Understanding The AeroPress (Episode #2)

[@constantsoro]

You're turning my world on its head, James. Rinsing the paper doesn't matter. Blooming or not doesn't matter. Inverted or not doesn't matter. Going down to the hiss or not doesn't matter. Popular internet coffee wisdom has led me astray up until this point and I'm shook.

[@SWatchik]

Basically it's impossible to go wrong as long as you have good coffee and a good ratio! 👍

[@groundcontrolto]

I've been doing a 1:10 ratio, inverted, with bloom, pressing until the hiss. Tomorrow that changes :D

[@djentlover]

This! Imagine how much time this knowledge saves you in your lifetime!

[@groundcontrolto]

@@djentlover I mean, the brew time probably doesn't change but at least you don't have a load of little extra things to do while it's brewing like wetting the paper or weighing two different amounts of water.

[@zedorda1337]

The world of coffee is neck deep in pretentiousness. The best skill in the world of coffee is to develop a good way to filter out the pretentiousness without being rude.

[@inthemix]

A half hour AeroPress video? Yes please!

[@iamtheblarneystonekissmyass]

Jayson from In the Micks drinks cawfee!! wot!!?!

[@Tony2dH]

Coffee-drinking music producers unite!

[@maskelibalon]

We are expecting a special mix from you ;)

[@CoffeewithKartikay]

AEROPRESS FOREVER!

[@mathisgraening1931]

yess, one of my 2 favorite yt ppl

[@nsloan]

as a habitual aero press inverter, filter-rinser, and non-hiss-presser, you have made me question everything. thanks for this one, king

[@TheRflynn]

The recipe seems to be; finer grind, no invert, boiled (or 80c) water. Uncomfortably closer to “bang it in and enjoy it”.

[@simcmahon]

Perfectly put!

[@JPPambo]

I'm in exactly the same boat 😂

[@iau]

So each by themselves do not make a difference, but what about all 3 together? 🤔

[@jergarmar]

For real, it's actually kind of a relief to know that I don't need to stress about EVERY little thing with the Aeropress.

[@tailund3508]

11 years of religiously inverting, pre-heating, and non-hissing right down the drain... And yet I'm grateful that someone finally took the systematic approach and answered some of the biggest questions that keep me awake at night. Thank you!

[@daanw6270]

By believing it made a difference it probably did, even though maybe it didn't. LOL

[@HickLif3]

i truly believe the inversion method has it's place. It offers a lot of control that you might not have otherwise

[@Twicrumbles]

nah, what keeps you awake at night is drinking too much coffee during the day...

[@marcondespaulo]

I invert because I use a metal filter and it starts percolating before I'm ready.

[@cj4138]

I might still invert to avoid that dripping. Maybe a control freak side of me. But hey, just so happened the thing popped out on a flip for me last week :'D So yeah, it was interesting to hear that detail about how the rapid gas release on the flip might contribute to that. I'll be more careful from now on :'D

[@jamesclarked]

“That is wildly unpleasant!” My ears were not ready for such an outburst. There could have been children listening!

[@leemonk384]

funny.

[@juankast26]

Top end of british insults

[@sarameza8481]

Hmmm no na yayuum thent da byyy

[@andyfairchild2383]

You kinda know you’re a weird coffee person when a half hour video of James experimenting with an Aeropress is a great Saturday night! Thanks James, that was fascinating.

[@ellend1922]

I don't rinse the paper or bother with blooming (because I'm lazy) or invert (because I'm clumsy), I press through the hiss (easier cleanup) and brew for three minutes. Feeling relieved I don't suddenly have a compelling reason to change any of that up : )

[@playtester6635]

Aeropress ia all about an easy, quality single cup of coffee. No need to change.

[@justingarziano2843]

James, I've been a coffee drinker for about 75 years. I grind my beans and use an Aeropress for the most part. Your series came on quite by accident and I'm really glad it did. Although I truly enjoy my coffee, I'm afraid I'm not very scientific about brewing it. I so enjoyed your videos and your banter. I guess you probably would not prefer my coffee but you gave me a smile and a time of relaxation. Thanks for coming into my home this day,

[@msyedx]

bro this video has literally changed my whole aeropress workflow 💀 no inversion, no bloom, I can hiss now, haha here’s to faster cups of aeropress lads!

[@emmanuelnyberg2855]

Just wait until the ultimate technique is to immerse for four minutes, then press softly. Also use two spoons to remove scum before inserting the plunger.

[@MichaelMollard]

I'm certainly going to revisit some discarded techniques based on the test results in this video.. 😏

[@camk9242]

@@emmanuelnyberg2855 I've actually tried skimming the top off before in an aeropress because of his French Press video lol. Pretty sure it made zero difference haha.

[@AMalas]

Do your own A B test

[@eldricstuart]

@@emmanuelnyberg2855 I'm a big advocate of the slow press as well. Otherwise liquid bypasses the filter through the slits. Curious to see if James noticed this and if it's part of his recipe

[@goldencalf5144]

Wonderful. I think this will be an iconic video in Aeropress folklore in years to come. You've addressed nearly all of the myths surrounding the Aeropress in a systematic way.

[@spairus4492]

@@sneescampers With aeropress, pressure is a given, noone pushes the plunger down 1.5 bars. More like grind, temp, brew time, ratio

[@brin57]

One of the best take-aways from this. You don't have to stress about getting distracted from you brew. It doesn't deteriorate if it goes longer, it just gets better - Winning :)

[@mirr0rd]

I forgot about a brew last week and probably left it for 10 minutes. I was surprised when it wasn't terrible

[@becausewin]

this is huge for me, i was always worried about letting it brew too long and end up felling rushed. its good to know i can just chill.

