<p>Dark roasts from an Aeropress easily become too bitter.</p>

<p>I would recommend keeping the water temperature just below boiling. Flip your Aeropress upside down so that you can control the brew time. Add your beans and water, and then brew for 30-45 seconds.</p>

<p>With lighter roasts, I do the above but let them brew much longer. I've found you have to adjust the brew time for darker roasts.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-24T17:47:37.060Z
2016-01-24T17:47:37.060Z
Devon Yarbrough
<p>A darker coffee will be much more soluble - and extract much faster than a lighter roasted coffee. Coarsen your grind, use a lower water temperature (around 200F or wait about 45 seconds off boil), and use a quicker brew time. I would use a heavier coffee-to-water brew ratio, and extract less than you normally would. Something like 1-parts coffee to 16-parts water (1:16).</p>

<p>If you struggle to find any sort of sweetness from your coffee - then it may simply be too dark and burnt, to which there are no sugars left to develop. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-26T07:37:53.560Z
200F is about 93°C isn't it? I've heard that you should use something closer to 85°C for lighter,  so how can 93°C be right?
AncientSwordRage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-27T02:27:07.553Z
85°C is an exceptionally cool temperature. I know that Aeropress (on the box) recommends a lower temperature - but that almost forces your coffee to be underextracted. You can really only grind so fine with an aeropress in which it still works well,  and while you could of course agitate the grounds more, I believe a hotter temperature is the better way to go. Now as far as a really dark roast goes - 85°C totally might be the sweet spot if it's very soluble. Up above you said that your coffee is overpowered with bitterness - which tells me you need to extract less and maybe use less coffee.
Induction
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-26T01:03:18.177Z
2016-01-26T01:03:18.177Z
Induction
<p>The good news and bad news about an Aeropress is the number of factors you have total control over during the brew cycle.  Here is a partial list off the top of my head:
1.  Quantity of beans;
2.  Fineness of grind;
3.  Water temperature (Aeropress recommends 185F)
4.  Length of time before pressing;
5.  Right side up or inverted.</p>

<p>There may be more but I've found changing one or more of these variables had a definite effect on the taste.  I could also add freshness of beans but that would be true of any method.  From my experience, water temperature, how fine the beans are ground, and length of time before extraction are the main variables that affect taste.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-27T19:44:12.050Z
Sorry but this isn't actually an answer to the question. Can you consider rewriting it as such?
fredley
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-28T23:22:45.427Z
The OP asked for factors he could adjust to improve the flavor.  How is this not an answer @fredley?
PJNoes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-30T20:23:42.030Z
The OP is asking about the parameters for a specific dark brew, not a list of what parameters can be changed overall. If you could highlight what parameters, in your experience, affect this particular brew that would be great!
fredley
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-26T23:15:43.453Z
2016-01-26T23:15:43.453Z
PJNoes
<p>I normally like a dark roast,  but I'm struggling to get as good a cup from my Aeropress as I do with lighter roasts.</p>

<p>What factors can I adjust to improve the flavors, compared to how you'd brew a lighter roast?  Less brew time? Colder water? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-26T22:54:25.813Z
Your question would be easier to answer if you told us exactly what is it about the taste you don't like.  Too bitter?  Weak?  Strong?  etc.
PJNoes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-26T23:38:28.230Z
@pjnoes I find they can be overpowered by bitterness,  without any of the subtle flavours of the beans.
AncientSwordRage
<aeropress>
What factors should I change for a dark roast in an Aeropress?
AncientSwordRage
# What factors should I change for a dark roast in an Aeropress?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-15)

I normally like a dark roast, but I'm struggling to get as good a cup from my Aeropress as I do with lighter roasts.

What factors can I adjust to improve the flavors, compared to how you'd brew a lighter roast? Less brew time? Colder water?

**Tags:** aeropress

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your question would be easier to answer if you told us exactly what is it about the taste you don't like.  Too bitter?  Weak?  Strong?  etc.  
> **username_0**: @pjnoes I find they can be overpowered by bitterness,  without any of the subtle flavours of the beans.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-01-24. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Dark roasts from an Aeropress easily become too bitter.

I would recommend keeping the water temperature just below boiling. Flip your Aeropress upside down so that you can control the brew time. Add your beans and water, and then brew for 30-45 seconds.

With lighter roasts, I do the above but let them brew much longer. I've found you have to adjust the brew time for darker roasts.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-01-26. Score: 1

A darker coffee will be much more soluble - and extract much faster than a lighter roasted coffee. Coarsen your grind, use a lower water temperature (around 200F or wait about 45 seconds off boil), and use a quicker brew time. I would use a heavier coffee-to-water brew ratio, and extract less than you normally would. Something like 1-parts coffee to 16-parts water (1:16).

If you struggle to find any sort of sweetness from your coffee - then it may simply be too dark and burnt, to which there are no sugars left to develop.

Good luck!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 200F is about 93°C isn't it? I've heard that you should use something closer to 85°C for lighter,  so how can 93°C be right?  
> **username_3**: 85°C is an exceptionally cool temperature. I know that Aeropress (on the box) recommends a lower temperature - but that almost forces your coffee to be underextracted. You can really only grind so fine with an aeropress in which it still works well,  and while you could of course agitate the grounds more, I believe a hotter temperature is the better way to go. Now as far as a really dark roast goes - 85°C totally might be the sweet spot if it's very soluble. Up above you said that your coffee is overpowered with bitterness - which tells me you need to extract less and maybe use less coffee.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-01-26. Score: 0

The good news and bad news about an Aeropress is the number of factors you have total control over during the brew cycle. Here is a partial list off the top of my head:
1. Quantity of beans;
2. Fineness of grind;
3. Water temperature (Aeropress recommends 185F)
4. Length of time before pressing;
5. Right side up or inverted.

There may be more but I've found changing one or more of these variables had a definite effect on the taste. I could also add freshness of beans but that would be true of any method. From my experience, water temperature, how fine the beans are ground, and length of time before extraction are the main variables that affect taste.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Sorry but this isn't actually an answer to the question. Can you consider rewriting it as such?  
> **username_1**: The OP asked for factors he could adjust to improve the flavor.  How is this not an answer @username_4?  
> **username_4**: The OP is asking about the parameters for a specific dark brew, not a list of what parameters can be changed overall. If you could highlight what parameters, in your experience, affect this particular brew that would be great!  

---

