Aeropress Water Temperature: What’s the Best Temperature for Flavor?

The official Aeropress website recommends brewing with water between 175 and 185 degrees (F), with 175 degrees (F) for dark roasts and 185 degrees (F) for lighter roasts. Personally, I find this temperature range to be too low and it often leads to underwhelming, underdeveloped flavors in the cup.

In this article, I’ll dive into why water temperature matters so much for Aeropress brewing and recommend a hotter range that I believe brings out richer, more vibrant flavors. I’ll also provide tips on dialing in the perfect Aeropress water temperature for your preferences.

What’s the Ideal Aeropress Water Temperature?

While the Aeropress instructions suggest a range of 175 to 185 degrees (F), through extensive testing I’ve found this produces coffee that tastes underdeveloped, a little sour, and lacking body. In my experience, brewing with water between 195 and 200 degrees (F) yields much better results—richer flavors, a fuller mouthfeel, and better extraction of the delicious compounds found in coffee.

Why Does Aeropress Recommend Such a Low Temperature?

The relatively low temperature range recommended by Aeropress is likely due to their suggested brewing technique, which involves just 10 seconds of stirring after adding water, followed by a very slow, gentle press of the plunger, the latter of which avoids compression of the coffee bed and a “stuck brew.”

At lower temperatures, extraction happens more slowly. This prevents the grounds from getting overextracted and becoming harsh or astringent when brewed with Aeropress’s suggested low-agitation method with a longer brew time.

However, to understand why temperature is so crucial for Aeropress brewing, we need to look at two key concepts: extraction rate and total extraction.

Extraction Rate and Total Extraction in an Aeropress

Extraction rate refers to how quickly compounds are dissolving from the ground coffee into the water during brewing. A higher water temperature increases this extraction rate by providing more thermal energy to facilitate the dissolution of coffee solubles.

Total extraction is the overall percentage of a coffee’s dissolvable compounds that end up in the final brewed cup. This is influenced by multiple factors beyond just temperature, including brew time, agitation, grind size, and coffee-to-water ratio.

A slower extraction rate isn’t inherently bad, as long as the total extraction ends up in the ideal range of around 18-22% for properly developed flavors. For example, you could use a finer grind and lower temperature for an extended brew time to hit good extraction yields. The flavors would just develop more gradually compared to a faster extraction, and the flavor would be about the same as if you used a coarser grind and longer brew time.

Where temperature really makes a difference is if you want to make adjustments to other brewing variables. Let’s say you use Aeropress’s recommended method but find the flavors underdeveloped and lackluster. Increasing the temperature to 195 to 200 degrees (F) will speed up the extraction rate to extract the desirable flavor compounds in a shorter brew time, or with coarser coffee, which is particularly helpful if you don’t have a high-quality coffee grinder.

Alternatively, if you find your Aeropress brew tastes overly bitter and astringent, reducing the temperature can slow extraction to hit a more optimal total extraction before overdoing it.

The key is balancing temperature against the other variables to control both the rate of extraction and overall extraction yield. It’s this balancing act that allows you to bring out the rich, vibrant flavors you want in your cup.

Why Do Aeropress Water Temperature Recommendations Vary So Much?

As you start researching Aeropress brewing temperatures, you’ll quickly notice an incredibly wide range of recommendations out there. I’ve seen recommendations include anywhere from as low as 165 degrees (F) up to a full 212 degrees (F), a rolling boil.

Now that we understand how temperature affects extraction rate and total extraction, the reason for these vastly different recommendations might be clear. It all comes down to the specific recipe and overall extraction you’re targeting.

A lower temperature around 165 to 175 degrees (F) makes sense if you’re doing an extended brew with a lot of agitation and a finer grind size. The lower temperature slows the extraction rate to prevent overextracting and getting harsh, burnt flavors. These recipes typically call for longer total brew times to compensate for the lower temperature.

On the other hand, a light roast brewed with little agitation at a coarse grind might need water closer to the 205 to 212 degrees (F) range to provide enough thermal energy for adequate extraction before terminating the brew.

So while 195 to 200 degrees (F) is the general range I’d recommend starting with for nicely balanced Aeropress coffee, the “ideal” temperature ultimately depends on your specific recipe and the extraction level you’re going for. Aim for slightly lower temperatures for extended brews, and higher temperatures for faster brews.

Dialing In Your Aeropress Water Temperature

At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all “perfect” Aeropress brewing temperature. Your ideal range will depend on the specific coffee you’re using, your personal taste preferences, and the nuances of your own Aeropress recipe.

