There’s only One AeroPress – or is there?

The AeroPress Range at Artistry Coffee

The AeroPress range has expanded – the classic AeroPress was joined some time ago by the AeroPress Go, and now by the AeroPress Clear.

The AeroPress Clear is made from a tougher new material – Tritan. It’s crystal clear and shatterproof, very durable and lightweight. It’s the same proven design that produces consistently reliable and great tasting coffee. The clear look is amazing and is great for demonstrating what’s going on as you make coffee with the AeroPress Clear.

The AeroPress Go is a modified design an a slightly shorter coffee making chamber to make it more transportable. The stirrer paddle was reimagined so that it can fold over on itself and fit inside the tube, for easy transport. The scoop is a different shape and size, again so that it can fit inside the tube for portability. The AeroPress Go device itself has the numbers 1, 2, and 3 on it – missing the 4, so giving a clue as to how much shorter it is.

The AeroPress Go comes with a mug to make the coffee into, and a red silicone lid which can also be used as a stand to place your mug on for increased stability. This is after all a device that’s designed for use out and about!

The classic AeroPress Original has been repackaged into a more compact box with changed accessories. The iconic coffee maker now comes with a stirrer paddle, a c15g coffee scoop, and 100 paper filters (so there’s no longer the funnel or the paper filter holder, only the things you really need to make coffee. So fewer plastic items).

So the AeroPress range is developing and you can find out more about all these AeroPress designs and buy them in our online store, along with replacement filters, a travel cap, or metal filters which fit the device.

There’s even a brilliant AeroPress inspired T-shirt for you!

Find an AeroPress Inspired T-shirt at artistrycoffee.co.uk

What is the AeroPress Inverted Method?

AeroPress Inverted Method

The AeroPress coffee maker was conceived by the inventor of the Arobie Flying Ring, Alan Alder, as a reliable way to produce coffee – including out in the open.


You simply needed some coffee grounds, hot water in a flask, and your AeroPress.
The result was great, and consistently reliable. Clean and easy to use, and very portable. Not quite an espresso, but something very close.


As the AeroPress was marketed people really took to it, appreciated its cost-effectiveness and the quality of the coffee it produced. It became popular on location, at home, and at work. Then people began to experiment.


The Inverted Method was born, and the ‘quick & easy’ original method of using the AeroPress was joined by a ‘take your time and brew’ method.


The Inverted Method takes the principles of immersion and steeping with coarser ground coffee to result in different flavour profiles. The room for experimentation with different ‘recipies’ was extended (i.e. using varying amounts of coffee grounds, & water, and changing up the timing to see what different flavours could result).
This is possible by turning the AeroPress on its head, literally! Inverting it!!


The first thing to do for the Inverted Method is to connect the two chambers (so it’s connected as if you were about to push down on the second one).
Make sure they are firmly connected with a good overlap of the cylinders, then flip them over (invert them). They should now be standing on what is normally the top part of the AeroPress.


You haven’t yet put the filter and mesh cap on – don’t, for the moment.
You should now have the tube standing up, into which you can pour the coffee grounds (coarser perhaps, and starting with c11g before you experiment with your quantities).
Please check safety and stability for the next stage, and only progress if you are confident that you will not spill the hot water, that the tubes will not topple, that they are connected well and will not leak, and that you will not be scalded by the hot water.


So, ensuring stability and safety, pour your desired amount of hot (not boiling) water into the tube with the coffee (probably c 100 to 200ml. It depends on how far into the first chamber the second tube is pushed up to).


Then stir really well, remembering that agitation of the coffee grounds with the water is a key part of coffee making.


Now you can leave the coffee steeping, immersed in the water. Perhaps leave for 2 minutes the first time, but this is something to be experimented with along with the coffee and water proportions.


The next part is a little tricky, but best achieved by slightly damping one of the paper filters so it sort of sticks.
Place the dampened filter into the mesh cap. Then screw the mesh cap firmly into the AeroPress.


With your mug in place, quickly and with care, flip the AeroPress over so it’s in a normal position above the mug.


Now breathe.


You’re ready for the normal AeroPress push. Steadily and slowly push down on the AeroPress so that the coffee pours into the mug below, and leaves you with the puck of coffee grounds in the device.


Unscrew the cap, expel the puck of coffee grounds by placing over a bin and pushing the last couple of centimetres. Rinse and wipe the AeroPress and enjoy your coffee made the Inverted way!


You can now add hot water if you prefer a weaker coffee, or milk of your choice if that’s your preference.


The AeroPress is a great device to experiment with. And whether you’re using it the way it was originally designed, or the Inverted Method, you can experiment with grind variations, coffee and water proportions, and timings to hit on a recipe and method that suits your tastes.


