You can’t make espresso without an espresso machine, right? These days, a good espresso machine will run you a couple of hundred dollars for a basic model, and thousands if you’re looking for a fancy machine. Quite expensive for most home baristas! We have some good news for you, you can actually make espresso coffee at home without an espresso machine. All you need is an Aeropress–read on to find out how!
What’s an espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated coffee served in small 2-4 ounce shots. Espresso shots are the base for many coffee drinks, including americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, and more. The brewing method typically involves an espresso machine, which is a highly calibrated system that makes coffee fast by pressurizing and shooting hot water through finely-ground coffee packed into a puck shape. As a result of the pressurized brewing process, the flavors and amount of caffeine in an espresso shot are very concentrated. But as we said above, you don’t necessarily have to use an espresso machine to make espresso. You can get great results using a simple AeroPress!
How to use an AeroPress to make espresso coffee at home
You’ll Need:
- An Aeropress
- A hot water boiler/kettle
- High-quality coffee beans
- A coffee grinder (or you can buy pre-ground beans)
- A tablespoon or scale
Steps to make your AeroPress espresso:
- Prep your Aeropress by placing a filter into the filter cap. You can use two to prevent excess water flow. Wet the filter(s) with water until thoroughly wet, then screw on the filter cap to the Aeropress body chamber.
- Place the Aeropress chamber onto a sturdy glass (you will add pressure to this later, so pick a heat-proof cup).
- Grind two tablespoons or 28 grams of coffee to a fine consistency. Aim for salt-sized granules.
- Boil your water, then add 50-100 grams or 2-4 ounces into the chamber.
- Stir the water and coffee grounds using the Aeropress stir stick until well combined.
- Insert the plunger on top and press down hard. The more pressure exerted, the closer your coffee will be to espresso.
- Transfer espresso to your preferred drinking vessel and enjoy!
- If you don’t have an AeroPress yet, or you’d like to try a different approach, you can also make espresso with a French press!
What beans to use for an espresso?
For espresso, you’ll want to use beans that have a well-balanced flavor. Especially if you add espresso to milk (lattes, cappuccinos, etc..), well-rounded coffee beans will pair great. We recommend using an espresso blend like our Downtown Blend, with its delicious notes of chocolate and nuts.
Our customers have shared their thoughts as to how the Downtown Blend is excellent for espresso:
“These beans work fantastically in our super automatic espresso maker. Love the flavor and am impressed with the quality (organic), consistency of flavor and the always fast shipping. Great company that I feel good about consistently buying from. It took a significant amount of research and taste testing before finding this company and I feel good about supporting a local nyc company also!” - Kimberly S
Make your other favorite coffees at home
Not only limited to an Aeropress, other ways to make espresso include using a french press, Moka pot, manual espresso machine, and more. A popular option is to use a coffee brewer or Nespresso machine to make espresso coffee at home. With single-cup brewers, it’s good to learn how to make them as eco-friendly as possible. Once you get more comfortable brewing espresso coffee at home, you can take it to the next level and make an iced Americano. Great coffee isn’t just limited to espresso, if you’re looking to brew different types of coffee, here’s how to make cold brew at home.
Conclusion
You don’t need a fancy espresso machine to make espresso coffee at home–you can use an Aeropress instead! We hope this inspires you to make espresso at home and expand your homemade coffee repertoire. Nothing feels better than creating great drinks at home and saving a couple dollars per cup!
