hunts Senior Member Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 56 Location: New Jersey Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: All-Clad Presso (Gaggia... Grinder: Rocky Drip: Cuisinart SS-1 Cup-O-Matic
Posted Sat Aug 30, 2008, 11:28pm Subject: Aeropress - espresso extraction
Ok, I know you guys already mentioned the Aeropress does not produce true crema. Lately, I've been tinkering with the Al-Clad Presso (discontinued in the U.S.) but sold simply as Presso now.
That gave me the idea to use the Aeropress, tamp the grounds with the plunger, pour boiling water inside, and press. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve the same results as I did with the Presso. The design of the Aeropress and the Presso are similar in that they both do use a plunger mechanism to push water through the coffee grounds. The only major difference is the presso has a portafilter attached to it. So that got me thinking.. is it possible for us to modifiy the Aeropress to use a portafilter to make espresso?
I was thinking of creating a separate and modified chamber that can be screwed onto the bottom of the Aeropress that may act as a handle-less portafilter. Yeah yeah, I know. It's a crazy idea. And I know some of you are probably gonna say the Aeropress wouldn't produce enough bars of pressure. But I cannot ignore how similar the Presso and Aeropress are in concept.
Ok, I know you guys already mentioned the Aeropress does not produce true crema. Lately, I've been tinkering with the Al-Clad Presso (discontinued in the U.S.) but sold simply as Presso now.
That gave me the idea to use the Aeropress, tamp the grounds with the plunger, pour boiling water inside, and press. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve the same results as I did with the Presso. The design of the Aeropress and the Presso are similar in that they both do use a plunger mechanism to push water through the coffee grounds. The only major difference is the presso has a portafilter attached to it. So that got me thinking.. is it possible for us to modifiy the Aeropress to use a portafilter to make espresso?
I was thinking of creating a separate and modified chamber that can be screwed onto the bottom of the Aeropress that may act as a handle-less portafilter. Yeah yeah, I know. It's a crazy idea. And I know some of you are probably gonna say the Aeropress wouldn't produce enough bars of pressure. But I cannot ignore how similar the Presso and Aeropress are in concept.
Personally I think you would just be replicating Aeropresses already built in "portafilter" by attaching a real portafilter to it. Additionally if you tamped the grounds as you would with a real espresso machine, you would likely find it extremely difficult if not next to impossible regarding plunging the water through the grounds.
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
Personally I think you would just be replicating Aeropresses already built in "portafilter" by attaching a real portafilter to it. Additionally if you tamped the grounds as you would with a real espresso machine, you would likely find it extremely difficult if not next to impossible regarding plunging the water through the grounds.
Normally, when I make my aeropress coffee, I triple up the filter paper, tamp down two scoop of espresso grind, pull the hot water and then immediately press the heck out of it. It' bit of workout but it makes pretty good coffee. But it's no espresso. With paper filter and plunger with no mechanical advantage, it's not possible to create espresso like crema.
I also had modified one to fit a double portafilter basket. As it turns out, it barely fit my now deceased Krups Gusto portafilter basket. Again, with straight plunger with no mechanical advantage, it's not possible (at least for me) to press through specially with espresso grind. 9+ psi of pressure as required for espresso is a lot of force; I should have known better. I also was not sure whether aeropress can withstand the pressure once I thought about it...
... and the paper filters, a way of packing the grounds in without later disturbing them, a mechanical force multiplier to increase the exerted pressure, a spout to direct the shot into a small cup...
I think the paper filter is more of an issue (for crema on an AeroPress) than anything else - it forms a sort of pressurized basket, destroying any crema that might form. Attaching a portafilter is an ok start, but then you lose a lot of the advantages of the AeroPress.
Pressure is the next part, but I just put about half my weight on the thing and make pressure (and false crema, similar to what you'd get out of a pressurized portafilter, falls out the bottom).
I tried adapting a moka pot filter to the AeroPress, but no luck with that so far - my fine metalworking skills just aren't quite there. My limited results suggest that there should be some hope for success - real crema.
How you gonna pour the water in without disturbing the puck? Need to figure out a few other details too - like not stirring.
Uh, am I missing something here? The Aeropress was never intended to make espresso. It makes a darn fine cup of press pot coffee, think French press but without the sludge but it was never intended to make espresso, why try to force it to do so?
Would you take a Vespa and try to use it to haul home 1/2 ton of construction materials? I guess I am saying, use the right tool for the job.
Hey, just my $0.02 so take it for what it is worth :P
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Therein lies the truth. My Aero Press makes a "coffee concentrate", with which I then add 6-7oz of water for a fine "Americano style" beverage. Excellent, but not a true Americano by definition, but a fine cup of coffee none the less. But again, IMO NOT true espresso. Sorry for the slight off toipic. Referring back to the OP's subject, trying to mod an Aerobie Press just seems like much ado for an, at best barely discernible "improvement."
However,m several folks have done mods to their Presso's, or at least modifications to the brew technique to get their result closer still to a a professionally extracted espresso.
Also, to me, adding filters does a nothing but further eliminate the oils that make espresso well....espresso.
There have been descriptions here concerning a very fine screen metal mesh filter substitute for the Aerobie.
The science is there to do it if you get enough force behind it. Assuming you put a regular portafilter in, tamp correctly, are able to put water in without disturbing the packed shot....
You probably can't have an air gap between the piston and water since it will compress too easily so the plunger should be flush to the top if the water... The piston itself is around 2.25" diameter I believe. 9 bars of pressure is approximately 130 psi. To create 130 psi with a 2.25" diameter piston you need around (2.25/2=1.125; pi*r^2 = 3.976....; P=F/A so F=PA, F=130* 3.976...) 516 pounds of force... So unless your 100 pounds heavier the big show (don't make fun of my wrestling reference) then good luck creating that much force. The plastic itself can probably withstand 150psi inside but the piston may buckle pushing down that hard. I'm curious about this though...
Maybe a crank on a worm gear attached to a gear train and the piston you can probably hit a high enough mechanical advantage to have to only apply a few pounds of force, though I suppose you have the really turn that crank to make the piston move down fast enough to stay in that 27 second or so extraction window.
I think I just came up with a new project! Stay tuned. However, I guess I got away from the yes or no your interested in... just putting a portafilter on the aeropress is definitely possible with some simple machining, but espresso is not unless you can press really really really, 516 pounds hard on it.
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