Maybe you’ll decide one day to enter an AeroPress Championship – yes, there really are such things!


You can see our store pages if you’ve not yet got an AeroPress, if you need new filters, or if you’d like to try a metal filter.

Making coffee with the AeroPress

AeroPress from above with coffee grounds inside

The AeroPress is a great coffee maker and it was designed to make coffee a particular way – but as people have experimented with it there has been a wider range of ways to use the AeroPress. People now vary the time that they let the coffee stand, the grind of coffee that they use, the mix of coffee and water in the AeroPress chamber and whether to use it straight up as it was designed, or to flip it over and make coffee the Inverted way in the AeroPress!

This post is going to focus on the quick and easy way of making coffee that was the original idea – we will follow up on posts with other methods, but not in this one!

The AeroPress was designed for you to be able to make coffee ‘quick and easy’ in literally about 30 seconds once the water is ready.

Simply placing the paper filter in the mesh filter holder and screwing it onto the bottom chamber of the AeroPress is the main preparation. Oh, and placing the bottom chamber over your coffee mug too!

AeroPress was designed to make espresso style coffee – and so placing an AeroPress scoop of coffee grounds (fine ground, but not powdery) puts about 15g of coffee into the device – you can weigh and measure if you’re at home, but if out and about the scoop is a pretty good approximation.

Then simply pour in water (at about 85 degrees celsius) to the number 2 level indicator (as this is a double shot measure).

Next step is to stir for 10 seconds – this mixes the coffee grounds with the water, and ensures that the water is extracting the coffee from the grinds.

Straight away you can put the upper chamber into the lower tube and gently press down for 20 seconds till the plunger gets to the bottom. You may be too keen in your pressure, and this is likely to impede your progress as the device somehow seems to fight against you – a slow, gentle, consistent press seems to give the most effective progress.

That’s it!

Your coffee is now in the cup – in an espresso style measure. You can add water to make an Americano, foamed milk to make a Cappuccino, or use other methods to prepare your drink the way you want it.

The AeroPress is super simple to use and really does produce consistently good results. There are other methods of using the device and we’ll come back to those, but mastering the device for the method it was designed is an essential starting point in our eyes.

Find out more about the AeroPress here.

New beans are here…

Coffee Beans

We’ve just taken delivery of new roasts:

There’s a new roast of the Nicaraguan El Diablo which we’ve been stocking recently – with taste notes of Green Apple, Caramel, Almond. Some of the previous roast are still available at a discounted rate.

There are new roasts of The Wing and The Block blends, again some previous roasts are now available at a discount.

We also have a new coffee from Colombia – El Placer. From the Ortega region, this roast has tatse notes of Tropical Fruits, Butterscotch, Fudge. Grown above 1600m this coffee is no ordinary coffee as it’s a late harvest variety which has then been double fermented and washed. This produces a complex flavour profile – definitely one to try.

Most of our coffees have a number of stories associated with them, reflecting some themes of community regeneration, minority support, social responsibility and social justice. Find out more here.

Here’s some Coffee Basics

simple coffee science

At its simplest, making coffee is just about combining ground coffee and hot water.

People have different preferences and tastes though, so there’s no automatic formula to making a cup that YOU will enjoy – everyone needs to experiment and find what they like best!

There are some simple principles that can help you get more from your coffee, here’s a few of them:

The better the origin the more chance you have that it will taste good – this applies to both the coffee and the water.

Some people do make coffee with boiled spring water as they think it gives the coffee the best chance. That may be going way too far for most people, but it is worth remembering that the water you use will have an impact – using water that has gone through a water filter could be a good idea if you have one.

The coffee origin can be talked about for ever – but there is at least a very simple thing to remember: the fresher the coffee the better. So within the coffee making process it’s ideal to keep the coffee in the form of beans as long as possible before grinding – right up until you actually make the coffee in fact! Air is an enemy of coffee freshness – so when you grind the coffee it’s best not to do it days or hours in advance, but just as the water is boiling.

You can still get great tasting coffee from pre-ground coffee – but don’t keep ground coffee in the cupboard for months on end, and remember this thing about air being coffee’s enemy: keep your coffee in an airtight container and limit its exposure.

The water you use should be off the boil (best at90 to 95 degrees celsius) – certainly not boiling.

What’s next depends upon the coffee making method that you use: in fact the grind fine-ness of your coffee should really be different depending upon the coffee maker that you’re using.

Turkish coffee requires the finest grind (almost like powder), espresso makers very fine too, AeroPress generally uses a reasonably fine grind (like fine sand) as do stovetop makers and syphon devices. Automatic filter makers need something a little coarser but we’re still staying on the fine side with these.

