In the right hands, this little gadget can produce some of the best-tasting coffee around. It’s more versatile than most people give it credit for and is a unique way to enjoy one of our favorite beverages, coffee.
Steeped in tradition, you’ll feel like an Italian barista in no time with the proper technique and spot-on timing. Using simple science, you can turn a pile of coffee grounds into a cup of rich flavored, full-bodied, velvety smooth Italian coffee.
Thirsty yet?
What Is A Moka Pot?
A Moka pot is an inexpensive way to brew strong coffee. What makes a Moka pot unique is that it uses steam pressure to brew your favorite coffee grounds, while a drip machine uses a steeping method. Moka pots are inexpensive and come in a variety of sizes. They are perfect for coffee drinkers who like rich flavors and concentrated coffee-to-water ratios.
History Of The Moka Pot
If you’re talking about a Moka pot, chances are you’re referring to a Bialetti Moka Express 6-Cup Moka Pot. This is the industry standard and the inventor of the Moka pot.
It was created by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and has sold over 300 million units to date—give or take a few. The name derives from a small town in Yemen, but the roots of Moka pot brewing run deep in Southern Italy. Found in most households, this is still the preferred method of brewing to this day.
Moka Pot Coffee Taste Profile
Italians love a rich and complex flavor to their coffee, which a Moka pot provides. It’s a great way to get espresso-like coffee without having to buy an elaborate espresso maker or fork up a few dollars at your local coffee shop every time.
Of course, you can control the flavor a bit by choosing different coffee beans, but this is built for a hearty dark roast that is coarsely ground.
Barista Tip: Many accuse the Moka pot of producing bitter coffee, but that’s due to inexperience. Bitter coffee comes from being on the heat too long. Avoid this by preheating your water BEFORE filling your Moka pot. This will shorten the time it takes to build up pressure and prevent any bitterness from developing.
Things You’ll Need To Brew With A Moka Pot
The beauty of the Moka pot is in its simplicity; you need only the bare essentials to make a great cup of coffee.
Moka Pot
This may go without saying, but there are many types and sizes of Moka pots to choose from. Start with the original all-aluminum 6-cup design to pay tribute to Mr. Bialetti at first, but other design options may suit your preferred heat source better. For example, induction stoves get hot fast and are better suited for Moka pots with stainless steel bottoms.
Water
Simple filtered water is best here. Distilled water is not recommended as it’s capable of causing corrosion in your Moka pot. If your tap water is drinkable, that will work just fine as well.
Coffee
Choose a dark roast or something full-bodied as your first choice. The unique pressure brewing process will provide a robust and espresso-like coffee that is great for sipping. Keep your coffee at a medium grind level or a slightly finer grind size. Don’t go all the way to espresso grind because the ground coffee could clog your filter and build up a dangerous level of pressure.
Heat Source
Maintaining moderate heat is the priority here, and that can be hard to do on an induction stove and even some electric stoves. Your conductor of heat should slowly build pressure in your Moka pot, and then once you see coffee start to exit the top spout, close the lid and use the residual heat to finish brewing.
The Best Coffee Beans To Use In A Moka Pot
Traditionally, a dark roast coffee is ideal for Moka pots since they are made to produce intense coffee without all the hassle of an espresso machine. You can also use a medium roast, but I would stay away from lightly roasted coffee. Your final product will be lackluster in flavor, and you’ll strip away all the more subtle notes that light roast coffee is known for.
Step-By-Step Brewing
Take a screenshot of this, so you always have it handy for the first few times you use your Moka pot. After a while, it will be second nature, and you’ll be producing delicious coffee with your eyes closed.
1. Heat Your Water
Use medium heat to get your water to a pre-boiling state, or let it come to a boil and then cool off for just a minute. This is the number one mistake that Moka pot rookies make because using cold, or room temperature water in your Moka pot will increase your chance of brewing bitter-tasting coffee drinks.
2. Grind And Insert Coffee
Once you’ve chosen your favorite dark roast coffee, use a slightly coarser grind than you would for espresso and fill your filter basket. Do not tamp because you want the water to pass through your filter screen and coffee freely.
3. Fill Base Chamber
Use your preheated water to fill the water chamber up to the bottom of the little emergency release valve. Every Moka pot has one, and hopefully, you’ll never need it, but it’s also used to determine the optimal water level.
4. Piece Together Your Moka Pot
Now the real fun begins. Carefully place your filter basket with coffee grounds in the base of the Moka pot on top of the water. Next, using a towel or oven mitt, hold the base while you screw the top on. Once it’s all together, use the handle to place it on your heating source.
5. Let It Do Its Thing
This is where the Moka pot magic happens. As the water evaporates, it creates steam which forces the water through the coffee and into the upper chamber. Always perform this step with the lid open. As soon as you see a break in the stream of coffee, close the lid and remove it from the heat.
6. Cool Down
This is a crucial step that can get overlooked since you’re so close to your fresh coffee now but make sure you run the water chamber under cold water immediately. This stops the steam and will prevent bitterness in your final product.
7. Enjoy
Pour in your favorite mug and enjoy as is, or heat some milk, hand froth it in your french press, and enjoy a Moka pot latte.
To Sum Up
A Moka pot doesn’t have to be your go-to resource for making coffee, but it deserves a spot in every kitchen. It makes a perfect gift for any coffee lover and opens a lot of doors to other coffee drinks. My favorite part is that you really get to taste all the subtle notes of your beans with this method of brewing coffee. With its affordable price tag, it’s hard to resist a good old-fashioned aluminum coffee maker.
