How to make the AeroPress work on your coffee shop menu

As one of the most beloved brewers in specialty coffee, the AeroPress can be found in cafés, roasteries, and homes all over the world. Known for its versatility, the brewer has helped push the boundaries of coffee extraction even further – especially with competitions like the World AeroPress Championship becoming so influential.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to learn about getting the most out of this brewer, particularly in a coffee shop setting where efficiency and workflow are essential.

To learn more, I spoke to David Cole, Chief Marketing Officer, and Fernando Hernandez, Coffee Specialist and Global Sales Communication, at AeroPress, about how to make the iconic brewing device work on any coffee shop menu.

You may also like our article on the evolution of the AeroPress.

Why the AeroPress is a coffee shop favourite

As one of the best all-round brewers on the market, there are many reasons why baristas, roasters, and home brewers are such fans of the AeroPress. But its remarkable evolution – especially in recent years – is chief among them.

The early beginnings of the AeroPress go back to 2003, when inventor Alan Adler was inspired to design a brewer which could extract a single cup of coffee. Over two years and 30 different prototypes later, Alan debuted the first-ever AeroPress at the 2005 Seattle Coffee Fest.

Fernando Hernandez is the Coffee Specialist and Global Sales Communication at AeroPress. He explains what made the brewer such an instant success.

“It’s so accessible – buying an AeroPress means you can brew coffee almost immediately, and all you need is hot water and ground coffee,” he says. “It’s one of the most versatile brewers on the market with hundreds of recipes you can try.” 

Although many baristas, competitors, and home brewers choose to do so, you don’t need equipment such as scales and a gooseneck kettle to brew coffee with the AeroPress. This only adds to its ease of use, especially for those who are new to specialty coffee.

David Cole is the Chief Marketing Officer at AeroPress. He tells me that because of the brewer’s simple mechanism, it can produce great-tasting results no matter how skilled the user is.

“The air pressure in particular speeds up the process so coffee doesn’t become over-extracted,” he says. “Baristas and coffee connoisseurs in over 60 countries have fallen in love with AeroPress and how easy it is to consistently brew excellent coffee.”

How the AeroPress has changed in recent years

Although all AeroPress brewers stay true to the original design, there has been a lot of recent innovation with the iconic coffee maker.

In 2019, the company launched the AeroPress Go – a compact version of the original brewer designed for travel and camping. Two years later, the brand was acquired by Canadian holding company Tiny Capital, which opened up more opportunities for new products. In the years since, AeroPress has launched a stainless steel filter, the Flow Control filter cap, the AeroPress XL, the latest Clear line, and the AeroPress Go Plus – a complete travel coffee system.

The recent acquisition certainly helped AeroPress to innovate and diversify its products, but competitions have also played a key role in the brand’s evolution – especially the World AeroPress Championship (or WAC).

In 2008, the first-ever WAC took place in Oslo, Norway with just three competitors. Fast forward to 2023, and over 5,000 competitors from some 178 national and regional events participated in the world finals.

As one of the more informal specialty coffee competitions, there has been much room for creativity at the WAC, which has helped to push the boundaries of extraction and flavour even further.

Common AeroPress recipes in coffee shops

There are many ways baristas and home brewers can experiment with the AeroPress, including changing dose and grind size or bypass brewing.

According to Fernando, coffee shops often have the most success with AeroPress recipes that maximise yield and extraction, as well as methods which require minimal oversight from baristas so they can focus on other tasks at the same time.

Fernando shares a popular recipe below which uses the traditional technique:

• Add 18g of medium-fine ground coffee and 250g of water set at 93°C to 100°C (200°F to 212°F) to the brew chamber and start a timer
• Stir the grounds ten times
• Insert the plunger into the chamber to create a seal, which helps to maintain a consistent temperature
  • Alternatively, you can use the Flow Control filter cap to exert more control over extraction
• At the two-minute mark, gently swirl the AeroPress and press the plunger down using the weight of your arm
• Keep pressing until you hear the hissing sound stop

Improving efficiency

Fernando emphasises how this particular method improves both extraction and workflow efficiency, especially when using the Flow Control filter cap. This brewing accessory has a pressure-actuated valve, which prevents drip through and allows baristas to maximise control over extraction variables, while also experimenting with grind size and brew time.

“This recipe allows you to use the maximum amount of water, so you can extract as much of the coffee as possible,” Fernando says. “Baristas also don’t need to interact much with the brewer so they can work on other coffee orders and tasks.”

He adds that the AeroPress is easy to clean and can be ready to brew more coffee in seconds. Baristas only need to push the plunger to remove spent grounds and rinse the seal before it can be used again.

Ultimately, in addition to quality, efficiency and repeatability are the most important aspects of AeroPress recipes for coffee shops. While there is always room for creativity, it’s essential that baristas of any skill level are able to learn and master recipes to achieve consistent results.

How can coffee shops improve their brewing methods?

The AeroPress is its own distinct patented brewer unlike any other in the industry. In turn, it produces a flavour profile unique to its technology, which presents coffee shops with an opportunity to attract and engage with consumers in new ways. What’s more, offering a wider variety of brewing options is an effective way for cafés to differentiate their business and diversify income.

Considering that specialty coffee is always pushing for higher quality, finding ways to tweak and improve AeroPress recipes is important.

Fernando recommends experimenting with grind size first, and then changing brew temperature to achieve your desired results – which ultimately depends on the coffee you use.

“We have found that natural and extended fermentation processes (such as carbonic maceration and anaerobic fermentation) benefit from a coarser grind size and/or a lower water temperature,” he says.

No matter the coffee or recipe used, understanding what happens during the extraction process is crucial. The AeroPress Clear range allows baristas to observe extraction in real time, as its transparent material means users can exert even more control over brewing variables. 

“Baristas are able to see important visual cues – like fine migration and the level of the coffee bed – that can lead to a higher, more even extraction,” Fernando explains. “When working with different recipes or coffees, baristas can troubleshoot with confidence – whether they need to stir the slurry a few more times or extend the total brew time.”

The AeroPress Clear is also available in six different colours, which means coffee shops can choose from a variety to best suit their brand identity and preferences.

Keeping up with innovation in specialty coffee

Having a go-to AeroPress recipe should be a staple of any coffee shop, but with an increasingly wide range of different varieties, origins, and processing methods, baristas need to know what works best for their menu offerings.

“As coffee shops stock different varieties and processing methods, the best way to feature these coffees is in a slow bar,” Fernando says. 

This involves carefully developing customised recipes for different coffees, and brewing coffee in front of customers to explain the process to them. In doing this, baristas can elevate the consumer experience and share more information about coffee production and processing methods – showcasing the diversity of specialty coffee and the versatility of brewers like the AeroPress.

The AeroPress is a staple of many coffee shops and home brew bar setups. But for baristas and café operators in particular, it’s important to know how to use it as effectively as possible.

There are many reasons to include the AeroPress on your menu. And no matter your choice, it’s essential that you make it work for your needs.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on using paper and metal filters for the AeroPress.

Photo credits: Julian Bracero

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: AeroPress is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

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