The PUCK PUCK:Slow drip with the AeroPress

The AeroPress is known for its versatility. To transform it into a completely different infusion device, several accessories have been designed, including the PUCK PUCK in 2017. The latter makes your AeroPress a cold infusion system and is an economical alternative to other devices. cold brew drip tower. It is made of a container that can hold 500ml of water, a splash filter to evenly disperse the water on the coffee surface and a rotary valve to adjust the flow rate. Clinging directly to your AeroPress orAeropressGo, you will be able to prepare cold coffees in infusion drop by drop easily.

1. Unscrew, then rinse the two parts of the valve with hot water. Shake them to remove excess water. Make sure all four vent holes are clear.
2. Re-assemble the two valve parts. Turn it clockwise to the closed position.
3. Place the paper or reusable filter in the filter holder, then rinse it with hot water. Screw the portafilter to the brew chamber. Place the AeroPress upside down on a carafe that can hold 500ml.
4. Add 38g coarsely ground coffee (sea salt). Shake the AeroPress to level the coffee bed.
5. Drop the Splash Filter into the brew chamber.
6. Screw the valve and reservoir onto the AeroPress. Add 400ml of filtered water and 100g of ice cubes.
7. Adjust the flow rate by gradually turning the valve. Suggested flow rate is 50 drops per minute. An application has been developed to help you adjust the speed optimally. You can download it for free from the official PUCK PUCK website.

After 2-3 hours, you'll have plenty of coffee to try over ice or with plant or cow's milk. The coffee will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, preferably in an airtight container.

What do we expect from a drip brew coffee?

Your AeroPress assembled with PUCK PUCK allows you to make what is called Kyoto-Style coffee or Slow Drip coffee. Water extracts aromas from coffee, one drop at a time. This way of cold brewing coffee is not new. The first notable mentions of this technique appear in the 17th century. According to current assumptions, it was introduced to Japan by Dutch merchants who used this method to preserve, transport and prepare coffee on board ships. It became particularly popular in Kyoto, which explains the name given to it today.

The result in the cup is obviously very different from the aromatic profile offered by the Cold Brew method in total immersion. The Cold Brew technique results in a coffee that is less tart and bitter with a heavier body. We know from the outset that by using it, the coffee will lose nuance and offer a rather sweet and round profile regardless of the beans used. Well mastered, the Kyoto-Style technique makes it possible to better capture the subtleties of the grains. The aromas are then more nuanced and expressive, then the texture in the mouth finer. With the Kyoto-Style method, the more discreet particularities that make us love hot coffee are now noticeable even in cold brew.

Since the Cold Brew method (total immersion) is less able to extract the delicate flavors of the ground beans, it is generally suggested to use medium roast coffees with more frank notes. The drip cold brew method, on the other hand, allows you to enjoy a wider range of coffees, even lighter roasts. The complexity found in some South American, Central American and African beans will not be mitigated. On the contrary, the Kyoto-Style method tends to highlight it and gives, depending on the beans chosen, elaborate coffees, often very aromatic.

A few tips for your first experiments

•  Despite the simplicity of the application developed by PUCK PUCK, it has proven to be very useful for quickly calibrating the valve. After a few minutes, check if the flow is constant and if it respects the rhythm set at the start.
• Use a coarser grind than recommended for the AeroPress. For an infusion of about 2h30, a grind close to that for French press is ideal.
• Do not hesitate to infuse with your AeroPress + PUCK PUCK more tangy coffees that go on notes of orange zest, lemon or green apple. We were surprised by the crisp acidity of theSuke Quto, fromKenya AA Nyeri from deTerroir, fromGeto Bore where theFunky Field by House of Funk for example. They are worth drinking as they are, without addition, if you want to appreciate the subtle nuances these beans offer.
• Have fun changing some initial parameters to re-appropriate the technique and adapt it to your tastes, but also to the grains used. For example, you might want to use darker roasted beans and thus increase the flow rate or grind the beans coarser. You may also wish to change the suggested coffee to water ratio to obtain a coffee with a lower or higher concentration. To succeed in your first attempts, the parameters are there for information only.

To discover the other cold infusion methods, you can read this article:https://societedescafes.com/blogs/news/cold-brew-vs-flash-brew-cafe-infuse-froid

Sources
Liz Clayton, How Japanese-Style Slow-Drip Coffee Brewers Work, Serious Eats.s.
Scott Brodie, Guide to Kyoto-Style Slow Drip Coffee, Acquired Coffee.e.
Clark Le Compte, Cold Brew Wasn’t Invented Yesterday, So Here Some Historical Perspective, Daily Coffee News.s.

Research and writing: Chloé Pouliot