Coffee, Anyone? The Aeropress Coffeemaker

On Rasmus, Scott and I were tea drinkers.  This was not by design (despite the fact that my mom is British and I was raised on tea), but by default.  We left with a French press and had planned on making delicious, fresh coffee to keep us up during those wee-hour night shifts and jump start our lazy mornings in sleepy anchorages, however that didn't last long.

The first (and only) time we used our French Press was on the Erie Canal.  I remember it well.  I don't remember the coffee, mind you, but what I do remember is the mess I had to clean up afterwards.  Those coffee grounds clung to that French Press for dear life and it took a tremendous amount of water to clean the contraption and rinse all of the rogue coffee grounds out of the sink.  On a boat where water is a precious commodity, I deemed at that moment that we would be tea drinkers.  And tea drinkers we were, until now.

I get a lot of emails from marketing companies and such offering us free products, gizmos and/or offering payment in return for blogging about their resorts or companies.  Most of the time, I don't accept (when I do, I tell you).  If the company or product is not something I have had personal experience with or would use myself, I politely decline.  But when the folks at Aerobie contacted me about their AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker I thought twice before I said "no thanks" - and I am so glad I did.  This thing is the BOMB!  French press, move over!  The AreoPress is in town!

Long story short, I am now a coffee making fool.  If you pay us a visit these days, you get a cuppa joe made by yours truly - I love it that much.  My dad is particularly fond of this arrangement, being that he loves coffee and I now love to make it.  It's easy, it requires no power, it takes up hardly any space, and it's good.  Really good.  Perfect for the boat.

The Aeropress works similarly to a French Press, but without the mess.  You put the fine-ground coffee into the big plastic cylinder, set it atop a coffee mug, top off the plastic cylinder with boiling water, mix for 10 seconds and then push down the steaming contents with the plunger-type insert until you bottom out at the filter.  What results in the mug is one seriously tasty cup of coffee.  Depending on the coffee-to-water ratio, you can make espressos, lattes or whatever type of brew your heart desires.  The best part?  The used up coffee grounds just pop out of the bottom into a garbage can and one quick rinse later, you're good to go again.  It is so easy.  If my instructions baffle you, check out this Youtube Video on how to use it.

I can PROMISE you, this is one product that will make it on to the new boat.  As for my dad, he's now a total convert and has an AeroPress on order for his boat.  And now I have to run, dad is watching the olympics and has requested his "evening cup"!

(Note: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED)

And now for the giveaway! Aerobie will send an Aeropress to one of you fine followers!! Here's how you can register to win (c'mon you know the drill!):

1. Comment on this post telling me why you love coffee (you will notice I have removed captcha and made it easy for you!)
2. Share our blog with like-minded family and friends; you can do this one of two ways:
   1. Share us in your own blog in the form of a post or send a link to our blog in an email (make sure you copy us on the email so we know you did it and can enter you!)
   2. AND/OR Share our Facebook Page by clicking "SHARE" on the link to this post and commenting below it.(Don't forget to comment or else I might not see that you shared us!)

BONUS:  If you do all three (i.e. share by email, blog post and share our FB page, you will be entered three times and therefore increase your odds of winning!)

Once you do one of the above, you will be entered to win! I will draw the winner on Monday and I seriously cannot wait to get one of you guys this awesome coffeemaker - you will NOT be disappointed!

Happy Brewing!