The French press vs aeropress debate that got weird in my kitchen

I made coffee with my French press and then my aeropress side by side using the same beans from Counter Culture in Durham and got totally different flavors. The French press was muddy and oily while the aeropress came out clean and bright. Now I'm wondering if the grind size or the metal mesh filter is the real game changer here. Which side do you guys fall on for everyday brewing?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavina731mo ago

You said the metal mesh "messes with the flavor" and I gotta stop you there. A good quality stainless mesh like the ones from Able Brewing actually lets more of the coffee oils through, which is why the French press got that heavy, oily mouthfeel you described. The real difference maker is the paper filter on the Aeropress catching those fine particles and the oils, not the grinder. Try running your French press through a paper V60 filter after you plunge it and you'll get way closer to that clean Aeropress cup, just sayin.

piper_burns1mo ago

Drove my buddy Ben absolutely insane when he tried this exact comparison last month. He's a die hard French press guy, swears by the body. So he brewed both and then just stared at his cups for like five minutes. He said the French press tasted like someone dropped a dirty sock in his mug compared to the aeropress which was basically a fruit bomb. He's still not converted though now he just uses the French press for camping where he can't be bothered with all the aeropress paper filter nonsense. Honestly I think the metal mesh is what's messing with your flavor, not the grind.

ross.felix6d ago

Wait, wait, hold up. Piper_burns said his buddy thought the French press tasted like a dirty sock? That's brutal, man. I mean I get the muddiness but a sock is a whole different level of offense.