The AeroPress is essentially a giant plastic syringe with a rubber-plunger end, which compresses water and coffee grounds through a thin filter into a mug, producing a strong, single serving of espresso. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. That is, unless you are one of the many enthusiasts who manipulate the device with varied pour-over, press or steep times to produce a flexible range of recipes.
This very ease of use has inspired a passionate do-it-yourself culture. Baristas and home brewers “hack” the AeroPress to create countless variations on the coffee-making process, all in pursuit of a perfect cup.
“With a lot of coffee makers, you have to just accept what they do for you,” Adler says. “With the AeroPress, you can innovate.”
And innovate they do. Devoted AeroPress hackers tested their mettle last week at the World AeroPress Championship in Seattle, Wash. — the first time the event has been held in the U.S.
How AeroPress Fans Are Hacking Their Way To A Better Cup Of Coffee
Photo Credit: Jonathan Vanderweit/Courteys of World Aeropress Championship