A pourover coffee maker or a Chemex needs a grind on the coarser side (but not too much as the coffee grinds are in contact with any part of the water just briefly, as it flows through).

A Clever Dripper , a Cafetiere/French Press, or Cold Brew require the coarsest grind as the coffee will be seeping in the water for an extended period of time.

Once you’ve made your coffee, don’t leave the coffee standing – dispense it and drink it!! The longer it stands the more bitter it will become as the coffee grinds will have been in contact with the water for too long.

Hopefully those principles are useful in approaching your coffee making – remember to experiment and enjoy finding out the differences that result from changing some of the ways you make your coffee.

Oh, one last point – the ratio of coffee to water will be something that you decide for yourself – but it’s useful to start from the Speciality Coffee Association best brewing practices: 55g of coffee to 1 litre of water (which works out at about 14g for a small mug of 250ml, or about 18g for a large mug of 330ml).

View our speciality coffee selection and coffee making devices at artistrycoffee.co.uk

Exploring the World of Cold Brew Coffee: 3 Methods to Satisfy Your Caffeine Cravings

Photo by Jay Mantri on StockSnap

Are you ready to dive into the cool and refreshing realm of cold brew coffee? If you’re a fan of iced coffee or seeking a smoother, less acidic alternative to your regular hot brew, then you’re in for a treat. At Artistry Coffee we’re going to explore the wonderful world of cold brew and three options as to how you make it. There are three distinct methods of preparation. So grab your favorite mug, and let’s get brewing!

Method 1: Immersion Brewing – The Classic Cold Brew

Imagine a slow and patient process that requires time, but minimal effort. That’s the essence of immersion brewing, the classic method of making cold brew coffee. Here’s how it works: Coarsely ground coffee beans are steeped in cold water for an extended period, typically around 12 to 24 hours. During this time, the water slowly extracts the flavors, oils, and caffeine from the coffee, resulting in a smooth and mellow brew. Once the steeping is complete, the coffee can be filtered, and the concentrate can be diluted to taste with water if needed, or milk. This method offers a rich and full-bodied flavor profile, making it a go-to choice for many cold brew aficionados.

Method 2: Slow Drip – Precision and Elegance

If you’re a coffee connoisseur looking for a more refined and visually captivating experience, the slow drip method might be right up your street. It can be also known as cold drip or Kyoto-style coffee, this method involves a specialized coffee maker that slowly drips cold water over a bed of coffee grounds. The water delicately extracts the flavors as it passes through, resulting in a nuanced and vibrant cup of cold brew. The slow drip method can sometimes also provide precise control over brewing parameters, including the drip rate, water temperature, and grind size. With its clarity and smoothness, slow drip cold brew is as much a feast for the taste buds as the fascinating process is for the eyes.

Method 3: Japanese-Style Iced Coffee – Brewed on the Rocks

Looking for a quick and invigorating cold brew fix? Japanese-style iced coffee, also known as flash brew, offers a fresh and zesty alternative. Instead of steeping the coffee grounds for hours, this method involves brewing hot coffee directly over a bed of ice, rapidly cooling and chilling the brew. The hot water extracts the flavors swiftly, capturing the aromatic nuances and delivering a bright and vibrant cup of cold coffee. It’s the perfect choice if you crave the taste of fresh cold brew coffee without the wait. Just pour the hot water over your coffee grounds in a pour-over coffee maker, let it drip over ice, and voila! Your icy delight is ready to be savoured.

So there you have it, coffee lovers! Three delightful methods to indulge in the world of cold brew coffee. Each has different benefits and features. Whether you prefer the classic immersion brew, the precise elegance of slow drip, or the quick and zesty Japanese-style iced coffee, each method offers a unique flavour experience.

So go ahead, experiment, and find the cold brew method that tickles your taste buds. Cheers to cool caffeine satisfaction and happy sipping this summer!

Check out Artistry Coffee for a range of Cold Brew Coffee Makers

Codes of Conduct and Standards expected in our coffee supply

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on StockSnap.

Our coffee suppliers, Redemption Roasters, are a great partner for us as they strongly believe in doing business with integrity – and in turn they expect their coffee suppliers to share a commitment to ethical practices. There are several values principles and standards to be upheld.

First and foremost, suppliers must comply with all local and national laws, rules, and regulations that apply to their products and services. This includes following the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Core Conventions. By doing so, dedication is shown to doing business ethically and legally.

Our suppliers are expected to ensure that no one under their country’s legal working age is involved in producing or distributing goods and services to us. Every child deserves a childhood free from exploitation.

