For a company responsible for churning out flying discs used in recreation, the designers at Aerobie have demonstrated that creativity can be used in a multitude of different venues. With their highly rated AeroPress™ coffee maker, Aerobie has proven itself to be a skillful competitor in the specialty coffee equipment manufacturer category. The AeroPress™ design is simple, yet ingenious. It implements a variety of different brew methods, utilizing good qualities of each. These include, (1)
full immersion (similar to the French Press process) which completely submerges the grounds in water but eliminates over-extraction since the water is quickly pressed from the grounds (instead of the grounds staying in the water past brew time), (2)
regulated pressure (similar to an espresso process) which quickly and uniformly extracts the full flavor from coffee again minimizing the chance for over-extraction, and (3) a
paper filter which provides for a cleaner extraction process (unlike most total immersion brewers where some sediment remains in the coffee even after the process is complete).
To brew, simply insert the filter, grind the coffee (recommended grind setting: medium fine grind - not quite as fine as an espresso, but finer then a drip filter setting), pour in the water, stir for 10 seconds (allowing full immersion to take place), then press down the plunger for 20 seconds... and the full process is complete! In 30 seconds, amazing quality coffee is yours to enjoy. For the busy individual who prefers high quality coffee, this is an ideal single-cup coffee maker.
The most pleasant surprise from experimenting with an AeroPress™ in the Prima office? Its versatility.You can see an in-depth
review of an AeroPress and all the fun that we had with it on our blog. We made an excellent cup of coffee with one test, changed the grind setting and amount of water for the next test and had a surprisingly good espresso-like coffee “concentrate”. The fact that all of the components are durable plastic and dishwasher safe only made the experience that much more enjoyable because let’s face it, clean-up can be the worst part. Also, used in conjunction with a hand grinder like the
Hario Mini Mill or
Hario Skerton, the Aeropress is a fantastic way to brew coffee on the go... while on vacation or in the office. Because of its versatility, low cost, and ease of use, the AeroPress™ is a product worthy of every coffee lover's kitchen.
One problem busy coffee shops have that wish to offer quality drip coffee is the streams of busy, "to go" customers. A busy shop will have its' rush of customers in the morning and the only way to keep up with their busy pace is to offer drip coffee from the large Bunn wells - gallons at a time. Its fair, yes, but not the best for high end coffee varieties. French Press, single cup dripper, or espresso options are great but in some cases cannot be a speedy solution to the “morning routine” of many coffee drinkers. many locations customers expect to wait...others, no way!
One way to overcome this problem is to prepare many press pots of coffee at the same time and decant them into waiting, pre-heated airpots, ready to serve. This can work but still, in shops that move large numbers of drip buying consumers it can be slower than the coffee well. Volume – who wouldn’t like to have this problem these days? I guess this is why many shops eventually succumb to the "Bunn" solution.
I'm a micro-roaster and in the warmer months I operate a booth at a local farmers market offering fresh roasted beans and pour over coffee. Each year I struggle with the issue of volume and brewing speed. We use a single cone drip station (5 cone stations) and still it will take 3-4min per cup and sometimes that is just too long for busy marketers. Others that wait and have tasted the goodness always come back for more – waiting for the good stuff! Often when I see the rush coming I call out to my wife, brewing the coffee to "make 5, then 5 more" and off she goes! Speed and volume is getting better. I’m considering the multi press pot and decant option for the market this year but it has its own problems in that venue.
I guess you have to decide if you’re going to offer the best you have or succumb to those busy dollar waving customers that make your payroll…these days, it’s a tough one for sure! Good topic!
lachris
lachris
Coffee@SmelltheSmoke.net
Agreed. That balance is a tough one to strike; I'm glad I don't deal with it on a regular basis ;)