[@onechristwoncity]

The amount of James Hoffmann videos I’ve watched this week makes me want to go back to my therapist and discuss

[@bonitodlnorte]

I missed lunch today because I didn’t realize it was a 30 min video... I couldn’t stop watching ii

[@JoeB964]

Find you a KZbinr who makes a 30 minute video with no mid video ads.

[@lore_house]

Bernadette Banner also loves her viewers this much.

[@forexercises]

@@lore_house LOL so funny to see her name mentioned here. I had a hard time deciding if I was going to watch the lace insertion video or areopress video first! Laura at Garden Answer won out, but I don't begrudge her the mid video ads because I just adore her.

[@edwardchester1]

Not all youtubers are as well funded by patreon backers. James could run this channel completely ad free.

[@Crazyates11]

26:53 Best part of the whole video!

[@Virginiafox21]

@@edwardchester1 If you mean in video sponsors, then yes. But no youtube video will ever be ad free, Google puts ads on videos whether or not the creator monetizes them. Only solution is premium or adblock. The creator has to monetize and choose where ads go so they won't automatically be put into the middle of the video.

[@TommyWalker1991]

This might sound weird, but I'm so happy to see visual graphs instead of tables when comparing different quantities. Makes it so much easier to spot the trends. And I agree that that is way more interesting than the actual number itself.

[@TamarLitvot]

So are you an Edward Tufte fan? If so, you’ll understand when I say that James Hoffman is the Edward Tufte of coffee.

[@TommyWalker1991]

@@TamarLitvot to be honest I’m not super familiar with his work specifically, but I agree with him that visual representation of data is very important and useful. And I see way to many people doing it poorly. Even “professionals” like scientists. It’s an underestimated thing. And I agree that James makes a lot of complicated concepts in coffee very easy to understand.

[@TamarLitvot]

@@TommyWalker1991 Check out Tufte's first book --The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. It massively changed the way I did my work (I'm a researcher). And it's a fascinating read (despite the very dry title) with all sorts of great examples. It's actually a pleasure to read, not work.

[@NeillSmith]

Let me know when we get to the episode where we load the aeropress with donuts.

[@Marty4650]

James Hoffman is a treasure. I have learned more about coffee from his KZbin channel than any other source.

[@thadsgudenuff]

I whole heartedly agree!

[@simonwhite8092]

@@thadsgudenuff Me, too! And I've only been watching him for an hour and a half! What a lot of life I've spent not knowing any of this stuff. And I LOVE coffee!! Today is the start of the rest of my life.

[@Heroniak]

Precisely this, he has encouraged me to explore the wide and beautiful world of coffee and possibly enter the industry in my own way. If someday I am successful in the coffee world, he will be one of the people I wholeheartedly thank.

[@JamesKeane3010]

I would be interested to see a comparison between different filters such as a single aeropress filter, double aeropress filter, metal filters, metal and paper combo, fellow prismo and the aesir filter. It would also be interesting to see what difference you get by brewing with a small amount of your final water and diluting after pressing or using the full amount to begin with. Thanks for the thorough and informative video James!

[@jorismak]

He basically answered one. Brewing 15gr with 200 water or with 100 water... the one with more water used in brewing wins. You could compensate the diluted one with grind size and steeping time and such .. but are the brews even comparable at that point?

[@sdorn]

I’ll echo the request for different filter experiments (though I think we can all try triangle experiments, if we have a friend to swap the bowls around). I’ve been using a paper filter in combination with the Prismo, just because I’m lazy and don’t want to figure out the right plunger-position for true immersion brewing. And... I’ve also tried a cloth filter with the original and Prismo bottom.

[@Currywurst4444]

@@jorismak Yeah, he did a fast comparison between different ratios at 10:55 but he didnt dilute them to an equivalent strength before tasting. This way you cant make any statement about which method actually tastes better. It is obvious that the stronger cup also has more acidity. You cant make a judgement about which cup will be more acidic without actually diluting them to the right strength and tasting them.

[@jorismak]

@@Currywurst4444 you night have a point there. He also said that it wasn't extracted properly, and diluting it down isn't going to fix that. But you might prefer it. Test it yourself!

[@leventyalcin]

I just came here to say the same thing, different filters. I was using paper filters at home and metal mesh filter while I am mobile. This might not be a problem to anyone. However, I do travel on bike multiple days. It’s extra weight, and, most importantly, it is hard to store them in panniers or find them if I run out. At some point during lockdown, I was out papers and thought it could be selfish to order only paper from Amazon (high volumes deliveries and not enough drivers etc) and started to use metal at home too. Now I don’t even remember if there was a difference between two and I don’t think I put any effort to adjust to mesh filter. I’m wondering about your experiences.

[@emilyphizacklea5245]

You just never know when James is going to sneak a ‘sluuurp’ in there... keeps you on your toes 😰😂

[@gordanbabic8028]

that is the worse part of the video

[@brickonator]

Misophonia hell gang reporting in

[@kivzzzz]

I was so surprised he cut it out in several places

[@mbs4298]

@@brickonator Fellow misophonia sufferer reporting

[@Tennessee_Gavin]

@@gordanbabic8028 you're the *worst part of the comments

[@geckomoshpit]

„Hoffman. James Hoffmann. I‘ll have an AeroPress, swirled, not stirred.“

[@fgmenth]

our profile pics are almost the same

[@lore_house]

My thoughts exactly

[@boatoflol]

Underrated Comment

[@MINDTHEHEADPHONE]

I know this is an older video but man… EVERYTHING about this is absolutely incredible. The amount of knowledge and information, the down to earth approach, the easy to understand terminology, the honesty, the myth-busting and scientific approach, the straight to the point editing, the scenario, even down to the subtle lighting and the crisp and clear audio… It’s no wonder this channel’s got almost 2M subscribers. This is a masterclass on how to make a KZbin video.

