Best Coffee for an AeroPress: Our Picks and a Simple Recipe
The short answer
The best coffee for an AeroPress is a freshly roasted, light to medium roast, ground a little finer than for a cafetière. Bright single origins from Africa and Central or South America work especially well, because the AeroPress makes a clean cup that lets their fruit and sweetness come through.
That said, the AeroPress is one of the most forgiving brewers there is. It's cheap, quick, hard to break and small enough to pack in a saddlebag or rucksack. Change the recipe and it will make anything from a light, tea-like cup to a strong, espresso-style shot.
Below are our favourite coffees for AeroPress, what to look for if you're buying elsewhere, and a simple recipe to get you started.
What makes a good AeroPress coffee?
A light to medium roast
The AeroPress uses a paper filter and a short brew time, so it produces a clean, clear cup. That suits lighter roasts, where the flavour of the bean shows rather than the flavour of the roast. Very dark roasts still work, but they can taste bitter if you brew them as long as a lighter coffee.
An origin with some character
Coffees from Rwanda, Ethiopia and Colombia tend to shine in an AeroPress. Expect fruit, sweetness and a gentle brightness. If you prefer a rounder, chocolatey cup, Brazilian and Central American beans are a safe choice.
The right grind
AeroPress coffee needs a medium-fine grind, finer than a cafetière but coarser than espresso. Too coarse and the coffee tastes weak and sour. Too fine and it gets hard to press. If you don't have a grinder, all our coffees come in a "Ground for Filter / Aeropress" option.
Freshness
A short brew can't hide stale coffee. Beans roasted months ago taste flat and papery, however good they were to begin with. Every bag we send out is roasted in Yorkshire and delivered within days of roasting.
Our best coffees for AeroPress
All of these are £10.99 for 250g, and each one comes as whole beans or ground for AeroPress.
| Coffee | Origin | Roast (out of 5) | Tasting notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rambler's Roast | Rwanda | 2.5 | Cranberry, fruity, mild | A bright, juicy cup, at home or on the hill |
| Driving Home For Christmas | Ethiopia | 3 | Fruity, sweet, winey | The most vibrant cup, available for the festive season |
| King of the Mountains | Brazil, El Salvador | 2.5 | Smooth, sweet, plum | An easy-drinking everyday AeroPress |
| Rest Day Roast | Colombia | 2.5 | Milk chocolate, nutty, sweet | A smooth, balanced cup with no sharp edges |
| Corsa Rosa | Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia | 3 | Berries, vanilla, milk chocolate | AeroPress with a splash of milk |
Rambler's Roast: our top pick
If you only try one, make it Rambler's Roast. It's a Rwandan coffee roasted light to medium so the fruit comes through, with a juicy cranberry sweetness and a mild finish. The AeroPress's clean cup shows that off well. And since both travel well, it's a natural pairing for a brew at the top of a walk.
Driving Home For Christmas: the festive one
Driving Home For Christmas is a single origin from Ethiopia with sweet, fruity, winey notes and the brightest acidity of the bunch. It's only around for the festive season, so try it while you can.
King of the Mountains: the everyday option
King of the Mountains is a smooth, sweet blend from Brazil and El Salvador with notes of plum. It's forgiving, easy to drink and a good place to start if you're new to the AeroPress.
Rest Day Roast: smooth and balanced
Rest Day Roast is a Colombian Supremo with milk chocolate and toasted nut notes. It's smooth as a filter, so it suits anyone who wants a rounded cup rather than a fruity one.
Corsa Rosa: if you take milk
Corsa Rosa has berry and stone fruit black, and softens into vanilla and milk chocolate with milk. Brew it a little stronger and top it up with warm milk for an AeroPress latte.
If you like it strong
For a bolder, espresso-style AeroPress, try Breakaway Blend. It's a darker, full-bodied blend with caramel and dark chocolate. Use slightly cooler water and a shorter steep to keep bitterness down.
A simple AeroPress recipe
This makes one mug of black coffee. It's a good starting point for any of the coffees above.
| You'll need | Amount |
|---|---|
| Coffee, ground for AeroPress | 15g |
| Water, just off the boil | 250ml |
| Paper filter | 1 |
- Put a paper filter in the cap and rinse it with hot water. This removes any papery taste and warms your mug.
- Fit the cap, stand the AeroPress on your mug and add the coffee.
- Pour in the water and stir for about 10 seconds.
- Put the plunger in about 1cm to hold the coffee, then leave it to brew for 2 minutes.
- Press down slowly and steadily for about 30 seconds. Stop when you hear a hiss.
Adjusting the taste
- Too bitter? Use a coarser grind, cooler water or a shorter brew.
- Too weak or sour? Use a finer grind, a little more coffee or a longer brew.
- Want it stronger? AeroPress inventor Alan Adler's original recipe uses less water at around 80°C to make a strong concentrate. Top it up with hot water for an Americano-style cup, or with milk for a latte.
AeroPress FAQs
Can I use espresso coffee in an AeroPress?
Yes. Any coffee works, but darker espresso blends can taste bitter in a long brew. Use a slightly shorter brew and cooler water, or try the strong concentrate method above.
What grind do I need for an AeroPress?
Medium-fine: finer than a cafetière, coarser than espresso. If you're buying pre-ground coffee from us, choose "Ground for Filter / Aeropress", which is ground to suit both.
Is an AeroPress good for camping and travel?
It's one of the best brewers for it. It's light, made of tough plastic and needs only hot water. Pack it with a bag of pre-ground coffee and a few filters and you're set.
Whole beans or ground?
Whole beans ground just before brewing taste best. If you don't have a grinder, our AeroPress grind is the next best thing.
Ready to brew?
Start with Rambler's Roast for a bright, fruity cup, or King of the Mountains for an easy everyday coffee. If you don't grind your own, choose "Ground for Filter / Aeropress" on the product page.
If you're brewing pour-over too, our Hario V60 Starter Bundle uses the same grind.