Forced labour also has no place in our supply chain. Practices like slavery, bonded labour, or human trafficking are forbidden. Workers should never be forced to work under threat or coercion. Suppliers are also discouraged from holding workers’ identification documents as a condition of employment.

Respecting workers’ rights is crucial. Workers should have freedom to associate or not associate with any trade group, as allowed by the relevant laws. Even if national laws limit these rights, suppliers are encouraged to find alternative ways for workers to freely associate.

Equality and inclusivity matter greatly and suppliers are expected to promote a work environment where everyone has equal opportunities, with no discrimination or harassment of any kind.

It’s important that workers are fairly rewarded for their contributions, and suppliers must adhere to the applicable legal requirements regarding wages and benefits. Exceedence of these minimums is also supported.

The safety and well-being of workers are paramount and suppliers are expected to provide safe and clean working conditions. Occupational health and safety standards must be met, ensuring the well-being of workers in both working and residential facilities.

Suppliers are expected to have procedures in place to understand, measure, and manage the environmental impacts associated with their goods and services. Sustainable practices that minimize harm to the environment are encouraged.

Upholding ethical business practices is essential for maintaining trust and transparency. Suppliers must comply with all relevant laws and industry codes regarding government procurement, conflicts of interest, corruption, and bribery.

To ensure worker welfare, suppliers are asked to establish grievance mechanisms that are transparent and easily accessible. Workers should have a way to voice their concerns anonymously if needed. Clear disciplinary procedures must be in place, and all disciplinary matters should be handled in a lawful manner.

By embracing these ethical principles, the coffee supply chain can work together to create a responsible and sustainable process that benefits everyone involved.

The 4th Wave of Coffee : Ethically Sourced Burundi Beans

Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery on StockSnap. Filter coffee being made pourover style

In recent years, the coffee industry has experienced what is known as the fourth wave of coffee, which emphasizes the quality of the coffee bean and the ethical practices used to produce it. This movement has led to the emergence of specialty coffee roasters, who are dedicated to sourcing ethically and roasting only the finest coffee beans from around the world.

One such roaster is Redemption Roasters who supply Artistry Coffee. They began operations in Aylesbury Young Offenders Prison with the mission of reducing re-offending rates by providing young people with valuable barista and roasting skills. Today, Redemption Roasters operates in nine prisons and has an expanded roastery facility in HMP The Mount near Hemel Hempstead. The company sources high quality beans and roasts them in small batches.

One of the latest coffees from Redemption Roasters is their Ryamukona, Burundi Ethical Coffee Beans. This coffee is a carnival of colorful flavor notes, with vibrant tropical fruits and punchy citrus tones that will tantalize your taste buds. The taste is a balance of a full juicy body and the mellow sweetness of cantaloupe.

The washing station of Izuba is located in Runinya, in the Kabarore Commune of Kayanza Province in Burundi. Around the Izuba washing station are three luscious green hills – and Ryamukona is one of them. The premium asking price for this coffee helps to support local families by ensuring employees at the washing station are paid 25% higher than other local washing stations.

The preparation process for the coffee is known as ‘honey’ because the coffee once picked and sorted and having skins and pulps removed, is allowed to be dried without washing off the sticky-sweet outer layer. Less time is spent in water (an environmental benefit), and the resulting coffee is generally sweeter, has more body, and a more fruity flavor.

Each bag of Ryamukona, Burundi Ethical Coffee Beans is heat-sealed, with a one-way valve to release gases, yet prevent air intake. The packaging is now 100% recyclable, enhancing the environmentally conscious choice for coffee lovers.

What sets 4th wave coffee apart is its ethical sourcing – something Artistry Coffee is supportive of, and why we’re so pleased to work with Redemption Roasters, who are committed to making a positive difference in the world, one cup of coffee at a time.

When you purchase a bag of Ryamukona, Burundi Ethical Coffee Beans, you not only get to enjoy an exceptional cup of coffee but also support worthy causes.

So why not add this delicious coffee to your cart today and take positive steps towards a more ethical and delicious coffee-drinking experience?

The new Beans are here!

Coffee Beans in a Coffee Scoop Photo by FOCA Stock on StockSnap

If you’re looking for coffee that not only tastes good but also has a social justice story and ethical nature, Artistry Coffee is a great choice. Artistry Coffee has just taken delivery of 4 fresh roasts of ethical coffee beans, each with its own unique taste profile and backstory.