[@Heroniak]

Hoffman, over the course of a year, has almost single handedly taken me from merely someone who's interested in coffee to a near fanatic. Possibly, changing the course of my life forever. What an absolute legend this man is. There are many people on the internet who.. frankly havent earned the amount of money they have. Hoffman, in my opinion, deserves every damn freedom eagle or british cup of tea (pick your currency) he earns.

[@sn1000k]

You forgot British accent

[@georginarichardson6570]

" this hiss thing...I don't think it's a thing." The statement that saved more marriages than couples therapy in 2021.

[@Themurlio]

When I heard that, I came here to see if it was funny to someone

[@CupcakesVideos]

@@Themurlio e. N

[@tma1339]

Although it's definitely a thing... Haha

[@namesashhousewares8337]

i don't get it

[@slightlyjames]

Without access to an espresso machine, I use the AeroPress as a cheap stand-in for trying to get that strong coffee for my lattes, etc. You covered that briefly in a video a while ago, but it may be worth revisiting if you're looking for some sort of definitive series on ways to use an AeroPress.

[@benjaminsaive928]

Seconded. Would love to have a "200 ml coffee recipe" and a "strong coffee for cappucino recipe". Also some kind of grind size suggestion.

[@ryancronwell9866]

Yes, I use my AeroPress the same way and would love to see James take on the best way to get an espresso like brew out of an AeroPress as part of this series.

[@maximiliant79401]

Just my little answer to this as someone who uses the flair and the AeroPress, there is a huge difference in taste(at least for light roasted natural coffees). So yes, you can get a strong coffee out of your AeroPress, but it's not at all like espresso. But I know your problem. So keep enjoying your strong AeroPress brews, and hopefully, you may be the owner of an espresso machine at some point. Cheers

[@slightlyjames]

@@maximiliant79401 Of course! I'm just a latte drinker hoping to make the best of a less than ideal situation.

[@Currywurst4444]

Yeah, he did a fast comparison between different ratios at 10:55 but he didnt dilute them to an equivalent strength before tasting. This way you cant make any statement about which method actually tastes better.

[@amperstandheart]

Dammnnn, James out here making us go full tilt. More accurate video title would be: Busting every Aeropress myth in 30 minutes

[@tylermhore]

I use an AeroPress every morning for my coffee and I switched a couple years ago to a metal mesh filter to get away from buying paper filters. I wouldn't mind seeing a break down of how alternative filters change the brew, especially against the standard paper. Thanks!

[@marvin19966]

PLEASE try an oil based filter, it will change your life FOREVER

[@plwadodveeefdv]

@@marvin19966 do they add 15hp

[@danielsimmonds4913]

I bought a metal mesh filter as well and I as well as my friends found it to be much more difficult to use, I think the grounds block the mesh holes and create a vacuum, maybe it'd have better luck with less fine grounds. If you found it works that's great, but I'll give my warning to anyone considering it.

[@jsmith1025]

I'm still looking for an answer on whether the metal filter changes the brew much. I suspect it does, for the worse. But I've been using one for 5 years...

[@byronviljoen4899]

@@jsmith1025 Metal filter let's more sediment through, making the coffee more chalky/ muddier. I like the texture and consider it an upgrade for my tastes.

[@vennic]

1. Cleaning/rinsing the aeropress between brews 2. Using 2 paper filters (for higher pressure, finer grinds) 3. Rinsing and reusing filters

[@nickpugh8879]

Yes! I travel a lot so use the Go, well, on the go. I tend to reuse my filter paper for the duration of my stay wherever I may be. The only difference I notice is the resistance increases as the week goes on... But then my palate isn’t as professionally trained as Mr. Hoffmann’s

[@vennic]

@@nickpugh8879 I rinse with very hot water (like brew temp) and reuse as well, as does Alan. I definitely notice an increase in resistance after 4-5 uses. Flavor is better in the first few uses, I think, but seems that after that, the flavor does not seem to progressively worsen. I thought it might be an "old coffee" flavor thing, but after watching this video now I wonder if it's the pressure itself changing the flavor.

[@TwinGamersTr]

In turkey aeropress championship, almost everybody was using 2 paper filters in their recipe. I hope James will play with it and share the toughts and his preferance.

[@guydavids9402]

I reuse at least 10 times. Until there is a hole in the paper. Why? Same reason I use the Aero press: I find it interesting! I rinse under a fairly high pressure spray stream. I do not notice significant resistance over time.

[@vennic]

@@guydavids9402 single or double paper? I rinse mine with the kitchen sink sprayer after every use, then rinse before each use with some brew water like I would with a new filter.

[@Gtroncos]

I don’t know when I was more excited when I learned something new or when I saw James’s face when he was wrong. Thank you for showing all the process and not hiding the tests.

[@willhomerrr]

I could not be more satisfied with how in-depth and detailed this video is, thank you for all that work you've put in!

[@SamwiseOutdoors]

An obsessively thorough, fiddly, and deep exploration of my go-to coffee maker is exactly what I needed.

[@Our_Patterns]

He makes my favorite KZbin content, hands down. It’s the one channel that genuinely improves my life.

[@DillonBrown411]

This is an incredible amount of work you've put into this video - really appreciate the detailed, systematic approach you took.

[@TheFinalMB]

I really hope he hits the most important test: Aeropress vs The Bripe

[@cardboardbard]

That's rather a bit like comparing apples to socket wrenches, don't you think?

[@TheFinalMB]

@@cardboardbard true.... but do you remember that beard 🧔??? I’d compare an apple and a socket wrench to see that again

[@cardboardbard]

@@TheFinalMB fair

[@DSCH4]

Aeropress: "Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru." Bripe: "Nani?"

[@MosheFeder]

😂

[@juliengroulx3096]

A big advantage of the inverted method is that you can use your cup to both pour your hot water and press into, especially useful when camping with the aeropress.

