Today, we interrupt our regularly scheduled musings to bring you something of great importance—coffee.

If you’re here, you probably already know that coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s a ritual, a way of life, an obsession. And if you’re still drinking stale, pre-ground nonsense brewed in a soulless drip machine, it’s time for an intervention.

Enter the AeroPress— great for making a fast, delicious, and clean cup of coffee. It's lightweight, durable, and great for travel.

This isn't my standard method (yet -- I'm typically a French Press person), but I've been impressed with how easy and quick the AeroPress is for a morning cup.

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What You’ll Need

• Whole coffee beans (Light roast recommended)
• Kitchen scale (Optional, but great for precision)
• Burr grinder (Because pre-ground coffee is a crime)
• AeroPress (Obviously)
• AeroPress scoop (Comes with it, about ~14g per scoop)
• Paper filter (Apparently there are metal filters too if you like a fuller body)
• Kettle (Ideally with temperature control)
• Timer (Patience is a virtue)
• Stirrer (The AeroPress one works fine, but a spoon is okay too)

My Setup

• Coffee: Light roast beans from Highwire Coffee, Alameda
• Grinder: Bodum Grinder (cheap and easy)
• Kettle: Fellow Stagg EKG (precise and stylish)
• Scale: Amazon Basics Scale (if weighing)
• Mug: Some random but beloved one from my collection

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The Steps

1. Heat the water to 195°F (90°C).
2. Place the paper filter in the AeroPress cap and rinse it with hot water.
3. Attach the cap to the AeroPress chamber.
4. Place the AeroPress on top of your mug.
5. Use the AeroPress scoop to measure one full scoop of coffee grounds (~14g) and add it to the chamber.
6. Pour hot water up to the top of the chamber.
7. Stir gently for a few seconds with the AeroPress stirrer.
8. Let it sit for 30 seconds.
9. Insert the plunger into the chamber and press down slowly, aiming for a 20-30 second plunge.
10. Remove the AeroPress from your mug and hold it over a trash bin or compost.
11. Push the plunger all the way through to pop out the used coffee grounds in one clean motion.
12. Rinse the AeroPress parts with water and let them dry.
13. Enjoy your masterpiece.

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Notes & Tweaks

• For a stronger cup: Use less water (~150-200g instead of filling to the top).
• For a lighter cup: Use more water after brewing to dilute (like an Americano).
• Hate bitterness? Lower your water temp a bit (185-190°F).

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That’s it. That’s my perfect cup of AeroPress coffee.

Experiment, tweak, and find what works best for you. The beauty of AeroPress is that it’s simple, fast, and makes a great cup.

Now go forth, brew, and let the caffeine gods smile upon you.

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For the visually inclined, here are the steps in images: