These eight-sided Italian wonder kettles represent an iconic, traditional brewing method. Moka pots uses steam pressure to force water up through coffee grounds and into a separate serving chamber.
These are classic, affordable, lightweight, and deliver a great cup of coffee in just a few minutes. The following tips will help you make the best Moka coffee, just remember not to let it over-brew on the hob!
Coffee:
The most important aspect of a good cup of coffee is the coffee itself. You didn’t see this one coming, did you? We like a roast that is rich in chocolate tones, or venture into single origins like a fruity Kenyan.
Grind:
This is the first mistake people often make and produce a lot of bitterness. The grounds should have a coarse consistency of sand, unlike the fine powdery grind used for an espresso. Burr coffee grinders are recommended to produce the right grind for the Moka pot.
Water:
Using pre-heated water will reduce the amount of time your Moka pot has to sit on the stove. This reduces the chances of accidentally “cooking” your grounds while the pot heats up, resulting in a cup that’s not as bitter!
Scale:
We normally always recommend you to use a scale to measure your coffee and water, which isn’t as important in this scenario. The measuring process is streamlined to begin with: simply fill the coffee basket with grounds and level it with a knife! Remember not to tamp down tightly, as this may give you an over-extracted, bitter brew.
It’s brew time:
You can leave the lid open to observe your coffee extracting. It should start appearing in the upper chamber after approximately 5 minutes on moderate heat — if using a 3 cup Moka. If the process happens too quickly, you are not using enough coffee or have extremely coarse sounds. If it’s too slow, you are using too much coffee or it’s ground too fine.
Time to remove:
As the upper chamber starts to fill up, remove the Moka pot from the heat and run it under cold water, or plunge it in an ice bath. This will stop the extraction process to get a sweeter, full-bodied brew.
A lot like latte:
if you’re in the mood for a latte, heat up some milk on the side and get a real coffee house taste by frothing it up using a French Press or steamer. This will give your milk a lovely rich head of foam. Pour a shot of your Moka into hot milk and enjoy a latte. You can even stir in a spoon of cocoa powder to make it more like a mocha. It’s all about experimenting and enjoying the process!
Keep it clean:
Cleaning the Moka pot is important, and you should consider deep cleaning the device by removing the gasket and filter to reach the inner part of the syphon often too. Leftovers of old, rancid coffee can lend a metallic, bitter taste to your brew.
Is a Moka pot right for you?
You might enjoy a Moka pot if you enjoy the science behind coffee making. It’s hands-on, and requires you to observe the process. You can change the variables (coffee, heat, brew time) and soon be brewing coffee exactly to your taste.
Did you know?
The term “stovetop espresso” is rather misleading. Moka pots technically aren’t the same as espresso, which is made by using a different brewing method with at least 9 bars of pressure, while Moka pots reach 1.5 bars.