[@ill_eye]

Inventor: "Here's an easy to use coffee maker so you can have quick and kinda good coffee at home!" James Hoffmann: Understanding the AeroPress (Episode #2)

[@MrVenom113]

Alan: You can brew espresso with aeropress James: No you can't

[@mrpopenfresh]

My favourite part of the Aeropress instructions is to put a rounded scoop of coffee into the press. No grams, no levelling out, nothing.

[@MrVenom113]

@@mrpopenfresh I suppose it's the simplest recipe available and it's very forgiving. Obviously there are plenty better methods but with this you should get a drinkable coffee

[@MrDarren690]

@@MrVenom113 It's also functional. I've been using that method for over a year now, and until I get better precision equipment than what came in the box and my kettle, I don't see a need to change it.

[@thunderofgr]

@@MrDarren690 I’ve been using an Aeropress since my first deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. I’ve experimented with just about every method and found various different sweet spots including temp, filters, grind settings, steep times, inverted, etc. A decade of experience has instilled in me that the Aeropress is very much Marine proof, and that it is incredibly fault tolerant. The worst cups that James is brewing would still be incredibly good to anyone used to Folgers, K cups, or a coffee urn. Play around with your own coffee settings and decide what you like. My current favorite is a coarse grind, inverted, boiling water, cloth filter (from coffeesock), light stir (and pouring water to wash the coffee off of the stirrer back into the Aeropress), flip immediately over a cup, steep for 2 minutes, press with just the weight of my forearm until bottomed out (through the hiss). Add a small dollop of honey for taste, and a pinch of baking soda to turn down the acidity (due to health concerns).

[@GarrettWease]

This is a masterpiece. I treat my aeropress the least scientifically out of all my brew methods, so to see you take this experimentation to the nth degree is an eye-opening treat.

[@ThepareeLi]

And it shows what a great brewing method the Aeropress is. Almost foolproof if you start off with good coffee and a good ratio!

[@JPCC456]

james answering his own question: that's a really good question!

[@relarras]

Ahah yes i noticed that. Same as me playing tennis as praising myself - nicely played!!😊

[@kunal9346]

Love how scientifically and honestly you’ve analysed the different options! And it’s great to know that the simplest approach of aeropress brewing is as good as any other

[@wsurfn]

Possibly the best coffee video I have ever watched. Seriously. Well edited and packed with gems. Thank you James!

[@FlipnKraut]

I’d be interested in seeing a deep dive into the science as to why coffee tastes better brewed at 80 and 100 but worst at 90. That’s interesting.

[@dm319-j5y]

yes that's confusing! I thought extraction went up with (quadratically or something?) with temp

[@RodCornholio]

My educated guess - balance ; at 80 less of the unpleasant factors are extracted (so it's balanced), at 100 enough pleasant factors are extracted to mask - like counterweight - the unpleasant (balanced). Something at say, 90, is unbalanced with too much extraction of unpleasant components. If my guess is correct - actually to prove it right - would be to determine the precise chemical components and carry out experiments based on those. A food scientist with access to a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of coffee might be able to make a guess which things would be detectable and unpleasant to most people. Given the multi-billion (trillion?) dollar value of the world's second most traded commodity (next to oil), it seems like they could fund it with simple micro-investing or a GoFundMe-type charity. The information gained from such could benefit the industry from the agricultural side, to instant coffee manufacturers, single-cup brewer companies, etc.

[@jimlow6824]

I'm wondering if a temperature change of the brewing water (or grind change) would re-shuffle the results?

[@ren1355]

Would be interesting to see the difference using multiple paper filters, metal filters, and some popular 3rd party filters like Aesir

[@eldricstuart]

I would also like to see that (Owner if Aesir here). Would be a good test, I think

[@ashleybrownau]

+1 for a blind test on metal filters...!

[@TheAndy25026]

I was hoping he would mention metal filters as an option and what positives (if any)/negatives. Maybe in future?

[@thunderofgr]

Please add the cloth filters into this experiment. Been very happy with coffeesock filters but want to know if that’s just my confirmation bias. I want Professor James to weigh in.

[@MrVenom113]

It's also interesting to try double filters as an alternative to aesir. I've seen that aesir filters are often used in championships so there must bo something in it... right?

[@deemuffi3177]

A moment’s silence for the inverted, bloom, rinse paper, no hiss method. RIP

[@postscript3150]

lololol

[@stonecat676]

I still think inverted is better and gives more control (and pleasure) and blooming reminds me more of doing a pour over so I like it and if u do inverted, u GOTTA rinse paper (unless u use a mesh filter) hiss tho, that is bonkers

[@techguy9023]

It's not nuclear fusion, just making coffee.

[@escatel6889]

@@techguy9023 get out

[@AUserName-fv8zj]

@@stonecat676 all I hear is DENIAL ;D

[@paulstevens1493]

I'd never heard of the "regular" method of inserting the plunger just a little bit to create a vacuum while the coffee brews. That's not in the Aeropress instructions, so I'm glad it was here!

[@Trixtah]

Me neither and I've had mine since circa 2008! Thus my doing the inverted method all most of the ensuing time.

[@birdcherrym8]

What about a permanent metal filter vs a single-use paper filter? Hopefully, this will be covered in the next video!

[@Climb-Angola]

Also want to see this. Big fan of the metal filter

[@jamiebarnesmusic]

This....please!

[@cdsprech]

Good call! Along the same lines, there are attachments like the Fellow Prismo he could give a shot!