The Wing blend is a classic balanced house filter blend with taste notes of orange creme, raspberry, and caramel. The coffee is sourced from Sidamo, Ethiopia, and Ortega, Colombia. The Asociacion Sembradores de Vida works directly with local producers in the Ortega region of Colombia to help them prioritize coffee production and produce higher quality coffee. The coffee from Sidamo, Ethiopia adds rich, full-bodied caramel flavors with vibrant summer fruits and a subtle enhancement reminiscent of jasmine and sweet citrus.

The Block is a full-bodied espresso blend with taste notes of cocoa, fudge, and baked apple. The coffee is sourced from Puno, Peru, and Mogiana, Brazil. The base of the coffee comes from Patricia’s coffee farm in Mogiana, Brazil. Patricia is the eldest daughter of a coffee farmer and broke through the male-dominated sector to run her coffee farm. In the Puno region of Peru, the multi-award-winning producer group CECOVASA helps coffee-growing families obtain fairer prices to improve coffee production and conservation in the area.

Poder Feminino are beans from Honduras highlighting the role of women in the coffee supply chain. The coffee features selected beans from many different female producers who form the Poder Feminino Aruco group – meaning the “Power of Women.” The producers are all based in the Copan Region in Western Honduras. The coffee has roasted hazelnut, butterscotch, and blackcurrant notes and is particularly good for espresso.

Ryamukona, Burundi is a carnival of colourful flavour notes with highlights of pineapple, cantaloupe, and strawberry. The coffee is sourced from Burundi, and the preparation process is known as ‘honey’ because the coffee is allowed to be dried without washing off the sticky-sweet outer layer. The resulting coffee is sweeter, has more body, and a more fruity flavor. The premium asking price for this coffee helps support local families by ensuring employees at the washing station are paid 25% higher than other local washing stations.

Redemption Roasters, the sourcer and roaster commenced operations in Aylesbury Young Offenders Prison with a mission to help reduce re-offending rates by skilling up young people to help them find jobs and reintegrate into society. The project has now expanded to 9+ prisons and has an enlarged roastery facility in HMP The Mount near Hemel Hempstead. Small batches of beans are expertly roasted, led by a Head Roaster and Assistant Roaster who also train professional roasting skills. So not only is the coffee ethically sourced, but the roasting process is socially responsible too.

Each bag of Artistry Coffee is heat-sealed, with a one-way valve to release gases, yet prevent air intake. The packaging is now 100% recyclable, making it a great choice for environmentally conscious coffee drinkers.

If you’re interested in trying out Artistry Coffee, you can take advantage of multi-buy discounts when you buy more than one bag of coffee – mix and match across the beans too. Just add to your cart and review the discount.

What’s in a bean? (or more accurately What’s in a coffee cherry?)

Ethiopian Green Beans

Coffee with the biggest caffeine hit is likely to have come from the robusta bean type. These coffees may be more likely to have a bitter taste and perhaps heavier earthier tones. Instant coffee is more likely to have been made from robusta beans to capture more caffeine in the granules. There are also several coffee shops that favour the robusta bean.

Robusta coffee beans count for around 25 to 30% of worldwide coffee production and the tree is more hardy and grown at lower altitudes (below 1000 meters) in higher temperatures (upto 30 degrees celsius). The robusta bean may be more likely to be circular shaped and with a straight line split down the middle. It tends to be cheaper, with a less pronounced aroma but more full bodied. Robusta can vary in quality due to growing conditions and processes, and there has been a movement to upgrade the reputation of the bean with more care and attention in the growing, processing and roasting techniques. Largely though robusta beans would be more inferior coffees – but if caffeine levels are the priority then with often double the caffeine of arabica beans there are some benefits!

The higher altitude grown (often 1500 to 2000 meters asl) arabica beans are usually sweeter, more flavoursome (fruity, floral, delicate, smooth) with a more pleasing aroma. They can be oilier and darker and have a more oval elongated shape with a probable split which is more S shaped. Most likely grown at temperatures of  high teens to low twenties celsius, and with more shade (in the company of a wider biodiversity of other plants).

There are many sub-species of coffea and there is a possibility that in future increasing the genetic variation may become important to protect coffee from vulnerability to disease and climate changes.

Coffee fruits are called coffee cherries and most move through a colour cycle from green, then yellowing, to red when ripe. The seed, inside the coffee cherry is what is used to roast and create our coffee drinks. In order to ready a coffee bean for roasting it has to go through processing to remove the skin and flesh of the coffee cherry (the pulp, the parchment and the silverskin).

In fact, inside the cherry – there are normally two parts of the coffee seeds which grow with a flat face facing each other – these are the faces that feature the characteristic split in the coffee beans we see.

A coffee seed (bean) before roasting is normally a yellowish green colour and known as a green bean: once roasted they gain their brown colour.