Today marks one week till I’m finished at UNC at Chapel Hill (excluding finals week).

Feels like I’m already there. Wake up, open my laptop, check my emails, check twitter, grab more coffee. Questions raking through my brain. What am I supposed to be doing? Why am I not doing it? How is coffee not helping? What am I doing after college?

I’m in the thick of it y’all (it’s okay because we’re in the south). Paper after paper, test after test. I’m in conversational french, but I don’t know a word that the instructor is saying. My motto: Nod your head, say “Oui,” write something in your notebook. French on no sleep is like coffee on empty stomach: not fun.

Doesn’t stop me though, off to another coffee shop, maybe that’ll help.

 

For those that keep up, little “full circle” as I sit in Open Eye Café drinking Carrboro Coffee’s Cup of Excellence: Rwanda (see our Rwanda write-up with Scott Conary).

They set me up with a pour-over. First aroma is sweet, like a maple syrup, then follows with a floral note like lavender (disclaimer: I’m no seasoned professional).  The drink is smooth and silky.

Overall though, I’m not blown away. I don’t think its the coffee though, something just needs to spice it up (talking of a different brew method, please don’t add anything to this high-profile coffee).

First thought: Bring in the AeroPress.

This beautiful plastic syringe looks like its straight out of your thanksgiving kit.

Overview: A very portable contraption that will save you time in the morning if you’re brewing your coffee manually. It allows for quick clean-up and can enhance the body of your coffee from the pressure of the plunger. The catch is that it doesn’t make more that one cup of coffee. This means you have to complete the process twice if you’re brewing it up for yourself and a friend.

Personal experience with this brewing device is that I’ve never known how to use it. It was originally created for a quick process: add coffee grounds, add hot water, and plunge for a quick, strong cup of coffee. Now, no one-way is accepted.

My personal preference is Blue Bottle’s approach to the AeroPress:

• 15 grams of coffee, medium-fine grind.
• Invert the AeroPress so that the 4 is on the bottom and the plunger is inserted into the main body, creating a space for your coffee grounds and water.
• Add the coffee and Bloom with 30 grams water (195-205 degree Fahrenheit). Stir gently.
• After 30 seconds, add another 160 grams of water and let sit for 1 minute.
• Stir 10 times.
• Screw on the top (with a wet paper filter that was previously applied to the top)
• Turn over and apply pressure.

This should just be a starting point though as the ways you can create coffee with this contraption is endless. It’s even been used for cold brew coffee (One approach from Prima Coffee and CoffeeGeek’s Japanese Iced Coffee method)

Admittedly, I’ve used it to crush hard avocados for guacamole. Its uses really are endless and is a part of every barista’s belt.

Last week Lukas Zahradnik of Green Plantation Coffee (Slovakia) won the World AeroPress Championship.

Here was his method:

• Inverted Brew Method
• 20 grams of coffee ground at the “7.3” setting on a Mahlkönig EK34 grinder
• Heat water to 175 Fahrenheit
• Add 60 grams of water
• Turbulent wiggle 15 seconds
• 30 second bloom
• Add the rest of the water in 10 seconds
• 45 seconds press
• 1:37 minute total brew time

Not entirely sure what a “turbulent wiggle” is but could be a fun method to try at home. Head over to Sprudge to for a great write-up of the event and the Second and Third place methods as well!

Recommended RCC coffee for the AeroPress: Peru.

Special thanks again to Green Plantation (@GreenPlantation) for permitting use of these images and Congrats to the team!