Got an Aeropress? Want to make espresso? You’re in luck. Let’s be honest: the Aeropress cannot make a true espresso with the bubbly “crema” top that you’d get at your favorite coffee shop. But it does make what we’ll call Aeropress espresso (genius term, right?): a brown liquid that tastes a lot like espresso. Down it as is, or use it in espresso drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.
Can the Aeropress really make espresso?
The Aeropress is an inexpensive coffee maker that looks like a plastic cylinder. It looks a little space-agey, but it makes a great cup of coffee. In fact, it’s our favorite for traveling to approximate the flavor of a good cup of pourover. Can the Aeropress really make espresso? Not really. A good espresso has a caramel colored foamy top, called crema. There’s no way to achieve a crema with the Aeropress. A flavor in an espresso is much more developed and tastes like a perfume of flavor, whereas the Aeropress espresso tastes a little more bitter and flat. Is it even worth making Aeropress espresso? Yes! It’s an easy way to make espresso and it tastes good. It’s a great way to make this ultra strong coffee for espresso drinks. The best part? An Aeropress costs about $25, versus the hundreds of dollars you’ll shell out for an espresso machine.
Make sure to get espresso roast coffee!
You can’t really make Aeropress espresso unless you have espresso roast coffee. What’s espresso roast coffee? The technical answer is there’s not a true definition. The non-coffee nerd answer is that espresso roast is extremely dark roast coffee. This gets the best dark, creamy bitterness to each sip.
How to make Aeropress espresso: a few tips
Here’s what to know about how to make Aeropress espresso (we almost said Aeropresso, which is actually a great name for the stuff). Read these tips first, then jump to the recipe below:
Grind your coffee to fine grind. Instead of medium grind for a regular cup of coffee, you’ll need fine grind here.It will be a little harder to plunge than regular coffee. You need high pressure for espresso! Because the coffee is ground so fine, you’ll notice it’s a little harder to press down the plunger than normal. That’s ok: go with it! Use an electric teapot for best results. An electric teapot lets you control exactly how hot the water gets: the optimal temperature is 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course if you’re traveling or don’t have one, you can approximate.
Espresso drinks to make with the Aeropress
Here’s the fun part! Typically we don’t make Aeropress espresso unless we’re making coffee drinks that call for an espresso shot. It’s a great way to make it quickly and easily. Here are a few of our favorite espresso drinks:
Cafe Latte or Flat White Insanely creamy and just as good as a coffee shop.Americano This popular coffee drink smooths the bitterness of espresso with hot water.Macchiato A shot of espresso topped with a layer of frothy foam: the perfect drink!Cappuccino Creamy with just the right touch of foamed milk and bitter espresso.Mocha Rich and chocolaty, with just the right topping of fluffy milk foam.Dirty Chai Latte Make your chai latte dirty by adding a shot of espresso!Espresso Martini A modern classic cocktail made with coffee, Kahlua, and vodka!
This Aeropress espresso recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
More coffee drinks
Read our Barista Series, where you can learn to make all of your favorite coffee house specials! Here are a few of our favorites: 5 from 4 reviews
The Best Pourover Coffee Make it in a Chemex and it tastes like the best cup you’ve had. This is third wave coffee at its finest. Cold Brew Coffee Cool, crisp and refreshing! Here’s how to make it at home. Iced Coffee Add a little milk swirl to cold brew and you’ve got the best afternoon pick-me-up.Vanilla Chai Latte Here’s the perfect spiced chai latte (or try a straight tea latte). Iced Chai Latte This sweetly refreshing tea latte is made with black tea, cozy spices and milk.
