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- Blogs • Posted by Two Chimps • 22nd July 2021
AeroPress Coffee Grind Size
Hmmm… which AeroPress grind size is best for a tasty AeroPress coffee? Let’s find out!
Snazzy gadget? Cool toy? The AeroPress Coffee Maker is both!
Are you ready for a mega list? Goodo, because the AeroPress is the coffee brewing device with so many benefits. It’s…
- Small
- Portable
- Sturdy
- Single-serve
- Versatile
- Inexpensive (*takes a breath*)
- Quick
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Fun…
The awesome AeroPress was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the same engineer who created the high-flying Aerobie Superdisc. Alan was fed up with the watery single cups churned out by his drip machine, so he experimented with different ways of making quick, tasty coffee for one. And so the AeroPress coffee maker was born!
Coffee buffs weren’t sure at first (we get it – the AeroPress looks a bit like a pen pot!), but one sip and they were sold. Three main components fit neatly together in this unique coffee brewing device: the plunger, the filter holder and the chamber where your ground coffee and water steep together. The AeroPress is a pressure device, just like the espresso machine and Moka pot, and creates a smooth, strong coffee that’s mountain-high with taste!
Whistle-stop AeroPress tour over. Now let’s get grinding!
Why Does AeroPress Grind Size Matter?
Coffee grinding is key. Make-or-break kinda stuff. There are different types of grind sizes for different brewing devices, from fine and powdery to coarse like demerara sugar. The size has a major impact on your final coffee. Let us explain…
Over-Extraction = Tastes Bitter
- Whole beans ground too finely for a particular device will lead to over-extraction.
- If your coffee is ground too finely, the particles fit together a little too snuggly and form a compact coffee ‘cake’ (no, not that sort). Because the grounds are packed so closely together, your hot water can’t find any gaps to run through. This means your coffee seeps through slowly and spends a lot of time in contact with the grounds. The result? Over-extracted coffee that tastes a bit too bitter.
Under-Extraction = Tastes Sour
- Under-extracted coffee comes about when the grounds are too coarse.
- If your coffee grind is too coarse, the opposite will happen: the water will dribble straight through the gaps and leave your coffee under-extracted, sour and acidic.
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What’s the Best AeroPress Grind Size?
What grind size should you use for an AeroPress? Are you ready? It’s coming… The golden nugget, the gem of information you’ve all been waiting for!
For the best AeroPress coffee grind size, we recommend a consistency similar to table salt. On a coffee grinding chart, this is considered medium-fine. Each particle will be about 0.5 mm in diameter and falls between the fine espresso grind and the slightly coarser grind used in cafetière coffee.
You can use an AeroPress coffee maker in lots of ways (there’s even a championship where bright sparks showcase the latest methods!), but it’s always best to stick to the table salt-like grind. Feel free to experiment, of course, especially if you’re grinding at home. Try a slightly finer ground for a shorter, stronger cup, or something a tad more coarse if you like a brew with a bit of acidity.
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Want to find out more about making coffee? And grab lots of coffee-making tips? Get a FREE BREW GUIDE BOOKLET right here. It’s the best sort of post there is. ?
But what Type of Coffee? Light? Dark?
Short answer: whatever you prefer!
Long answer: ahhh, well, that’s a bit more complex. But still easy to understand!
The AeroPress is a pressure device. You create the pressure when you push down on the plunger and force the water through the coffee grounds. Pressure brewing methods like the AeroPress enhance the natural acidity in your coffee, which means you want to balance this out with a coffee that’s a bit less acidic. Get your visualising head on again, because now we’re thinking of a seesaw. On one side sits acidity, and on the other, sweetness. The pressure method of the AeroPress adds a bit to the acidity side, so we’re after a richer, sweeter coffee to steady the seesaw and make your brew beautifully balanced.
Darker Roasts for an AeroPress, then?
Yep! Darker roast coffees are less acidic than lighter roasts, making them an A1 choice for your AeroPress.
Here at the treehouse, we’ve got some lush medium and medium/dark roasts that will brew very happily in your AeroPress device. Pull Up a Chair is a great all-day coffee with hints of chocolate and toffee. Or, why not stick in the chocolate aisle with Oh Do Beehave? This velvety medium-dark roast tastes like chocolate orange. If it’s decaf you’re after, then get brewing with The Waving Goldfish. As well as its awesome name (have you ever seen a goldfish wave??), this Peruvian medium/dark roast offers a cosy union of baked fruits and homemade oatie biscuits. And lemon zest, just to keep things interesting.
But we’re not putting red tape over light roast coffees, no way! Numerous coffee lovers enjoy the fruity brightness of lighter roast coffee in their AeroPress device. Just give it a try and see!
AeroPress Filters
We thought we’d just squeeze a little bonus fact to round things up. Remember the filter holder we mentioned at the start? You’ll need to pop a filter in before you plunge to separate the grounds from your freshly brewed coffee. Paper filters are the most popular choice, but metal filters are great if you like your coffee bold and with a bit more mouthfeel (think cafetière coffee).
This is because metal filters allow some of the coffee’s natural oils and sediment into your cup. The result? A richer, more intense coffee. Metal filters are reusable, too.
Metal filtered AeroPress coffee might not be to your taste, but give it a shot – it might just be the well-built brew you’ve been looking for!
Head over to our online shop to order whole beans or select ‘AeroPress grind’ for fresh coffee ground for your AeroPress device!
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