Tea AeroPress: Why It Works Well and What Teas to Try First

Ever had turkish coffee before? Don't take the last sip. It's pure silt.

Working with loose leaf tea, depending on the type, can be the same. I've tried a lot of strainers and infusers over the years, and I would say at most of them still let something through, of if they are too fine, get clogged. 

This is why tea bags have always had an advantage. The paper is just... clean. Every sip, right to the bottom.

But here's the thing. Tea bags aren't always what you want. If you're chasing a quality good tea, a bag just isn't going to cut it. So for a long time I felt like I was stuck choosing between quality and cleanliness.

But then I took my favorite coffeemaker... and tried it with tea. Boom.

You get all the richness and complexity of loose-leaf tea with none of the mess. It is genuinely the best of both worlds.

It Also Goes Everywhere You Go

I have made AeroPress tea while camping. I have made it in Egypt, in Turkey, and in Switzerland... in Mexico, in Canada. All you need is some way to boil water and you are set. The AeroPress itself is compact enough to stuff into even a light pack.

The paper filters take up almost no space and create almost no waste. And cleanup is so fast it barely counts as cleanup. You pop the puck out, rinse it, and you're done. If you already use an AeroPress for coffee, you know this ritual well. I love the pucks. 

Speaking of coffee, this is one of my favorite things: you can make both coffee and tea with the same device. Just wash it well before switching. A little soap, a good rinse. I have gone back and forth many times and it works beautifully. One tool, two worlds.

This worked particularly well on my trip to turkey. Fun fact: Turkey has incredible loose-leaf Black Tea, grown right off the Black Sea. They do not use bags much there. The tea has these really lovely floral and rose notes that are iconic to the region, and if you have ever had Turkish delight, that rose flavor will feel familiar immediately.

I happened to have my AeroPress with me and was able to brew it properly, getting all that clarity and complexity without any sediment. It was one of those travel moments that just works out. Oh, and I got about 3 steepings each time I brewed a batch. 

What to Brew: Three teas to start pressing

1. Yerba mate.

Mate might be the messiest tea on the planet to brew traditionally. The straw, the gourd, the powder that gets into everything.

I have tried a lot of methods to make a clean cup of mate, and the AeroPress is the only one that has actually worked for me. The pressure pushes through even the finest particles in a way that gravity-based methods simply cannot do. If you want the full breakdown on this, I wrote a whole post about making yerba mate with an Aeropress..

2. Black tea.

I love a good English tea as much as anyone, and there is nothing wrong with a bag. But when you want something more intentional, loose-leaf black tea in the AeroPress is worth the small extra effort. You will want to use a bit more leaf than you might expect so it still comes out with good strength, but the flavor and customization you get are really satisfying.

A quality loose-leaf black tea brewed this way is a different experience. Even if you are still adding milk and sugar/honey. 

3. Oolongs, pu-ers, and beyond.

Honestly, most teas do well in the AeroPress. I encourage you to experiment and let me know what you find. One thing worth calling out specifically for oolongs and pu-ers: you can steep them over and over again. Reload the filter, add more water, and keep going. A good oolong can easily go five steepings or more. You will be surprised how much tea you get out of a single serving, and how hydrated you end up. This is something you would never do with coffee grounds. Take advantage of it.

One note on matcha: I would skip it. Matcha is a powder, and the whole point is that the powder goes into your drink. Running it through a paper filter defeats the purpose entirely. Stick to a whisk and a bowl for that one. If you are wanting to make other japanese teas, learn more varieties here. 

A Simple Recipe Rule

When in doubt, under steep it. You can always steep more. You cannot un-steep. Start shorter than you think you need to and adjust from there. This one rule has saved me more cups of tea than any other piece of advice I could give.

If you want my top tips on what kettle to use for the best tea results, or how to make your yerba mate less bitter, journey on here!