2 Aeropress Coffee Recipes For Two People

Coffee enthusiasts love the Aeropress coffee maker because it easily brews delicious coffee and allows for much control during extraction.

But since the capacity of the Aeropress is 250ml, what happens if there are 2 of you? Can it make two cups of coffee at once?

Yes, the original Aeropress can make 2 cups of coffee simultaneously using special recipes. Even though Aeropress was designed to make a single serving, with some creativity and customization, it is possible to make two cups at once.

There are two methods I can recommend, you’ll find their recipes below. I’ll also touch on the newer Aeropress XL, which makes brewing 2 cups of coffee even easier.

Dilution method for 2 Aeropress cups

The simplest way of getting more java from your Aeropress is by brewing a stronger batch and diluting it with hot water. Sort of like an Americano. This method is easy, straightforward, and still yields 2 terrific cups. 

You will use your Aeropress inverted with this recipe. This is because you are adding a lot of coffee grinds, so consistent extraction is essential. I talk more about this in the inverted vs standard Aeropress method article.

What you’ll need:

• Burr coffee grinder
• Coffee scale
• Aeropress
• 1 paper filter
• 35 grams of coffee beans (medium-fine grind works best for Aeropress)
• 0.5 liter brewing water at 85° C

Here is how to prepare 2 cups of coffee with the dilution method:

1. Assemble the inverted Aeropress
2. Add 35g of grounds. If you’re using an AeroPress scoop, a leveled scoop typically holds 16.5 g of whole coffee beans.
3. 0:00 – Start a stopwatch and slowly pour in some brewing water to let the coffee bloom and release unwanted CO2. Stop pouring when you reach somewhere in between the upside-down circled 2 and 3 markings.
4. At 0:30 – Fill the Aeropress with water, but leave enough room to stir. You’ll need to agitate the liquid for about 15 seconds to ensure all the coffee starts brewing. 
5. At 0:45, stop stirring and fill the chamber all the way to the top. We’re steeping the coffee until the 2:00 mark, which is a bit longer than usual, to ensure we get complete extraction of the larger amount of coffee we are using.
6. While the coffee is brewing, put the filter into the filter holder, and rinse it with some hot water.
7. At 1:50 – Screw the filter holder onto the brewing chamber, and push on the plunger slightly until you see the first few bubbles.
8. At 2:00 – Flip the Aeropress onto a cup, and press down nice and slow. It should take 25-30 seconds to plunge all the way down. This results in a concentrated coffee.
9. Dilute this coffee concentrate with 200-220 ml of water (hot or cold, as you like).

The resulting beverage should equate to around 420-440 ml, which is 2 cups of coffee.

I would be interested to know whether you can taste the difference between this and a proportionately similar, undiluted cup. Please let me know in a comment!

Double plunging method

The 2nd method for creating a double batch from your Aeropress is what I call the Double plunging method, the basis of which I saw here and here.

It involves 2 extractions of the same coffee grounds. The first one is shorter, and the second is longer. This is nothing like the standard Aeropress recipe I use for a single cup though.

You’re probably asking, “won’t that over-extract your coffee and make it bitter?”

Good question!

It actually doesn’t, since we’re not letting it steep for long.

Here is what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Burr coffee grinder
• Coffee scale
• Aeropress
• 2 paper filters
• 30 grams of medium-fine grind coffee beans
• 0.5 liter brewing water at 90° C

Here is the step-by-step recipe for 2 cups of coffee using the double plunging method:

1. Place 2 paper filters into the filter holder, rinse with hot water, and screw it onto the chamber
2. Assemble the Aeropress normally on a cup that can hold 0.5 liters.
3. Add 30g grounds.
4. 0:00 – Start a stopwatch, and slowly pour in some brewing water to let the coffee bloom. You don’t need much water, just till you reach between the circled 1-2 markings.
5. At 0:30 – Fill the chamber until between the circled 3-4 markings, and stir 3-4 times.
6. Place the cylinder into the brewing chamber at an angle, press it sideways-down about 2 cm, then pull it back out. The air pressure from these small movements will push the coffee into the cup without plunging all the way down. Continue these small presses until all of the coffee is in your cup. There is no separate steeping time here.
7. Fill the brewing chamber to the 4 mark.
8. Put the plunger into the brewing chamber to stop dripping.
9. Let this second extraction batch steep for 60 seconds.
10. Press down on the plunger slowly and evenly for about 30-45 seconds before you reach the bottom.

This recipe is much more complicated than the 1st one, but it yields good results. I prefer the dilution method, though, it is so much simpler.

Tips for tweaking these 2-cup Aeropress recipes

One of the main reasons Aeropress is so popular is that you have so much control over the brewing process. You can alter every single variable of extraction until you tweak the coffee recipes to your liking:

• Grams of coffee
• Grind size
• Coffee to water ratio
• Water temperature
• Blooming and steeping times
• Plunging time

Here are some tips you can try if you want to experiment a bit: 

• Use a coarser coffee grind size if you notice any over-extraction (bitterness).
• Alternatively, try a finer grind if the coffee is not strong enough or sour. If that doesn’t work for you, try adding 1-2 grams of extra coffee grinds to increase your ratio of coffee.
• If you are using light roasts, increase your water temperature to 90° – 95°C.
• I wouldn’t go for a longer steep time than 3 minutes with dark roasts, as it will lead to over-extraction.

Have fun, and let me know if you come upon something you like better.

A New Alternative: The AeroPress XL

AeroPress has recently released a new lineup of AeroPress coffee makers, including a bigger variant specifically made for making larger batches of coffee.

The AeroPress XL has a capacity of 590ml, which is more than double the OG’s 250ml capacity. With this coffee maker, you can easily make coffee for two and with even more to spare in just a few minutes. You can read my review and step-by-step guide how to use the Aeropress XL to help you decide if you should get one.

FAQ

Which method do you prefer for making 2 servings of coffee at the same time with the Aeropress?

Let me know in a comment!