The Ultimate AeroPress Technique: Brew Brilliant Coffee at Home
The Ultimate AeroPress Technique: Brew Brilliant Coffee at Home
The AeroPress is one of the most versatile and rewarding brewing devices you can own. Compact enough to take camping, quick enough to use on a weekday morning, and precise enough to satisfy even the most discerning coffee enthusiast, it is no surprise it has earned a devoted following across the UK and beyond. Yet for something so simple to use, there is a remarkable amount of conflicting advice out there about the right way to brew with one. Rinse the filter. Do not rinse the filter. Invert it. Keep it upright. Stir, do not stir. Frankly, it is a wonder anyone ends up making a decent cup at all.
In this guide, we are cutting through the noise. We are sharing the technique we believe consistently produces the most balanced, smooth, and genuinely delicious results from an AeroPress, along with the reasoning behind each step. Whether you are new to the brewer or looking to refine what you already do, this is the guide worth bookmarking. And of course, the coffee you use matters just as much as the method, so we will be pointing you towards the Scorgo coffees that work beautifully with this technique.
Why the AeroPress Deserves a Place in Your Kitchen
The AeroPress was invented in 2005 and has since become a staple of the specialty coffee world. It uses a combination of immersion brewing and gentle air pressure to extract a cup that is notably smooth, low in acidity, and rich in flavour. Unlike a cafetiere, which can leave sediment in the cup, the AeroPress filters cleanly through a paper or metal filter, giving you a much cleaner result.
What makes it particularly appealing for home brewers is the level of control it offers. Water temperature, grind size, steep time, and pressure all contribute to the final cup, and they are all in your hands. Once you understand the variables and have a reliable starting recipe, the AeroPress becomes one of the most consistent home brewing methods available. At Scorgo, we recommend it alongside our range of brewing accessories because it genuinely rewards a little patience and curiosity.
What You Will Need Before You Start
Equipment
You do not need a great deal to brew an exceptional AeroPress. Here is what we recommend having to hand:
- An AeroPress brewer (standard or Go model)
- AeroPress paper filters
- A kitchen scale accurate to one gram
- A kettle, ideally a gooseneck kettle for pouring control
- A burr grinder (blade grinders produce inconsistent particles and will undermine the result)
- A timer, your phone will do perfectly well
- A mug or carafe to brew into
You can browse our AeroPress collection for everything you need to get started or to upgrade your current setup.
Choosing the Right Coffee
This is arguably the most important decision you will make. No technique, however polished, can compensate for stale or poorly roasted coffee. The AeroPress is particularly good at highlighting the character of a bean, which is why we always recommend using freshly roasted, high-quality coffee. At Scorgo, every bag is roasted to order from our UK roastery, so what arrives at your door is genuinely fresh rather than something that has been sitting in a warehouse for weeks.
For the technique we are sharing here, lighter to medium roasts tend to shine the brightest. The immersion method and controlled extraction bring out floral, fruity, and nuanced flavour notes that can be lost in other brewing methods. That said, this technique is adaptable, and we will explain how to adjust it for different roast profiles.
The Ultimate AeroPress Technique: Step by Step
What follows is a technique built on simplicity, repeatability, and the removal of unnecessary steps. Every element has a reason behind it, and we will explain the key ones as we go.
| Coffee dose | 15 grams of Scorgo coffee |
| Water volume | 200 millilitres |
| Grind size | Medium-fine |
| Water temperature | 100°C (light roast) / see below for others |
| Brew position | Standard (upright) |
| Total brew time | Approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds |
| Brew ratio | 1:18 |
The Scorgo AeroPress Method
Step-by-step brewing guide
- Place the paper filter into the AeroPress cap. There is no need to rinse it first as it makes no perceptible difference to the flavour. There is also no need to preheat the brewer.
- Lock the cap onto the AeroPress and set it in the standard (upright) position on top of your mug or carafe.
