In praise of the Aeropress

[hungryhousewife Profile]

ha! I'm so pleased to see that this thread is still alive and kicking!! Since last posting, I have become a 'qualified barista'!! Can you believe it??!!!

The aeropress, by all accounts, makes a very speedy 'caffetiere style' coffee but from what I could see takes quite a bit of muscle and some careful 'directioned' pushing. The girl who taught us (admittedly trying to sell us an expensive espresso machine) suggested that they were quite a 'novelty' but OK for the 'home brewer'!!!!

Still, as Stokey Sue says, not a replacement for an espresso! This trainer herself used a DeLonghi espresso machine at home, and made some rather fine latte art using it!

In case you are wondering, Yes! We did latte art!! It was quite fun and I now see coffee in a totally different light!!

HH

[Sakkarin Profile]

Congratulations on your baristafication! I'd better shut up now we have an expert on board...

With both you and Stokey recommending the Delonghi grinder, I succumbed yesterday, and just got a text from John Lewis saying it's waiting for me to collect.


P.S. I had a takeway a couple of days ago through Hungry House, and couldn't resist tinkering with their logo:

[Renée Profile]

Oh, well done you, HH, for becoming a qualified barista! From what I've observed, it seems to be a question of pressing a few knobs, or is there more to it! I'm always impressed by the latte art!

I like your tinkering Sakks!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Ditto to the delivery, Sakkers.
I've had a text saying the press is coming today.

HH
I'll have a skinny soya cappuccino please. Don't actually like the sprinkles on the top, but do love the dlivery of a good pattern when the milk is added.
I feel disappointed when the effort isn't made.
& well done you on getting your ology.

Anyone else drink their coffee out of glass cups? I'm trying to recreate the cortado when I live in Spain. and think I'll be set after today's arrival:

+ + +

[Sakkarin Profile]

Gill, I recommend you use the upside down method to make your coffee, video below.

Suggest you look at a few more brewing videos (YouTube "aeropress inverted method"), as there are other suggestions as to time/temperature/method - I've chosen this one because it is so straightforward. Some say stop when you hear the grinds hissing, because the last few drops are bitter, but if that is true, then I like that bitterness so I push it to the very end, which also ensures the grounds are nicely compressed to eject the "puck".

Very pleased with the Delonghi on first two uses. Minimum grind seems to be 15g when I use 12g for a 250ml mugful (in about 12 seconds), so I'll use my old Hario Skerton grinder to store the leftovers in.

I don't know if the blades in the Hario Skerton wear out, but the first time I used it it took around a minute to grind 12g, but the last time I used it it took about a minute and a half, and was HARD work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXEyvyHUnkM

[Sakkarin Profile]

Attention Stokey: this looks an interesting Aeropress adaptation, although I've not tried it yet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMuDiq-Tvaw

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Looks fairly plausible to me Sakkarin

My only thought might be a I have a weak right hand, and I'm not sure I can achieve a high enough pressure on that, I sometimes find the last bit of push hard work using an Aeropress the standard way

I'm sure I can find a substitute for the chicken seasoning

[Sakkarin Profile]

I must confess I sometime use my chin on my hand to force down the last half inch or so...

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Haha!! Thanks Sakkarin! I like your tinkering! I've seen the Hungryhouse ads myself, and they made me smile!

Don't worry about me being an expert, I am certainly not that, but I do now get a much better cup of coffee from my little Gagia machine! So there is something to be pleased about. However, the latte art, the Gagia is not the best machine, as it doesn't have enough ooomph in the steam department to 'texture' the milk correctly! In order to do latte art, it seems that the steam wand is really important, as it needs the pressure to form the tiny little bubbles that make the milk silky and glossy, and with enough body to sit on top of the coffee in a pleasing manner!

As mentioned in the last post, the girl who taught us had a Delonghi machine at home, and said it was really good for the milk steaming bit.

Just getting your order now Gill!

HH

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

What a star you are, HH.

I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee this am, and loving the new gadget - thanks Sakkarin for this thread, I appreciate your work.
I couldn't quite work out the inverted method at first, but it has just clicked. I'm also getting the reasuring breath at the end of the compression, so the puck is pretty dry when I'm discarding it.

What I do like is the lack of bitterness.
It's making my coffee choice sweeter - which is what I've been after for a while.

Also, no dust in my coffee any more, or residue at the bottom of the cup.

And since we have a one cup "kettle" too, I'm applying the morning coffee to face in about 45secs!

[Renée Profile]

A great thread, Sakkarin, but as I only bought a stainless steel, double walled cafetiere a few months ago, I shall have to make do with that, otherwise I would have bought an Aeropress.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hokay, Ill ask.
What's a double walled cafetiere, our Renee.

Still loving the aero pressivator.
Tried the inverted method today - both ways are lovely I think.

[Renée Profile]

Soz, it's Andrew James, Gill and just look at the reviews!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-S ... B00EF6642I

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

ah = to keep coffee hot, got it.
Nice looking gadget.

[Renée Profile]

It's unbreakable too, Gill, so no accidentally bashing it on the tap as I did with my last glass one!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

It's unbreakable too, Gill, so no accidentally bashing it on the tap as I did with my last glass one!

Not just me that bashes things to death on the tap then, I thought it might be a Stokey special

[Sakkarin Profile]

Just spotted a Barista course at the local college. Apparently you will be shown how to make the "prefect expresso". I wonder if that means you get a Prefect badge instead of a certificate...

https://www.westherts.ac.uk/courses/par ... ta-skills/

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Am I the only one who reads Barrister every time...................?

[Lusciouslush Profile]

See - told you so Grillygirl !!


Welcome to the club & show those friends of yours how much of a faff it isn't......!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Its a breeze innit.

Hey Sakkarin. Where did you find my long lost badge from 35 years ago.
I hunted high n low for it.