I've been going back and forth between a French Press and an AeroPress for a few weeks now and I can't achieve a great flavor with it yet. I'm pretty sure that I just need to spend more time experimenting so I'd like to ask the community for some advice.
What is the optimal timing for an inverted AeroPress with fine ground coffee?
I typically aim to finish plunging at 2:30, using a fine grind and 200F water. But I'm always experimenting when it comes to the Aeropress, and would probably have a different answer in a month.
I found it helpful when I first started with the Aeropress to try out some of the recipes from the World Aeropress Championships.
Actually the answer will be completely dependent on the coffee you're using, how finely it's ground, and how dark it's roasted. I read on a roaster's site (I'll try to find the reference) that acidic flavors come out first, sweet compounds second, and bitter flavors last when brewing. The trick is to stop the extraction before you get the bitter flavors. Hotter water and finer grounds will extract faster. Darker roasts will tend to be more harshly flavored than lighter roasts and a fine ground dark bean with very hot water might be undrinkable.
I would definitely experiment with your coffee. 200F water is a bit on the hot side, 190-195 is a more common recommendation. With that temperature, start with 30 seconds, next try 1 minute and so on until you find the "sweet spot" so to speak. There will definitely be a difference in the taste. The World Aeropress Championships site is a good start but modifying their methods to suit your taste is easy with an AeroPress. I see you're already using the inverted method which will very definitely allow you to vary the timing. Good luck!
