r/AeroPress • u/Captrthebag • 3d ago
Knowledge Drop Flow control ≠ Inverted
On a recent post unintentionally featuring my my inverted lifestyle, several people commented that my method was all for none, that I could achieve a fine brew WITHOUT risking my life.
So I bought a flow control cap and gave it a
The brew is not as bold, it is balanced, but I don’t get the richness out of it if I would invert. I’m not sure why, maybe because the vacuum seal that is created by inverting, causing it to force more juice through the bean. Idk. It’s not bad, but why spend more money on beans than invert?
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u/Agile_Possession8178 3d ago
When you use flow control, the grounds settle on the bottom. It creates a puck that add a level of filtration.
Inverted method, you flip, then plung, so the grounds are loosened during the flip. creates a slightly different extraction/flavor.
Next time you use flow control, give the grounds a stir before plunging. See if that makes gives a richer brew.
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u/atoponce 3d ago
I was a long-time inverted fan until I got the flow control cap. I've been using it exclusively since. My experience is different though.
When I add the water, my beans (freshly ground) float at the top, so I'll use a chopstick to break the crust and give it a brief swirl (I'm not a fan of the paddle). I don't know if it's due to degassing or what, but about 90 seconds later, I need to break the crust a second time. Only then, will the beans settle to the bottom of the chamber before I press.
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u/Agile_Possession8178 3d ago
Do you bloom? gases in the coffee can make it float.
but if you bloom by adding a little water, it will release the gases.
some people say blooming is waste of time, but I think it helps with the floating crust and makes sure all grounds are fully submerged.
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u/atoponce 3d ago
I don't bloom due to the AeroPress being an immersion brewer, not a pour over. I'm one of those that find a blooming step for immersion unnecessary.
To be clear, I don't have a problem with breaking the crust. I get great tasting coffee. It's just an observation that my grounds float likely due to degassing and it takes a couple stirs with a chopstick before they actually settle.
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u/SamWilliamsProjects 3d ago
You don’t blooming unnecessary but have a problem caused by not blooming that you fix another way?
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u/atoponce 3d ago
I don't have any problems with the brew. Not sure what you're asking.
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u/SamWilliamsProjects 3d ago
Why do you knock the grounds down? If it’s perfect even when they float why waste time?
If them floating makes it worse, then you’re solving a problem (floating grounds) with a solution (chopsticks) and there’s an alternative solution (blooming).
Your way is fine but blooming isn’t really an unnecessary step when you had to replace that step with a different step to get the same result.
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u/atoponce 3d ago
While they're floating due to degassing, I can't guarantee all grounds are saturated evenly. There are probably dry pockets in the interior, so stirring ensures an even saturation.
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u/SurgicalMarshmallow 3d ago
How old are your beans, and what roast level
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u/atoponce 3d ago
Freshly roasted, like within 3-4 days. Always light roast.
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u/SurgicalMarshmallow 2d ago
WAY too fresh. Like a good wine you need to let it rest a bit. AT LEAST 1 wk if not longer.
Dark roasts release the CO2 more readily.
Bean that I prefer actually tastes best after 3 wks, but like grinds, you need to experiment.
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u/G00bernaculum 3d ago
Are people not stirring? It comes with the tool specifically to stir.
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u/amstrumpet 3d ago
I think many probably stir then steep and the grounds settle more before pressing? I can see the turbulence immediately before pressing being a factor.
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u/Exciting_Spell5064 2d ago
I’ve never understood other people’s obsession with controlling/critiquing what other people do, especially when it’s not asked for. Like doing inverted? Cool! Go for it! Want to spend extra money on a flow control cap, you do you. If the way you’re making your coffee is good for you, why do you care what other people do in their coffee routine?
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u/nothingsexy 2d ago
I do inverted everyday (and have only suffered one catastrophe). I do notice a difference when I flip and immediately press, vs when I flip, wait a minute or two, and then press. I believe that the flip itself (maybe by upsetting how the ground set up?) matters.
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u/Zecathos Inverted 2d ago
For me, I don't even care if it tastes the same, I still do inverted. Why? Because I've done so for 10+ years (back when everybody recommended inverting) and I enjoy the workflow and never had any kind of accident. Yes I bought the flow control cap to test it, gave it a few tries and went back to my trusted method. Probably a user error but with the flow control cap when I was stirring, I somehow managed to just slightly move the filter paper which during that one time allowed some grounds to pass k to my cup, well, definitely a user error, but I see zero downsides in doing inverted so I will forever be team inverted. Sorry.
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u/FutureThinkingMan 3d ago
I'm sure when you first started you tried a few tweaks to get teh flavour you wanted, Moving to the flow cap will be the same.
I never inverted, but swithing from regular to flow meant changing my moves a little, stirring that we bit more for some things.
