Here are the finalists’ Aeropress methods, all very different and all producing unique styles of brew. Generally, Alex’s brews had an intense fruit character with a heavy winey body. Ben’s however, showed transparency with crisp; citric acidity and floral notes. Lukasz delivered an extremely rounded and balanced cup.
All 3 methods are taken word for word according to their submitted technique to the judges.
Alex’s Method
Do a ‘blind’ press with boiling water to soak the paper filter.
Pour 20 grams of filter ground coffee in to the main Aeropress chamber.
Pour boiling water to “1” mark on the inner tube and wait for 5 seconds.
Pour water from the inner tube into the main chamber. Circulate water and grounds with a jug underneath, ensuring grounds are wet.
Fill water from boiler up to “3” mark on the inner tube.
30 seconds after pouring the first water in, pour in the contents of the inner tube into the main chamber. Then press firmly until the brewed coffee is extracted into the jug, but stop just before the ‘pppffssstt’ sound.
Serve.
Ben’s Method
Begin by boiling freshly filtered tap water.
Invert your aeropress.
Apply a paper filter and run it under the tap until its rinsed.
Fill your inverted aeropress with boiling water, apply the filter, flip and press the boiling water through the filter to ensure there is absolutely no paper taste and to heat up the system.
Once again, invert your aeropress. The plunger should be about 1cm from the bottom.
Grind off your coffee, slightly finer than filter grind (Should be 14g by weight) and put it into your cup or glass. Keep this handy.
Bring your water to a rolling boil.
Put your inverted aeropress on a scale and zero out.
When the kettle hits a rolling boil, shut it off, open the lid and start your timer.
Wait thirty seconds to allow the water to cool a bit.
Add 1dL or ~95g by weight of your water to the aeropress and quickly zero out the scale again.
Add start your clock and add the 14g of coffee to the water and give the coffee a quick but efficient stir to completely saturate the coffee grounds in the water.
Add the remaining 1dL or ~95g by weight of water to the coffee slurry. The scale total should now read 109g.
Wait until the clock reads 50 seconds and then slowly and carefully flip the aeropress back upright. (I would use two hands.)
Begin slowly plunging. This should take about 25 seconds. Plunge until you hear any hissing or air escaping through the coffee puck. Quickly pull the plunger back up and invert your aeropress so it doesnt leak everywhere.
Serve.
Lukasz’ Method
Start with the the Aeropress upside down.
Thoroughly pre-soak filter.
19,5 – 20g coffee, ground slightly courser than filter grind
2 dl water
Water temperature: 75 degrees Celsius
Stir 4 times
Stop stirring, secure the filter an turn at ca 10 seconds.(Total contact time ca 15 sec.)
Press and serve.