How to dial in your AeroPress
The AeroPress is forgiving but endlessly tweakable. Unlike pour-over methods, grind size and steep time are independent levers — which gives you more ways to fix a problem.
Common AeroPress problems and fixes
Tastes sour or sharp
Under-extracted. If your steep time was short (under 1:30), try steeping longer first. Otherwise grind finer. Either fix draws more sweetness from the coffee.
Tastes bitter or harsh
Over-extracted. If your steep was long (over 3:00), try a shorter steep. Otherwise grind coarser to reduce extraction.
Dry or astringent finish
A clear over-extraction signal. Grind coarser. Dry and astringent notes mean you've pulled too much from the grounds — reduce extraction before adjusting anything else.
Watery or thin
Not enough coffee for the amount of water. Increase your dose. A common starting point is 15–17g of coffee per 200ml of water.
Heavy, thick, or muddy
Too much coffee relative to water. Reduce your dose slightly, or grind a touch coarser to let water flow through more freely.
The AeroPress advantage
Most brew methods give you one extraction lever: grind size. The AeroPress gives you two — grind size and steep time. This means when you're stuck in a loop (grind finer, grind coarser, back and forth), you can switch to steep time instead.
A good baseline: 15g of coffee, 200ml of water at 85–90°C, 2:00 steep time, then press slowly over 30 seconds.
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