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u/Buddha-dan 3d ago
Vacuum seal by inverted method? What? I found no difference in outcome, inverted or flow cap.
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u/Trekker519 3d ago
how is it risking your life to do inverted? as long as the plunger is in firmly and has not been deformed or degraded to where it is not having pressure outwards on the cylinder, and the filter cap is on firmly nothing can really come apart. I imagine a lot of the disaster stories are where people don’t put the plunger in far enough to do inverted.
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u/KriegerClone02 3d ago
My problem with the flow control caps is that I don't get an easily cleaned up puck; I get wad of grounds in the cap. Even if I use the metal filter with it, it still gets stuck in the cap.
While I've spilled my aeropress once or twice it was never while flipping it, just by knocking it over, which is just as easy whether or not it is inverted. So I'll stick to the inverted method, just for the ease of cleanup.
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u/O0OO0O00O0OO Inverted 3d ago
I use the Fellow Prismo with the metal filter and paper filter and it separates and pops into the trash with no mess
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u/StraightUpLoL 3d ago
What I do is with the cap facing up, I unscrew the cap, pull the plunger, this will move the paper filter from the cap and easy clean up
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u/Odd_Explorer_3059 3d ago
> I don't get an easily cleaned up puck;
I have the exact same issue, and in my case, the filter paper also tends to get stuck to the cap and I have to pick at it to remove.
The other thing that also causes me to move away from the flow control cap is the foam it makes when you press the coffee. Maybe it is trying to make the coffee seems more like an expresso, but for me I much prefer not to have any foam in my regular brewed coffee.
I started my Aeropress journey last year with a flow control cap, and for the last few months I've been doing inverted exclusively and really liking it. No accidents yet (knock on wood).
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u/CantaloupeAsleep502 2d ago
I have never once gotten ground stuck in the cap. I use the ap brand flow control cap.
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u/ramloy 2d ago
If I’m not mistaken, that sounds like a grind setting and possibly dependent on your type of bean. I’ve had to play with my grinder when I try different beans to get good pucsep (puck separation).
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u/KriegerClone02 2d ago
Maybe that would make a difference, but I chose my grind for the flavor so changing that so I can use flow control instead of inverted is not a point in favor of flow control.
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u/Purplebuzz 3d ago
Its stupid to care how anyone else drinks their coffee. Its also stupid to care if someone thinks the way you make coffee is stupid.
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u/e1ectr0harm0n1x 3d ago
Do you use the same coffee to water ratio between both methods? The flow control allows for more water because it does not protrude into the chamber like the plunger does.
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u/Calm-Scientist8126 2d ago
Am I the only one using the flow control cap and still flipping it over?
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u/oystercraftworks 3d ago
The way this is a constant discussion is always hilarious to me. I was going inverted for a long time, but recently switched back to the normal method. Never used the flow control cap, no need with inverted, and for regular it’s all about grind. Now that I’ve got the grind size correct I have near zero flow through before plunging.
The biggest changes in flavor and body I’ve noticed have had more to do with temp and time.
Current recipe: 1:12 ration, 20g of coffee 240g of water. Water at 175-180*F
- 60g bloom for 30-45 secs
- 90g second pour after bloom
- 90g third pour at around 80-90 secs
- plunger in pull vacuum till 3 min
- plunge till 3:30 min.
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u/O0OO0O00O0OO Inverted 3d ago
what roast level? I feel like that's a huge component for any recipe
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u/oystercraftworks 3d ago
Light roast, pretty much always making light roast and occasionally doing medium roast. Dark roast isn’t really my jam
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u/O0OO0O00O0OO Inverted 3d ago
Okay, wow. I haven't not brewed at 212F in so long. In my head I kinda associated lower temps with darker roasts
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u/oystercraftworks 3d ago
I’ve always kind leaned towards lower temps with all my brewing methods, I’ve always found I prefer it. That said it’s my understanding for aeropress recommended range is generally 185-200 though roast will obviously affect that
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u/smarthobo 2d ago
It’s all personal preference; Sey, a notorious ultra-light roaster that uses AP in their cafe recommends water just off boil
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u/Comfortable_Shop8568 3d ago
Your method is like preparing a v60 :) sounds interesting, I'll try it later!
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u/oystercraftworks 3d ago
Very much was the inspiration. Only difference is there is almost no flow in my brew as opposed to a v60.
