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by sprice 4077 days ago
Absolutely agree on the three important factors. But I'd say the fourth is bean quality. Makes all the difference.
2 comments

You don't think pressure matters when plunging? I've speculated that a faster plunge might extract more solutes from the coffee grinds due to greater liquid penetration into the coffee grounds from higher pressure.
It's hard to get that much pressure variation with an aeropress. The plunger is around 5 cm x 5 cm, so the full body weight of a male human (say 90 kg) only gives you 3.5 bar. That's if you're standing on your aeropress. A real espresso machine puts out 9 bar.
From practical testing, I'd say it makes a difference, but it's second-order compared to grind size, temperature, steep time.
That's why I qualified it with "a particular roast." But I probably should have added another factor: amount of grounds. I've found the manufacturer's recommendation of two scoops to be ridiculously strong, but maybe that's because I typically use a strong roast and don't water it down.