- Weigh 15 grams of your chosen Scorgo coffee and grind to a medium-fine consistency.
- Add the ground coffee to the AeroPress chamber.
- Place the brewer on your scale and tare it to zero. Bring your water to a boil and pour all 200 millilitres over the grounds, aiming to wet all the coffee evenly during the pour.
- Start your timer immediately. Insert the plunger piece approximately one centimetre into the top of the chamber. This creates a gentle vacuum that stops the coffee from dripping through the filter before it has finished steeping.
- Wait two minutes.
- Holding the brewer and plunger together, give the AeroPress a gentle swirl rather than stirring. This settles the grounds and encourages an even extraction without agitating the bed excessively.
- Wait a further 30 seconds.
- Press the plunger down slowly and evenly. Aim to take around 30 seconds to press all the way through. Stop pressing just before you hear the hiss of air, as the last few millilitres at this stage tend to be over-extracted and bitter.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
The vacuum trick explained: Inserting the plunger immediately after pouring is perhaps the most useful technique in this entire guide. By creating a light seal, you eliminate drip-through and effectively replicate the benefit of brewing in the inverted position, without any of the associated risks of flipping a chamber full of hot water. It is one of those small adjustments that makes a noticeable and immediate difference.
Understanding the Variables That Actually Matter
Grind Size
Grind size has a significant impact on how your AeroPress cup tastes. Too fine and you risk over-extraction, which produces bitterness and a harsh, astringent finish. Too coarse and you will end up with a thin, underwhelming brew that tastes sour or flat.
Medium-fine is the sweet spot for this recipe. To put it in practical terms, you are aiming for a consistency somewhere between table salt and caster sugar. If you are using a burr grinder with numbered settings, start in the middle of the range and adjust from there based on taste. A small adjustment in either direction can have a noticeably positive effect on what ends up in your cup.
It is worth remembering that freshness matters here too. Grinding your beans immediately before brewing preserves the volatile aromatic compounds that give specialty coffee its character. Scorgo recommends grinding fresh for every brew rather than grinding an entire bag at once.
Water Temperature by Roast Profile
One of the genuine improvements you can make to your AeroPress brewing is adjusting water temperature to suit the roast level of your coffee. Here is a straightforward reference:
| Roast Profile | Recommended Water Temperature | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Light roast | 100°C (use immediately from the boil) | Light roasts are denser and need higher temperatures to extract their full range of flavours |
| Medium roast (Scorgo Coffee) | 90-95°C | A slight drop in temperature prevents over-extraction of the more soluble compounds |
| Dark roast | 85-90°C | Lower temperatures help avoid bitterness from the more soluble, heavily developed compounds |
All of the coffees across our collections are roasted to a medium profile, which means the 90-95°C range is a reliable starting point for the majority of Scorgo coffees.
Brew Ratio and Dose
The 11g to 200ml ratio recommended here gives you a brew ratio of approximately 1:18. This produces a balanced, full-flavoured cup with good body. If you prefer a slightly stronger brew, you can increase the coffee dose to 12 or 13 grams while keeping the water volume the same. If you prefer something lighter and more tea-like, reduce the dose slightly. What we would advise against is changing the water volume significantly, as this can affect the extraction dynamics and the timing of the steep.
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Three Common AeroPress Myths, Debunked
Myth 1
You must rinse the paper filter
This is perhaps the most widely repeated piece of AeroPress advice, and it simply is not necessary. The idea is that rinsing removes a papery taste from the filter. In practice, when tested carefully and comparatively, there is no perceptible difference in the cup. Skip the rinse, save the water, and get on with brewing.
Myth 2
You need to use the inverted method to avoid drip-through
The inverted method involves flipping the AeroPress upside down to brew before flipping it back over to press. It solves the drip-through problem, but it also involves pouring boiling water into a chamber and then inverting it, which carries some obvious risks on a bleary Monday morning. The vacuum technique described in this guide achieves the same result in standard position, safely and reliably.
