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How-to · Brew technique

Tetsu Kasuya's AeroPress championship recipe (World Champion 2016)

By Andres Borrero Updated

Tetsu Kasuya won the 2016 World AeroPress Championship with a recipe that surprised the room: 22 g of coffee, only 50 g of water steeped in the AeroPress, then 130 g of bypass water added after the press. The technique decouples extraction from final dilution — you brew a strong concentrate, then dilute to taste.

Kasuya later codified the underlying logic in his "4:6 method" for V60. The principle: water added before extraction defines strength; water added after defines clarity. The AeroPress recipe is the same idea, applied to a different brewer.

Source: World AeroPress Championship 2016 official recipe, posted at worldaeropresschampionship.com. We cite to attribute, not to claim authorship.

Time required: 3 minutes 30 seconds · Applies to: AeroPress Original

The recipe

  • 22 g coffee, ground medium-fine
  • 50 g water at 80°C for the AeroPress steep
  • 130 g water at 80°C added as bypass after pressing

What you'll need

Step-by-step

  1. Step 1

    Set up inverted with a wetted filter ready

    Set the AeroPress in the inverted position (plunger down, chamber up). Rinse a paper filter in hot water and place it in the filter cap — set the cap aside for now.

  2. Step 2

    Dose 22 g of coffee, ground medium-fine

    Grind 22 g of coffee at a medium-fine setting (slightly coarser than the Hoffmann recipe — the longer steep needs a bit more headroom). Pour into the inverted chamber. Tap to level.

  3. Step 3

    Pour 50 g of water at 80°C

    Kasuya's recipe specifies 80°C water — significantly cooler than Hoffmann's 100°C. The cooler temperature reduces bitterness from the longer extraction.

    Pour 50 g over the grounds in a slow, controlled stream. Wet all the coffee evenly. Start your timer at first contact.

  4. Step 4

    Stir, then steep for 1:30

    Give the slurry 2-3 gentle stirs. Let it steep undisturbed for 1:30. The dose-to-water ratio at this stage is roughly 1:2.3 — extremely high coffee load, which is the whole point: you are brewing a concentrate.

  5. Step 5

    Attach the filter cap, flip, and press

    At 1:30, attach the pre-rinsed filter cap, place your serving vessel over the top, and flip the assembly. Press slowly — Kasuya pressed in 30-45 seconds at the championship. Stop at the hiss.

    You should have a small amount of dark, syrupy concentrate in your cup — maybe 40 ml of liquid from the 50 g pour.

  6. Step 6

    Bypass: add 130 g of 80°C water directly to the cup

    Pour 130 g of hot water (same 80°C, fresh from the kettle) directly into the cup with the concentrate. Stir once to combine.

    The final cup is ~170 ml at a balanced strength. Total brew time: 3:30 from first contact.

  7. Step 7

    Need the right gear?

    The 50 g initial pour and the 80°C target are the two precision points that matter for this recipe — a controlled-temperature gooseneck kettle pays for itself here. See our best gooseneck kettle for V60 pour over for picks. The 22 g dose also rewards a 0.1 g scale; our best scale for AeroPress and V60 brewing guide explains what to look for without overpaying.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using boiling water — Kasuya's 80°C is intentional. At 100°C the cup turns harsh and bitter because of the long contact time at high coffee dose.
  • Skipping the bypass and just brewing more water in the AeroPress — defeats the entire point of the recipe. The bypass is what separates Kasuya's method from a standard high-dose brew.
  • Pressing fast and hard — over-extracts the already-concentrated puck. 30-45 seconds, slow and steady.
  • Trying this recipe with dark roast — Kasuya tested with a light Ethiopian. Dark roasts at this ratio + temperature read flat and ashy. For dark roasts, use Hoffmann's standard recipe instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this recipe use 80°C water instead of boiling?

The high coffee dose (1:2.3 ratio in the chamber) extracts very efficiently — boiling water would over-extract. 80°C balances extraction without bitterness over the 1:30 steep. Kasuya tested this temperature extensively for the 2016 championship.

Can I use a different ratio for the bypass?

The 50 g / 130 g split is what Kasuya competed with. You can adjust the bypass to taste — more bypass = lighter, more delicate cup; less bypass = stronger, more concentrated. Vary the bypass, not the in-chamber water.

What grinder does Kasuya use?

He typically competes on a commercial flat-burr grinder, but the recipe scales down to home hand grinders (Comandante, Timemore, 1Zpresso). Medium-fine grind, not espresso-fine. If you only have a Baratza Encore, this recipe still works — competition gear is not required.

How does this compare to Hoffmann's recipe?

Hoffmann's is simpler and forgiving; Kasuya's is more technical and rewards precision. Hoffmann produces a balanced everyday cup; Kasuya produces a clean, concentrated cup with bright top notes (the bypass adds clarity). Try both and pick the daily driver — most users land on Hoffmann for weekday mornings, Kasuya for weekend single-origins.

Is the World AeroPress Championship still using this recipe?

Each year's champion publishes a new recipe — the WAC archive at worldaeropresschampionship.com lists all of them. Kasuya's 2016 recipe remains one of the most-cited and most-reproduced because of how cleanly it generalised into the 4:6 method.

Last reviewed: . We update this guide when the manufacturer publishes new maintenance documentation or when community consensus on best practice shifts.