Aeropress: the other way to espresso

Last summer a friend of mine gave me a gift. When I opened it, I saw a package which contained what looked like to be a giant syringe. After thanking him, he took one look at me and he realized that I had no idea what the apparatus was. He told me it was an Aeropress - as if that meant anything to me. He went on to explain that this little device was the latest trend in the world of coffee connaisseurs. Groups of coffee loving experts walk around tasting different coffee beans at coffee conventions toting their little Aeropresses under their arms. These folk no longer take the standard coffee brew. Instead, all they need is about half a cup of boiling hot water, fresh medium ground coffee and two minutes.

You can youtube Aeropress and watch a demonstration, but let me try to explain it to you. Within what one would imagine to be the chamber of the syringe, you would place your coffee grounds. The grounds are held in by a plastic mesh lined with a paper filter. You then add your hot water to the labeled amount. Taking what looks like a small mixing paddle, the grounds and water are stirred together for 10 seconds. You then remove the mixing paddle and insert the plunger which creates an air tight chamber. As the plunger is pushed further in, the increased air pressure within the chamber forces the coffee goodness through the paper filter and into your cup. To clean, simply remove the plastic mesh cap, and pop out the coffee puck in a single push. The inside of the chamber is clean, the paper filter can be reused, and your espresso is ready. You only need to determine how much hot water you want to add to make an Americano. The Aeropress can make up to 4 shots in one press.

The Aeropress essentially makes an espresso shot using drip grind which means those relegated to drink standard preground coffee can enjoy the luxury of espresso anywhere. The taste is surprisingly flavourful. It is far superior to drip coffee and even French press, but it is still not the perfect device. You still have to have boiled water on hand which means that along with the Aeropress, you need a kettle and heat source. Because you pour, mix and press your hot water through, a lot of heat is released which means that if you like your espresso hot, you may have to drink it immediately. Someone also needs to work on the design of the equipment because the mixing paddle, the coffee scoop, and the funnel do not fit neatly into a single self contained unit. And lastly, not unlike a stove top espresso maker, the Aeropress does not make that lovely crema.

The Aeropress makes an impressive shot of espresso. If you were to perform this little ritual in public or amongst friends, you really would look like a caffeine addict which may raise a couple of eyebrows, but if that doesn't bother you I would say get it. I would take this over a stove top espresso machine any day of the week and twice on Sundays because you can control the amount of water used, the coffee grounds can't be burnt and the ritual is far cooler.

Crema from a Stove Top?

That's like asking can I get real Turkey stuffing from Stove Top without actually using a turkey. You can simulate the taste and you'll be satisfied, but I don't think it's actually going to happen. Crema appears after the oils and complex flavours from the espresso grind are extracted during the process of making a shot of espresso. It is a lovely golden brown foam that sits on the top of the shot. Some roasters brag that their crema can last for up to 17 minutes!

A friend of mine recently asked me if she could get crema through her stove top. I don't think so. There are some things that can maybe get that tiny hint of crema, but the effort doesn't seem like it is worth it when I look back at all of the suggestions:

1. As someone put it, scare the bean. Start with everything super hot (except the bean. Keep that at room temperature). Have the stove top expresso apparatus hot, the element hot, and use piping hot water.

2. Practically use turkish grounds. The tightly packed grounds will help more air pressure as the water vapour works its way through the grounds.

3. Using a expresso stove top that has no collecting reservoir, but a spout where you can watch the expresso come out. This is more for pulling the shot away from the nozzle when you see that the espresso coming out has lightened in colour to a beige or white. When you see this come out, it means that you are extracting the from the dregs of the grind, and when added to your shot makes the shot more bitter or tasteless. Bleckh!

4. If you can, buy a stove top expresso maker that has a control valve for when the water pressure is ready. I am not even sure if this is on the market. If it isn't someone needs to get on that.

I think she needed to throw out her stove top. Who are we kidding? When you want the crema at home, you are ready for a real espresso machine.