Aeropress two-stroke mod

[fiend]

(Since the other Aeropress thread is 9 pages long, I thought this could probably go in a new one)

In the past month I have bought an Aeropress and a Vespa PX200 (still legal in NZ). This afternoon I was thinking about the Aeropress, and it occured to me that an interesting mod to it would be to put a hole in the side of it, similar to the cylinder in/out holes on a two stroke engine.

The hole would be around the size of the '1' circle in the main tube, and would be located around the bottom of the '2' oval. The process for extracting would be:

1. Measure the ground coffee into the Aeropress
2. Compact the grinds with the plunger (ie. tamp it)
3. Raise the plunger to just above the (new) inlet hole
4. Pour hot water gently into the hole
5. Push the plunger in slightly so that it goes past the hole. Air would escape through the grounds and/or out the hole.
6. Put the Aeropress onto a cup as per normal and press the plunger down to get the extraction.

The water would briefly make contact with the compressed grounds as a kind of pre-infusion, but otherwise would only pass through under pressure, so would be more of an espresso-style extraction.

Since I received the Aeropress as a Father's day present, and I can still hear my daughter singing 'happy birthday' with an adoring look on her face, I am a little reluctant to drill holes in the side of it just yet. Anyone else want to give it a try?

Rhys

[Captain_Crema]

Not me. It's supposed to work so well because it combines the qualities of steeping and espressing (if you get my drift).

[CakeBoy]

Good train of thought Rhys but you can't do that to your little girl's love gift. The chaos can't be worth it mate

[fiend]

Yeah, that is the thing.

On a slightly different note, I am sure that the aeropress is making coffee with a much higher caffeine content to what I normally get in the Europiccola. Has anyone else noticed that? It may just be that I've been getting a v. low caffeine content in the espressos because I tend to grind/pack to the limit of almost choking the machine and give a little more than the recommended 8 bar pull.

Rhys

[Gouezeri]

On a slightly different note, I am sure that the aeropress is making coffee with a much higher caffeine content to what I normally get in the Europiccola. Has anyone else noticed that?

Completely unscientifically, I'd agree that the aeropress does have a much higher caffeine content. I used mine every day for about 2 1/2 weeks when I was hiking in the italian alps and I thought the same thing. Normally I only drink triple espresso, and don't notice the effects of caffeine at all. (though it is quite possible that there were other factors at play)

[scook94]

Are you using the scoop that came with the Aeropress? (2 full scoops worth with that is easily over 26g, I measure 18g of coffee for my espresso (technically for a double ristretto)) Also my overall "brew time" with the Aeropress is about double that for espresso.

I was taking these factors for the reason I detect a bigger caffeine buzz.

[AlanP]

Go on Rhys you know you want to

But why bother with drilling a hole?
Just cut the tube down to the size you want.
Alan

[Captain_Crema]

The scoop is to measure out beans for the grinder IIRC...

[scook94]

The scoop is to measure out beans for the grinder IIRC...

Err, yes it is.

[CakeBoy]

The Aerobie does seem to end up with a 50% (or more ) higher dose than the L'Anna here. I wonder if the extra caffeine is solely related to the extra volume of grinds being used, the brew method or both? In Soapy's case the problem was more likely to be the local French grog

[Gouezeri]

T In Soapy's case the problem was more likely to be the local French grog

Other side of the mountains mate, so it was grappa

[eivindt]

The scoop is to measure out beans for the grinder IIRC...

My instructions say "Put ground coffee into the chamber -- one scoop for each espresso[...]", with a picture of the scoop pouring grinds into the brewing chamber...



Eivind

[Captain_Crema]

The scoop is to measure out beans for the grinder IIRC...

My instructions say "Put ground coffee into the chamber -- one scoop for each espresso[...]", with a picture of the scoop pouring grinds into the brewing chamber...



Eivind

Ah well, maybe I misread it, but I'd really rather not put that much ground coffee in it - I'd be wired all day.

Skook, I made the point because I couldn't tell from your post whether you meant bean or ground.

[scook94]

My point was that using a couple of scoops, whether beans or gound, for a double "aeropress espresso" will give more coffee than for a conventional double espresso. i.e. approx 26g vs. approx 18g.

(BTW, I use it for measuring beans)