How To Brew The Aeropress Recipe by James Hoffmann

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Updated Nov 24, 2022
Leigh McDonald
Leigh McDonald
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How To Brew The Aeropress Recipe by James HoffmannHow To Brew The Aeropress Recipe by James Hoffmann

Table of Contents

Simple is always best when it comes to our daily coffee routine. Since I have been using my Aeropress every day for the last three years, I have thoroughly enjoyed the taste of the coffee it makes. So, it's always a pleasure to see creative ways of brewing coffee.

Today I tried this recipe I found on YouTube to my pleasant surprise. I actually found the process to be a bit easier by letting the press sit on the cup and pouring in the hot water. This delicious brew can be made in the steps below and the brew time only takes 3 minutes from start to finish, great if you’re in a rush.

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The James Hoffman Aeropress Recipe Video

How To Brew The James Hoffman Aeropress Recipe

Total Time: 4 minutes

Supplies (Your Favorite Coffee Beans):

Suggested Hardware:

Steps:

Image showing ground coffee

Grind your coffee

Grind 11g of coffee a little finer than medium (if light roast), go a bit more course for dark grind.
Image showing Aeropress cap on filter

Add a filter and attach the cap

Put a filter into the cap and attach the cap to the body of the Aeropress.
Image showing Aeropress cap on filter

Place Aeropress on your mug

Set the Aeropress on top of your mug and pour in your fresh coffee grind (without the plunger).
Image showing hot water being poured into Aeropress

Pour in boiling water

Place on the scale (optional), bring water to a boil and pour in 200g, covering the grind evenly.
Image showing plunger in the Aeropress

Add plunger and wait 2 minutes

Put the plunger into the Aeropress (about 1cm) and start a timer for 2 minutes.
Image showing coffee swirling

Swirl the brewer and wait 30 more seconds

Gently hold the plunger with the cup then swirl the brewer for a few seconds to loosen any stuck grinds and wait for 30 more seconds.
Image showing coffee pressed through filter

Press and enjoy

Press gently and enjoy! Be careful, it'll be hot!

Top tips from the video

  • For lighter roasts, get the water nice and boiling hot
  • For darker roasts, drop the temperature down to between 85°C (185°F) and 90°C (195°F)
  • No matter what type of kettle you use, make sure you fill it with hot water and soak the grind for a couple minutes.
  • It's best to press gently, and evenly, without pressing too hard.
  • It should take about 30 seconds to press, totaling about 3 minutes from start to finish.

Flavor not quite right? Try these tips to experiment with in order to get the right flavor. It can either be the size of your grinds or the temperature of your coffee. Here are a couple tips you can play around with:

  • If the coffee flavor is bitter: Your grind might be too fine, try a more coarse setting. The water could also be too hot for the type of beans that you’re using.
  • If the coffee flavor is sour: Get your water boiling hot and try grinding your beans a bit finer.

James Hoffman method vs regular Aeropress

This is a very clean-tasting, fantastic cup of coffee without being too strong. The preparation feels easier than re-pouring hot water in and then flipping the Aeropress onto the cup (not to mention the risk if the plunger/piston comes off - trust us, we know!).

One word of advice I found with this method was after pouring in the hot water, the steam pressure would cause the plunger have more resistance. You'll have to apply a bit of pressure to get it down to the 1cm mark as mentioned in the steps above.

As soon as the timer is ready (after your 2 minutes and then another 30s), you can quickly press the coffee through the grind to ensure it doesn't get too bitter or sour. I feel it's safe to say we'll be trying this method for a while and hope you enjoy it too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ratio of water to grind should I used in the Aeropress?

Use 11g of coffee, and 200g of boiled water.

My Aeropress coffee has a bitter or sour taste, what can I do?

If the coffee flavor is bitter your grind might be too fine, try a more coarse setting. The water could also be too hot for the type of beans that you’re using. If the coffee flavor is sour then get your water boiling hot and try grinding your beans a bit finer.

Who is James Hoffmann?

James Hoffman is a YouTuber who is also a self-taught filmmaker and shares his love for coffee on his channel. Among the videos he produces are reviews, tips and tricks, historical documentary-style videos, and more.

How To Brew The Aeropress Recipe by James Hoffmann

Leigh McDonald

I'm an avid lover of coffee, travel, and design. When I'm not helping build software in the tech space, I'm probably thinking about which bag of coffee beans to try next.