AeroPress Coffee Guide: The Complete Recipe and Method

The AeroPress is one of the most versatile brewers in specialty coffee. It travels well, cleans in seconds, and can produce coffee that ranges from filter clean to espresso strong depending on how you use it. This guide gives you the standard recipe we use at LiRuCoffee, the inverted method, common mistakes to fix, and the beans that shine as AeroPress.

If you are new to specialty brewing at home, AeroPress is the fastest way to get a great cup. You need less gear than V60, less patience than Chemex, and less skill than espresso.

What You Need for AeroPress

▸ An AeroPress or AeroPress Go

▸ AeroPress paper filters

▸ Whole bean coffee, ideally from our coffee collection. Choose beans rested at least 7-14 days after roast for best flavour

▸ Burr grinder, hand or electric

▸ Digital scale in grams

▸ Kettle, gooseneck preferred but not required

▸ Mug or server that fits under the AeroPress

The AeroPress Recipe at a Glance

This is the standard specialty coffee ratio for AeroPress. Reliable, repeatable, and a great starting point for both new and experienced brewers.

If your cup tastes strong or intense, dilute with 50 to 100 grams of hot water. This is called an Americano AeroPress and gives you a filter style cup without weakening extraction.

Standard AeroPress Method Step by Step

Step 1. Rinse the filter

Place the paper filter in the black cap. Rinse thoroughly with hot water to remove any papery taste and to preheat the plastic chamber.

Step 2. Assemble upright

Screw the cap onto the chamber. Place the chamber on top of your mug or server, cap side down. This is the standard method as designed.

Step 3. Add coffee

Weigh 15 grams of coffee, grind medium fine, and pour into the chamber. Gently tap to level the coffee bed.

Step 4. Pour water

Start your timer. Pour 220 grams of water at 85 to 92 degrees Celsius over the coffee in a slow spiral. Fill to the top of the chamber.

Step 5. Stir

Give the slurry three gentle stirs with the paddle or a spoon. This ensures all the coffee is fully saturated.

Step 6. Steep

Insert the plunger just enough to create a seal, but do not press yet. Let the coffee steep for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Step 7. Press

Press down slowly and steadily. The press should take 20 to 30 seconds. Stop pressing when you hear a hiss, which means all the water is through.

The Inverted AeroPress Method

The inverted method flips the AeroPress upside down for steeping, so no coffee drips through early. Coffee professionals often prefer this for full control over contact time.

▸ Insert plunger into the chamber about 2 centimetres, then flip upside down so the plunger is on the bottom.

▸ Add coffee and water as normal, stir, and steep for 1 to 2 minutes.

▸ Screw on the cap with pre rinsed filter.

▸ Carefully flip onto your mug and press slowly.

Common AeroPress Mistakes and Fixes

Coffee tastes weak or hollow

Under extraction. Try grinding finer or steeping 30 seconds longer. Water temperature might also be too low for the roast level.

Coffee tastes bitter or harsh

Over extraction. Grind coarser, reduce water temperature by 3 degrees, or shorten steep time.

Very hard to press

Grind is too fine. This is a common issue when switching from espresso grind. Go noticeably coarser.

Coffee drips through before you press

If using standard method, this happens with older AeroPresses or a very fine grind. Try inverted method instead, or grind slightly coarser.

Best Beans for AeroPress

AeroPress works with almost any bean. Light roasts show origin character, medium roasts give balance and sweetness. Three recommendations from our current lineup:

▸ Daye Bensa Ethiopian coffee for a bright, fruity cup with berry and floral notes.

▸ Miguel Estela Peruvian coffee for a chocolatey, balanced cup with plenty of body.

▸ Yulissa Chambi Bolivian coffee for a complex, wine like cup that showcases the anaerobic process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What grind size for AeroPress?

Medium fine, similar to table salt. Finer for shorter steep times, coarser for longer steep times. If pressing feels like a workout, grind is too fine.

What water temperature for AeroPress?

85 to 92 degrees Celsius. Lower for light roasts to avoid harshness, higher for medium and dark roasts to extract enough. Never use fully boiling water straight from the kettle.

How long should AeroPress take?

Total brew time from pour to end of press should be 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Steep time is where you make most of your adjustments.

Is AeroPress better than V60?

Different, not better. AeroPress is faster, more forgiving, and travels well. V60 is cleaner, more elegant, and better for showcasing very light roasts. Try both.

Can I make espresso in AeroPress?

Not real espresso. Real espresso requires 9 bars of pressure. AeroPress makes concentrated coffee that can go into a milk drink, but it will not have the crema or intensity of a proper espresso shot.

What to Read Next

Try our Chemex guide for another way to brew clean, bright coffee. Want to keep your beans fresh longer? Read our guide on how long to rest coffee after roasting.

Ready to brew? Browse freshly roasted coffee from LiRuCoffee.