[@karlgroeschel2182]

@@cdsprech James Hoffman has already done a video on the Fellow Prismo, just FYI :)

[@TPHRyan]

On top of that, I've seen recipes (and attempted them) with layered filters or paper-metal-paper and stuff like that. I'm sure there's a more general rule in this, but it would be good to see the difference it makes

[@JanKowalski-xh4ri]

I once forgot that I was brewing a coffee in aeropress and the brew was steeping for about 40 minutes. It was a pleasant surprise how tasty it was.

[@alchemistTi]

It’s not long before the water cools and the coffee settles enough to the point where extraction has effectively stopped.

[@zedorda1337]

Cold brewing does have something to it. Even if it didn't start that way.

[@sebaba001]

Check out Sprometheus video where he treated the aeropress like a cold brew, he just let it drip until it finished and got nice results.

[@mikni4069]

In my incremental steps where I brewed all the way up to 30min, I found out that after 10min there where no gain in letting it steep any longer, it’s also about that mark you typically start drinking in cupping. The 10min where the best absolute but the gain over a 4min brew where small, like very, very small and probably not worth the extra brew time. The biggest benefit seem to be that you can drink it almost immediately.

[@Lu_Woods]

At a bakery, I'd load the portafilter before going home for 5 hours before the late shift. So it pre-infused and was slow roasted until I pulled the shots at midnight. Very nutty soft flavors.

[@arfarf152]

In all these years of aeoropressing thousands of coffees, I finally found the video that speaks to my soul and addresses all my deep-rooted AeroPress-related anxieties and ponderings - Thank you James!

[@cyrusfontaine2598]

This is the best Aeropress movie I've seen since The Aeropress Movie. 10/10

[@thewowleader]

Imagine being Alan Adler and just creating a coffee toy to make yourself a cuppa Joe, and the thing turns into a worldwide competition, and a 30m review of extraction based on technique.

[@alejandrotapia5800]

I sincerely doubt the creator of the Aeropress saw it as coffee toy..if you knew how long it took him to do it and his passion for better coffee you wouldn't say that

[@thewowleader]

@@alejandrotapia5800 Yes, that was the joke, thank you very much for the clarification.

[@fung132]

Alan recommends using 80degree water, which seems too low to brew coffee, but it tested to be the foolproof temperature. Genius.

[@FrancisR420]

@@thewowleader I didn't like that "joke". Doesn't really make any sense unless you read it sincerely. What is the comedy in someone putting lots of effort and engineering into a calibrated device only for the thing to be used in competitions? What is the joke If that's the conceit of your comment? Is it a reference that I'm not getting?

[@ivybaum9727]

Me: “I don’t have time for a 30 minute aeropress video.” Me 30 minutes later: “You know you don’t actually have to rinse an aeropress filter.”

[@daanw6270]

I don't even own one... but now I know

[@sethkellough4655]

Haha

[@Drinksfromtap]

Yay for no more burnt fingers!

[@bobcus1910]

I must say I fell out of love with my aeropress when I got my espresso machine but not just this video but the whole series so far have brought back the fun, and succes of using my aeropress again!

[@marvin19966]

you a presser son

[@canakn8685]

THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL. IT IS HAPPENING!

[@inviktus1983]

It's not happening. The video we all want is the ultimate aeropress technique. This isn't it. It IS an amazing video however.

[@roadchewerpe5759]

@@inviktus1983 and I believe James said at the end, it isn’t really the “ultimate” technique, but a simple one and great technique with good results. Which I’m not complaining about.

[@michellelei7103]

As for inversion brewing, a shout out to people who just enjoy the flip🤣

[@samh9642]

The high risk helps me wake up in the morning

[@Vo-Daddy]

It's my excuse for a "swirl" xD

[@sokilgob4967]

I left the cult after the hot mess happened

[@gabrielcolombelli993]

It gives some excitement to the brew, making it taste better

[@movoyemickele]

Don't forget that he tested it without stirring process. I believe it would be so much water leaked down if he did stir the coffee thus changing the taste. Remember, you can't vacuum it while doing the stirring process.

[@calebcasolaro5454]

glad we got to hear the classic "No" from James Hoffmann when he has coffee he doesn't like

[@blackhand95]

It's always a genuine treat and I suppose I sort of feel bad about that. But it's so entertaining.

[@aclonymous]

19:46 there it is

[@caiquenba]

I’m gonna put this no as my wake up alarm

[@danehrovitnir7323]

@@aclonymous Not only the perfect timepoint for the audio but also the expression!

[@brandonmcnemar3477]

I love how the slurps were edited out, really nice job to whomever suggested and followed through with that.

[@isledon]

More please this is such tedious work, you're the only one who can make it fun and interesting 😩 I want to know more about filters! Metal vs Cotton vs Paper, vs (Paper + Paper) vs (Paper + Metal). Also more on interconnected variables such as degree of roastedness vs temperature etc.. Thanks James!!

[@vihanjain6975]

Would be cool to see you brew the last 5 years' winning W.A.C. recipes and rate them from best to worst and simplest to most complex

[@ZEEBOFAN]

YES omg, that would be amazing :00000

[@EntelSidious_gamzeylmz]

Those people are prob his friends so, if I were to be in that position I wouldn't be comfortable.

[@asimplefarmer]

Plus those aeropress techniques require the beans they used too

[@sofronio.]

@@asimplefarmer very true.

[@Mooza1]

Can we please get the temperature test at different grind sizes and roast levels? I think this would be so interesting.

[@PetrusBaas]

Mooza! First try swirling in the non-reversed method and let it brew for 4 minutes. Then you know he’s only joking. Very funny video.

[@dr.angerous]

@@PetrusBaas wtf ur talking about

[@kevinmarinus4752]

Great idea! Some more tests with more modern aeropress recipes, such as wendelien van Bunnink winning world aeropress recipe would be great. I can imagine that for instance preheating makes more of a difference as added volume of water is lower. Also the effect of tds (or specific minerals) might yield some interesting results

[@babygorilla4233]

When I realized it was 2 am and I'm having insomnia tonight, it was so so nice to discover an hour and a half of James Hoffmann content, just on the AeroPress.