Myth 3
You should always stir the grounds
Stirring is often recommended, but swirling the brewer gently after the steep time produces a more even result without breaking up the coffee bed in an uncontrolled way. A gentle swirl at the two-minute mark is all that is needed. Think of it as encouraging the grounds to settle rather than forcing extraction.
The Best Scorgo Coffees for AeroPress Brewing
A wide range of coffees from across our collections work beautifully with this technique. The AeroPress is one of the more forgiving brewing methods in terms of how it handles different roast levels and origins, but it is particularly good at coaxing complexity from well-sourced, freshly roasted beans. Here is where to start:
From the Crafted Collection
Our Crafted Collection is an excellent entry point for everyday AeroPress brewing. These are approachable, well-balanced coffees that produce consistently satisfying results without requiring much adjustment to the recipe above.
From the Signature Collection
If you want to elevate your AeroPress experience into specialty-grade territory, the Signature Collection is where things get particularly interesting. These coffees carry SCA grading scores and reward a slightly more attentive approach to temperature and grind size.
From the Prestige Collection
For occasions when only the finest will do, the Prestige Collection represents some of the highest-graded specialty coffee we offer. Brewed via AeroPress using the technique above, these coffees can produce genuinely remarkable cups at home.
Adjusting the Recipe to Your Taste
The technique outlined above is a starting point, and a very good one at that. But coffee is personal, and your palate is the final judge. Here is how to adjust based on what you are tasting:
- Too bitter or harsh? Your coffee may be over-extracted. Try a slightly coarser grind, a lower water temperature, or reduce the steep time by 15 to 20 seconds.
- Too sour or thin? This suggests under-extraction. Move to a finer grind, increase the water temperature slightly, or extend the steep time.
- Good flavour but lacking body? Try increasing the coffee dose by a gram or two while keeping the water volume the same.
- Good body but lacking clarity? Ensure you are using a fresh paper filter and pressing slowly. Pressing too fast forces through more sediment and can muddy the cup.
The beauty of the AeroPress is that these adjustments take seconds to make and seconds to test. Within a few brews, you will have a recipe dialled in perfectly for your preferred coffee and taste preferences. If you are ever stuck troubleshooting, our full brewing guides page covers the variables in more detail, and our team is always happy to help via the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to rinse the AeroPress paper filter before brewing?
No. Rinsing the paper filter makes no perceptible difference to the taste of your coffee. It is a step you can comfortably skip without any negative impact on the brew.
What grind size should I use for AeroPress?
A medium-fine grind works best for most AeroPress recipes. For lighter roasts, err towards the finer end of medium. For darker roasts, move slightly coarser to avoid over-extraction. A good burr grinder makes this adjustment straightforward.
What water temperature should I use?
For light roast coffee, use boiling water at 100°C. For medium roast, allow it to cool slightly to around 90-95°C. For dark roast, 85-90°C gives the best results and avoids bitterness.
Should I use the standard or inverted AeroPress method?
The standard (upright) position works very well when you insert the plunger approximately one centimetre into the chamber immediately after pouring. This creates a vacuum that stops drip-through, achieving the same result as the inverted method without the risk of flipping a chamber of hot water.
How much coffee should I use in an AeroPress?
15 grams of Scorgo coffee to 200 millilitres of water is an excellent starting point, giving a brew ratio of 1:18. Adjust the dose up or down by a gram to suit your strength preferences, but keep the water volume consistent to maintain the timing and extraction dynamics.
Which Scorgo coffees work best in an AeroPress?
A broad range of Scorgo coffees are well-suited to AeroPress brewing. From the Crafted Collection, Numbers 3, 8, 9 and 11 are all excellent everyday choices. For specialty-grade options, Numbers 14, 19, 22 and 27 from the Signature Collection offer a step up in complexity. For high-graded prestige coffees, Numbers 57 and 82 are outstanding through an AeroPress when the technique is dialled in well.
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