference in a cup brewed both ways.

Krusty_Clown

I use my Aeropress upside down out of sheer convenience. I leave the coffee to steep and it doesn't leak through the filter. It doesn't take any more or less effort, so why not?

murphyebass

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I use my Aeropress upside down out of sheer convenience. I leave the coffee to steep and it doesn't leak through the filter. It doesn't take any more or less effort, so why not?

The question is do u think its better flavour wise by doing so?

If not I would suggest the normal way is just as convenient and the cup of coffee is brewed in a minute and a half so it's far from a long process.

Gran Hermano

Paper or metal disc?
Coarse or fine grind?


Just a couple of factors that may favour inverted.

Krusty_Clown

murphyebass wrote: »

The question is do u think its better flavour wise by doing so?

If not I would suggest the normal way is just as convenient and the cup of coffee is brewed in a minute and a half so it's far from a long process.

I doubt I would have the palette to identify a difference. But like I said previously, it's a convenience thing. Using the traditional method the coffee would drip through the paper filter. Inverted, I can leave it to steep for 90 seconds and have the coffee forced through the paper filter using air pressure rather than gravity. If I wanted a drip coffee maker, I wouldn't have bought an Aeropress.

Woodpecker1

I use inverted so I can pre warm my mug with the same water I used to fill the aeropress.

Saves 30 seconds.

James_R

Using it inverted allows me to pop it on the weighing scales to make sure I've got the right coffee/water weight.

sarkozy

I usually make it using the inverted method these days, though with the metal filter, you can stop the dripping by putting the plunger in and pulling back a little to create a vacuum, and this isn't so easy with the paper filter.

The weighing issue is another one, as is the cup warming, all of which I began to do instinctively as I messed around with methods myself. No great shakes either way, though. I'd never claim it improves the taste or anything, it's just the way I've got used to doing it.

The weighing thing, though. I have a Salter digital scales. It's pretty sensitive, but I'm wondering if it's good enough to use for brewing?

chevy

Does anyone know any good websites for different brewing methods using the Aeropress. Seen a place in the states brewing an 8 ounce mug without adding any extra water at the end. They also steeped the grind for about 2 mins. Didn't get a chance to ask them about it.

Alpha Dog 1

How much water are people adding?

I've bringing it up to two, but I'm wondering if I should start adding a little bit more.

Gran Hermano

chevy wrote: »

Does anyone know any good websites for different brewing methods using the Aeropress. Seen a place in the states brewing an 8 ounce mug without adding any extra water at the end. They also steeped the grind for about 2 mins. Didn't get a chance to ask them about it.

Two links for you
http://brewmethods.com
http://worldaeropresschampionship.com/recipes/

Krusty_Clown

Alpha Dog 1 wrote: »

How much water are people adding?

I've bringing it up to two, but I'm wondering if I should start adding a little bit more.

For me, I've found the following strategy creates a fantastic latte/cafe au lait and is easy to remember:
130 grams low fat milk, heated for 1:30 (750 watt microwave(I think) - just before boiling point)
12 grams ground coffee and 130 grams water, stir and leave to steep for as long as the milk is heating in the microwave
Press Aeropress fully (including final hiss) directly into the heated milk
Works for me. Wonderful cup!