[@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat]

1 word... lunesta. That stuff is amazing. It helps you stay asleep without feeling groggy at all. I was so reluctant to take sleeping pills but I tried it 4 a week and man... it works so well. I sleep like crap. I can't fall asleep n when I do I wake after an hour or 2. Every hour. It sucks. I lunesta n I'm getting almost a full night of sleep. If you feel comfortable, please ask ur Dr. I would not advocate something unless I take it myself. Lunesta had helped me soooo much. Good luck n best wishes.

[@AndresHerrera-eb3qk]

I've just tried a 2.5 minutes brew time, with swirling and boiling water for a natural coffee that was a bit rough. I think it's the best cup I've ever brewed with an aeropress, very sweet, caramelised and well rounded! Thank you so much James!

[@frjfsiuojrsdug]

I just love the $500K of espresso gear in the background!

[@jaymerryfield]

This is where my eyes went to as well....

[@jasonwhyte4162]

Would love to see light roast vs. dark roast comparisons in brew methods for the aeropress and other brew methods

[@probably-aquarion]

30 minutes of comprehensive experimentation that circle around to... pretty much the manual. This was great :)

[@SnowBob302]

I don’t know if James is a scientist by training but he is very much scientific in his investigations. I actually got into coffee over this pandemic since I couldn’t be working in the lab as much and this kind of stuff totally scratches that itch for me. We wanted an Aeropress video and we got this whole investigative series. Thanks for doing what you do and I’m looking forward to the next video!

[@xXMasterChrizXx]

I think you need to explore grind sizes and their appropriate brew times more! As well as different filters, such as the different sizes of Able metal filters and even using 2 paper filters (which I often do!) This could easily be it's own video with how much depth there is to it

[@bibliophilecb]

Would also love to see an exploration of different roasts! I know he briefly mentioned the difference in brewing temperature, but as a fan of a dark roast I’m curious to see more about it.

[@defragsbin]

+1 on grind size. I don't have a good grinder, so I've gone back to buying pre-ground coffee for the moment. Many types just don't seem to work unless I do the inverted method. If the grind size is too coarse, the water just seeps through the filter even when the plunger is in place to form a vacuum -- if I waited two minutes there'd be nothing left! OTOH I've read that a lot of the Aeropress competition winners used a fairly coarse grind, so I'm guessing that's why the inverted method is popular.

[@toranceting4494]

Grind size +1

[@cameralabs]

Great video James, thanks, I watched it from start to finish in one go! Brutally honest, myth-busting stuff. You covered everything I wanted - and more! - apart from one small thing: paper filter versus metal filter. Switching from V60 to Aeropress, I initially felt better about my reduced paper usage, but now after a few years of Aeropressing, I'm concerned by all those little paper discs... I bought a metal filter a while back but have only used it briefly so far without much success - I recall preferring the paper result, but didn't pursue it further. Do you have a view on reusable metal filters?

[@tiochino1401]

i second this...would live to see James dive into how the filter material affects the final outcome. Been using a metal filter for over 5 years and prefer it over paper.

[@BradyPatterson]

I'm also curious. I'm a metal filter user, not paper and prefer it over the paper.

[@christianmarth9989]

Yes, I use a metal filter when travelling as I don't want to deal with the paper filters going everywhere in my bag, I wonder if there is any discernable difference in taste and extraction between paper and metal filter

[@AndyGait]

@@christianmarth9989 The main difference for me the much cleaner cup that paper gives. I use a Prismo on mine, which comes with a metal filter. But I still add a paper filter for the cleaner finish.

[@AndyGait]

@@taglh Can you taste any difference between 1 or 2 paper filters?

[@norfabatonas]

Thank you, James. From the bottom of my heart. You got me into this hobby and now I make cups that an old me would think were impossible to make. I did not know coffee could be this good. The way you present information, your attitude and your dedication to get to the bottom of everything is a breath of fresh air. I just bought an Aeropress and was quite confused, read a lot of conflicting information. But you have singlehandedly broken all the myths, found out all the tips and presented a simple recipe that just works. Now I can make nice coffee with the Aeropress and maybe find something new that just I like. Once again, just thanks. You're awesome!

[@jakesestero658]

Been waiting for this episode! Crazy how some of these little methods that have been engraved into the “way to use an aeropress” really don’t matter at all

[@niichuuko1095]

It's key to note that some of these techniques are for the sake of consistency and ease. The aeropress is a fickle device and while brewed ideal, they might taste the same as a other method, but elements like coarse grind/long steep/low stir can help ensure very repeatable results that eliminate some level of risk of variation in the brew. I personally like to minimise stirring or agitation because it dramatically changes the bitterness of the brew.

[@jaghond2]

Grind setting!! Even though grind type was referenced, I find that varying the grind setting ever so slightly makes the biggest difference when I am a switching to different beans. It will be interesting to see the good/bad effects as you make the grind coarser and finer.

[@1966someguy]

Literally sipped an aeropress I just made and thought "that the nicest one I've ever made" when this vid popped up... Time to improve even more! Thanks James ♥️

[@bjornegan6421]

how'd you make it? i hate mine.

[@1966someguy]

@@bjornegan6421 18g-240g, pretty fine, 90 second immersion, 30 second plunge (stirred before plunge) with some square mile Ethiopian beans!

[@bjornegan6421]

@@1966someguy thanks for the reply. inverted or regular?

[@1966someguy]

@@bjornegan6421 just regular!

[@bjornegan6421]

@@1966someguy thanks again.

[@joshyip7320]

I’d be interested to see how these same concepts translate to cold brewing with the aeropress, or if it’s a completely different beast altogether! Love this series and how thorough you are with everything!