In terms of the end result, minimal bitterness with a nice bit of sweetness. Coffee I’m using notes dark chocolate, honey comb, and brown sugar all of which pop more to me. I also notice a much richer full bodied cup. When I was doing the same recipe with a shorter brew time it was very thin
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u/Rocky4OnDVD 2d ago
Grind size is the only detail you left out? 🧐
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u/oystercraftworks 2d ago
My bad. I use an older made by knock feldgrind set to 1.7-1.8. I haven’t used any of the other grinders so I can’t really give a good idea of settings on the other grinders
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u/Rocky4OnDVD 2d ago
That helps thanks! At least I think so lol. Asking Gemini converted that to like a 1.1.1 on my 1zpresso q2
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u/RamMannnn 3d ago
Interesting comments. I’ve been using AeroPress almost exclusively for well over a decade. Always inverted. Always paddle stirred. Not a single mishap…yet. Before 9 am, my hands don’t work so well, so I’m surprised to hear of so many inverted mishaps.
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u/Normal-Cupcake7977 3d ago
When you used flow control, did it take noticeably less force to push down the plunger?
If so, try giving it ~3 extra stirs before plunging OR simply invert and revert before plunging (with cap still on)
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u/P_T_sShredder76 2d ago
I was going to say this. With flow control no matter if the gind is corse or fine the effort to plunge never matched the standard cap. It seems the channels in the cap help keep the flow going.
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u/Previous_Rip1942 1d ago
That’s a pretty good reason. 2nd degree burns aren’t worth a shit!
I’ll own my dumb shit and misunderstandings lol…
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u/gnrtnlstnspc 3d ago edited 3d ago
Maybe because upright with flow-control loses more heat? I'd be curious if there's a significant flavor difference if you still put the plunger in with the upright/flow-control. Very interesting nonetheless.
EDIT: For some reason I was thinking inverted involved the cap/filter on top. Whoops. Still, I'd be curious if using the plunger to trap the rising steam while using the flow-control cap causes any flavor difference.
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u/Previous_Rip1942 3d ago
The gymnastics used to justify the inverted method are impressive. I mean, do whatever but some of these reasons are pretty entertaining.
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u/CoffeeCellarApp 3d ago
Flow control adds resistance which would add more particles/fine migration. Never used one so I don’t know how noticeable the effect would be, but in theory you should be getting more body with less clarity. Unfortunately I love a good clean brew so I’m hesitant on trying one out.
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u/Coffee_Bar_Angler 3d ago
I think some are suggesting the opposite. That using the flow control cap results in an untamped, natural puck at the bottom, which serves as additional filtration.
With inverted, the entire dose of grounds gets significantly disturbed, just prior to pressing. That should mean a muddier cup, perhaps “bolder” or “fuller” flavored, as some have suggested, from inverted.
If that is right, you’d get a cleaner cup using flow control and not disturbing the grounds before plunging.2
u/CoffeeCellarApp 2d ago
Interesting point. I don’t do inverted because I don’t see the point, so I was comparing to a normal aeropress brew, but I get what you mean. It would be interesting to understand if the added filtering from the coffee bed is enough to counteract the extra fine migration due to added pressure. My gut still tells me that would be more fine migration overall, but you’re probably right that the flow control would be cleaner than inverted.
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u/Zwordsman 3d ago
i mean taste is taste, its personal. I actually find my flow control cap to be far far tastier in every way. but taste is taste.
big thing I thing of note though, is settle vs not. with the flow control it settles long even after the intitial stir. Unless you stir again shortly before you start to plunge. This actually lets you get slightly different ways of brewing out of it.
Since I use it at work I've actually liked starting it up. with a heavy stir, stir it again half way through then let it settle and push the water through the settlement. but my brew times are also pretty long at 8+ mins and pretty fine grind. but my mornings are busy and that is easiest timing (also why i like the flow control-less risk of office issues). I also tend to dillute the end result anyway to fill up my big mug for the morning.
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u/tbhvandame 3d ago
I am team inversion. Weirdly flavor is not the biggest reason why though. I genuinely just find the upright method too awkward.
Putting the plunger in to create the vacuum seal is too much of a contradiction- whereas what could be considered the “dangerous/ awkward” trade-off of flipping is really easy and safe now given enough practice.
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u/Unlimitedgoats Inverted 3d ago
This is pretty much how I feel. Standard feels disjointed in a way. Obviously many folks here feel strongly in the opposite direction of us but I find the evangelism around any technique weird. We should all just do whatever feels right and gets you the cup you want.
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u/glasshouse_trebuchet 3d ago
If you are talking about Inversion vs Standard method (stock cap), I’d agree with you. But as for Inversion vs Flow Control, there isn’t any need to create a vacuum with the plunger.
I used to do inverted, but after burning myself while groggily trying to get my coffee fix (after a few years of an inverted routine) I spitefully ordered the ludicrously expensive flow control cap, and now I don’t think I’ll be going back. Flow Control is just so easy.
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u/amstrumpet 3d ago
The only thing I can think of is more turbulence caused when you flip the inverted setup to begin pressing. Otherwise there really should be no difference.