If your coffee tastes underdeveloped, sour, vegetal, or just generally lacking in richness and body, you’re likely experiencing underextraction. This happens when an inadequate number of compounds have been dissolved from the ground coffee. Increasing your brewing temperature will kick the extraction rate into higher gear, allowing more of the desirable flavor notes to come through.

As a starting point, I’d recommend increasing your Aeropress temperature by 5 to 10 degrees and testing it to see the difference. If it’s still too underextracted, go ahead and increase it further in 5-degree increments until you achieve a more balanced, developed flavor profile with a fuller body. Just be cautious about going too hot, which can start pulling harsh, ashy, and astringent qualities out of your grounds.

On the flip side, if your brew is tasting bitter, dry, or ashy, chances are you’ve overextracted into that unpleasant zone. The simplest fix is to reduce your water temperature to slow down extraction. I’d suggest dropping it by 5 to 10 degrees to start with, and go from there if it’s still too harsh or bitter.

Lower temperatures not only slow extraction, but they can also enhance perceived acidity and highlight brighter, fruitier flavors. So, if your taste buds are feeling blasted by roast flavors, a cooler temperature could bring out more pleasant, vibrant notes.

Don’t be afraid to experiment across the full range from around 165 to 205 degrees (F) if needed. And keep in mind that you’ll likely have to start from square one when you switch to a different coffee or roast profile.

How to Control Your Water Temperature for Brewing in an Aeropress

To hit your desired Aeropress brewing temperature, the ideal tool is a good gooseneck kettle with a built-in temperature gauge. This allows you to heat the water to a precise temperature before pouring over your grounds.

If you don’t have a thermometer built into your kettle, you can approximate the temperature by heating water until it reaches a boil (which will always be 212 degrees) and then letting it sit for 30 to 60 seconds to cool down a bit, ideally to between 195 and 200 degrees (F). However, this provides fairly minimal control over the actual temperature.

For the most consistent, replicable brews, I’d highly recommend investing in a high-quality temperature-controlled gooseneck kettle. It’s one of the most useful tools for dialing in your Aeropress process.

Adjusting Other Brewing Parameters

While temperature is arguably the most powerful tool for dialing in Aeropress flavor, you can and should also experiment with adjusting other brewing variables. I just recommend changing one at a time so you know for sure how each parameter affects the flavors you’re getting in your cup.

Grind size: A finer grind increases the surface area exposed to water, allowing for faster extraction at a given temperature. Go finer if you want more body and developed flavors. Coarser grinds lead to lighter, brighter cups, but too fine will taste sour.

Brew time: Longer brew times mean more extraction overall. Try extended brews of 1 to 2 minutes for very light roasts or to enhance body. Reduce time if you’re getting harsh, over-extracted notes.

Agitation: More stirring or agitation further increases the rate of extraction by breaking up the coffee bed and increasing the rate of interactions between the coffee grounds and hot water. Use a gentler approach like Aeropress’s recommended light stir for delicate flavors. Aggressive stirring can emphasize body and sweetness at the expense of acidity.

Dose/ratio: A higher dose (more coffee grounds for the same water volume) gives you more room to extract a wider range of flavors. A lower dose is more prone to underextraction.

While extensive experimentation across all these variables can seem daunting, getting your temperature in an ideal range first will provide a solid baseline to work from. Then you can start making smaller adjustments to the other factors to hone in your personal perfect Aeropress cup gradually. Be methodical, take notes, and embrace the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my Aeropress brew still tastes sour after increasing the temperature?

If you’ve increased the brew temperature to 195 to 200 degrees (F) and your coffee still tastes sour or underextracted, there are a few other variables you can adjust. Try grinding finer to increase the surface area for extraction, using a slightly higher dose (more coffee grounds with the same amount of water), or extending the brew time by 30 to 60 seconds. A finer grind in particular can really help mitigate sourness. Just be cautious about going too fine or extending the brew too long, as you risk overextracting and getting harsh, bitter flavors.

Is it okay to use water hotter than 205 degrees for Aeropress brewing?

While most recipes recommend keeping Aeropress brew temperatures under 205 degrees (F), you can certainly experiment with going a bit hotter, up to boiling at 212 degrees (F). Higher temperatures facilitate very rapid extraction, so this can work well for quick, bypass-style Aeropress brews with minimal agitation. Just be aware that going this hot risks extracting harsh, burnt flavors from the coffee. Start lower on the temperature range and only increase if your brew still tastes underdeveloped.