[@jawannasawalha3702]

My only problem with not rinsing the paper is that sometimes when the paper is not stuck to the cap, it can move around and ruin the whole brew. It’s more to ensure the paper sticks rather than ‘papery tasting coffee’

[@bloodgain]

Ditto. Sometimes the papers are _just_ cut to meet the edges, so they have to sit perfectly still during assembly. It's more like wetting than rinsing.

[@frjfsiuojrsdug]

That's weird because I find after I rinse it tends to not sit flat. I have quite an old BPA press though.

[@mirr0rd]

Isn't it to also swell the paper fibres when brewing inverted?

[@jawannasawalha3702]

@@frjfsiuojrsdug it’s not 100% flat, you might find some bubbles but as long as it sticks and doesn’t move around to ruin the brew the bubbles should be fine.

[@Footestomper]

Agreed. We have often doubted that wet vs dry makes a difference in the taste, but we sure like that the filter stays in place!

[@campbellfackre]

So far, this is the ultimate James Hoffman video.

[@KotetsuHg]

I would love to see James do some experiments with metal filters, including the one for the aeropress. It would also be interesting (or stupid but funny) to see what using multiple filters would do.

[@Stevesbe]

I use a metal before my paper filter

[@robinsmith9158]

@@Stevesbe assuming you mean metal closest to the coffee and paper in first (closest to the cap), that makes sense. The amount of fines between the two filters is interesting.

[@Stevesbe]

@@robinsmith9158 yeah

[@stephencoles5991]

Came here to request the same. My theory is that the metal filter allows more oils through to the cup.

[@blurion]

Agreed. Would love to see a comparison between metal and paper filters.

[@BradSevigny]

I heard James whistle once when he was tasting. Now every time he tastes I’m on the edge of my seat. Literally one of the coolest/funniest things that exist in the coffee world for me.

[@sn1000k]

I seem to remember that too

[@giannecarlob3937]

22:30 We're into the minutia of Aeropress brewing here And we love you for that! This video was beautiful.

[@blackpete]

I mean... What did you expect? It's James Hoffman. If you watch a car show, there's nerdy stuff about cars in it. Same here, just with coffee 😉

[@conan_der_barbar]

not the AeroPress video we deserve, but the AeroPress video we all need

[@ITSDRJMMG]

This will be a historic video for the coffee community! Thank you so much James!

[@alterlait2601]

This guy approaches coffee like a science experiment, and I'm here for it.

[@HitsugayaToushiro01]

Regarding wetting the Aeropress paper disc, I personally prefer to wet the paper as it helps stick the paper to the plastic cap during the inverted method. Sometimes the dry paper can awkwardly fall into the aeropress when placing the cap on an inverted press :)

[@nickpugh8879]

100% agree, but then there’s no difference in inverting anyway according to this video so I’m scrapping that idea and just going regular style with a, *gasp* dry filter paper! OMG I could have watched a 3 hour video on this subject !

[@groundcontrolto]

@@nickpugh8879 I like to believe there's a "Slurper Cut" for Patreon subs :D

[@andrewb7104]

@@nickpugh8879 stop being annoying some of us like the inverted method because it works for us. No reason to GASP. My guy was just pointing out, in the manner of inverted brewing, wetting the paper matters. If that doesn’t apply to you there’s no reason to comment enjoy your method and well enjoy ours. There may not be a difference in extraction but there MAY be a difference in enjoyment.

[@nickpugh8879]

@@andrewb7104 you mis understood my comment, I have been inverting since hearing about this method too. I’m just happy to hear that going back to normal with a dry filter paper wont effect my quality of cup going forward. Chill dude, have a coffee or something

[@carlsnellgrove1746]

@@nickpugh8879 tried a brew this afternoon with dry paper and right way up. So much less fuss, great cup.

[@MegaBoomshanka]

The 4 stages of Aeropress ownership: 1) Make the coffee like it says on the box. 2) Start getting fancy use better coffee and better technique. 3) Go to extremes, grind size, papers, brew times, water temps, upside-down press, swirling the whole kaboodle. 4) Realize that actually one scoop, fill it with water, wait 60 seconds, press makes is the best repeatable cup.

[@aVeganMia]

1 scoop, fill to which number?

[@MegaBoomshanka]

@@aVeganMia I fill to the top - one big cup of coffee, I found that adding water after made it a bit weak. I am using a large coffee cup...

[@reallivebluescat]

How much is a scoop??

[@MegaBoomshanka]

I just use the scoop that comes with the Aero press@@reallivebluescat

[@MegaBoomshanka]

I know its not a great measurement of 'weight' as the grind will affect the amount of coffee....but TBH 17g versus 19.5g of coffee doesn't make a huge difference to my tastebuds

[@HermanG83]

Can't imagine how long it took him to make this video until I saw his signature Gatsby hair is gone at around 21 minutes mark

[@jameshoffmann]

It was a two day shoot, with somewhere between 60 and 80 brews done for tasting and testing. I did not sleep well.

[@WarfareJournal]

@@jameshoffmann And we're grateful 🙏

[@craiggulley2958]

@@jameshoffmann - Thank you !

[@dodaexploda]

@@jameshoffmann you took 80 for the team. Thank you!

[@mexicanhalloween]

@@jameshoffmann ffs James, you didn't have to drink the entirety of those brews

[@jeweliedee4299]

I don't think I could take this degree of forensics about coffee from anyone but James. At the top of every profession, there is a James. Our palates thank him.

[@krszm]

29 minutes and 12 seconds of pure bliss

[@jimmunster57]

Pure Hiss

[@LesroyBuckley]

I purposely saved this for Monday at 9am... start the week with a 30 min Aeropress educational video. Love this 😀

[@wesmac3349]

Literally just had my AeroPress delivered right when I saw James uploaded this. Impeccable timing, James.

[@nikolascook6658]

I watched the first one and decided to buy it. I found a recipe I liked and it seems to do a lot of the things he said were good so that is nice. Wanting to see pt.3 to compare to my current recipe

[@moemoe817]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! All your hard work helps me understand what I am trying to do with my Aeropress. I understand it is my preference of taste of cup, but all this testing helps me not waste my good tasting coffee. I appreciate you!!

[@danielmccready1501]

I wish you had a pdf to download of your findings. I find myself watching videos and making my own notes for later. Thank you for everything you have done for the coffee community.

[@filippoye609]

Can't wait to watch the next episode of the Aeropress Cinematic Universe!

[@maxw4259]

After the pandemic this guy needs to do a wee tour across the country and just do talks on coffee, would sell out everywhere!

[@Stevesbe]

After the scare of a flu

[@shadowgolem9158]

I learned one of the winning recipes from the world championships though I could not tell you which year. Inverted method press pushed in to the 4.. Pour boiling water over 1 scoop of espresso grind to just under top. Stir for 30 seconds. Place top on (filter just wet enough to stay properly in place). Invert and gently swirl once then place on cup and press with weight of arms but not pushing with muscles. Press should take about 10 seconds. I've always enjoyed it and seems to tolerate a decent range of beans well. Thank you very much for sharing this! Extremely enjoyable to watch!

[@alop5704]

For those of us wanting timestamps for James' slurping: 8:25, 20:15, 26:53, 26:55, 26:57

[@karinagray6538]

Me: 2pm halfway through washing my car on this Sat afternoon which is covered in snow foam. James: Drops 2nd Aeropress video. Me: Drops jet wash and car can wait, cause I need to watch this right now!

[@chaitanyagupta7786]

As much as I didn't mind the slurping sounds in the previous videos. Something about the editing of James going through the motions of spooning and then a clear cut clean sound was extremely pleasant. Beautifully produced video. And obviously the content is packed with amazing advice. I think I'll begin my test of 50 brews to confirm or deny what I have witnessed James so eloquently exclaim.

[@brianharder7714]

Although I love all the detail regarding variables, the most telling observation you make is that it was not possible to track the best cup of coffee and best coffee maker through all rounds of the Championships. Still more to learn even from those we expect to have it dialed.

[@treadeasy1254]

Hi,wow!no tipping now. One question not tested here is comparing the use of an 'able' stainless steel filter, I've used this from the outset as I found the papers fiddly. I would appreciate it if you my consider a comparison?thanks again. The comparables you explored might explain why sometimes I got an amazing brew and occasionally pretty ordinary!I will pay a little more attention to my routine! Tank you.

[@ant1.v]

What a great watch that was, loved it! Too many content creator would feel the need to hide their blind tasting "fails", glad to see your honesty shining!

[@spolti1322]

19:45 the way James says 'No' is amazing.

[@mikcsa]

This is absolutely amazing. All those fable-like myths about inverted brewing, hiss vs. no hiss, all cleared up and sorta-scientifically (definitely nerdy enough) tested. I was in awe for the entirety of the video. Wow.

[@geraldarcuri9307]

Awe? Seriously?

[@miss_bec]

This guy's speech is surprisingly well paced for someone who drinks so much coffee. But for real, genuinely very helpful video. I have an aeropress, I love it, and now I get to love it even more.

[@gxlorp]

[BUT FOR REAL] GOD DAMM THAT JOKE WAS SO FUNNY. IT WAS SO FUNNY I KNEW IT WAS A JOKE

[@brianb-p6586]

I find that it works well at 1.5 X playback speed.

[@surrealchemist]

I feel like this is one of those Masterclass episodes on Aeropress brewing. Also I am glad I can finally abandon the inverted method. I don’t know why I started doing it. I tried it once and got coffee and hot water all over my kitchen and didn’t use that method for a while till I moved to a place with a bigger kitchen.

[@klundtasaur8916]

James: 18:43 "These bowls are all dramatically different" Me: *couldn't tell when he cut between different cups* "I am an idiot."

[@Herr_U]

As someone who doesn't like coffee I really really like this series. This is the kind of stuff that helps me understand how to make a wonderful cup of coffee for my friends and family, and also gives me a rough estimate of what they mean when they give feedback on how they would prefer their cup of coffee. (As an avid tea-drinker I understand how most of the parameters effect the outcome of a brew, but I don't understand coffee (it is an art after all) so being able to have a technical description from someone who appreciates the art of it really put things into context for me). (In case anyone wonders why a non-coffee drinker would have an aeropress: in part so that I really can spoil my friends, in part since it is a practical low-volume brewing when only having a friend or two over (I have a french press for larger gatherings), and since my main personal use for coffee is in baking I have a greater use for concentrated than drinking coffee in many cases and it is easy to really ramp up the concretrate level with an aeropress)

[@sweeper442]

I would just like to say what a kind person you are, for thinking so much of your friends that you do research for a drink you don’t even like to make their experience at your home special. I know this is a year old comment, but kindness doesn’t go out of style. Cheers to you!

[@daveedallenson1306]

I am not much of a coffee drinker, in other words I don’t drink enough coffee to tell good coffee from bad but live with a number of self appointed experts. I do however watch a fair amount of KZbin and this gentleman makes a quality video blog, he is appears very experienced, thoroughly, clear speaking, uses very descriptive words, has variety of comparisons, eliminates the repetitive procedures and disclosures outside influences to name a few qualities of his vlog.Other vloggers don’t have to copy his style but it would behoove them to take notes for their own vlogs!

[@jainfanteuottawa]

I don't think "drinking enough" coffee means anything. I drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day. I can't tell the difference between a good and a bad cup of coffee.