Today, with espresso sweeping the globe, we are no strangers to espresso—even passersby can name Americano, Latte, and Cappuccino. But the moka pot is rarely used for commercial coffee output; it is mostly used at home, so many friends think the moka pot is not part of the Italian coffee system. Today, Front Street will guide everyone to understand this moka pot, which is common in Italian households.

Europeans do not call this pot a moka pot, but ratherEspresso Pot. From this name alone, the coffee made by the moka pot is trulyEspresso; it is just that its serving style appears too classical and plain. Some friends question it because it is not as high-tech as an espresso machine, and when served, you cannot see that thick layer of crema in the cup, so they conclude that the coffee it makes is notEspresso. But such doubts are not convincing.

The structural principle of the moka pot

The moka pot consists of three parts: the upper chamber, the filter basket, and the lower chamber. The lower chamber is the water reservoir, the filter basket is used to hold finely ground coffee, and the upper chamber is for collecting the extracted coffee.

If we first set the lower water reservoir aside, and use our hands to fix the filter basket to the bottom of the upper chamber of the moka pot, we will see more clearly how the extraction takes place.

First, the metal tube at the bottom of the filter basket and the metal tube in the center of the upper chamber are coaxial and of the same diameter. This design is to make the water flow in a straight line. When the water in the lower chamber reaches a certain temperature, driven by pressure, the hot water is pushed up through the metal tube at the bottom of the filter basket, passes through the coffee grounds in the basket, then is filtered by the mesh at the bottom of the upper chamber, and under pressure the coffee liquid bursts out from the central metal tube of the upper chamber. In principle, this completes one coffee extraction process.

Just from the safety valve device above the lower chamber, we can conclude that this pot is a pressure vessel. When the filter basket is correctly and firmly screwed from the upper chamber onto the lower chamber, and placed on a heat source to be heated, the hot water gains pressure. So we say that the entire extraction process is completed under pressure. And Espresso, whose original Latin meaning is“"placed under pressure," means that the brewing method of extracting coffee with hot water under pressure belongs to Espresso.EspressoIt is not only the name of this type of coffee, but also the name of this coffee extraction method. However, note that the pressure of a moka pot is generally around1.5-3bar, while the pressure of an espresso machine is9bar, so the coffee produced by the two is still quite different.

Coffee suitable for moka pots and grind fineness

For domestic coffee enthusiasts, beans are a very important factor—which region the coffee beans come from, what variety, what roast—they are very particular. But abroad, many channels for buying coffee beans (grounds) are supermarket shelves. They pay more attention to the coffee bean brand, the bean's scope of application, and the flavor.

In Italy, many brands sell coffee grounds specifically for moka pots. So returning to the question of what coffee beans to use for a moka pot: because domestic coffee development differs from Italy's, apart from some large shopping malls that sell imported coffee grounds, it is basically some domestic single-origin coffee brands.

Coffee beans suitable for moka pots generally require medium-dark roasting. Front Street recommends first trying Italian blend coffee beans, such as Front Street's Front Street Premium Blend, which blends Brazilian and Colombian coffee beans to produce a clean and balanced nutty chocolate flavor, suitable for espresso machines and moka pots. If you want to obtain coffee liquid rich in crema, Front Street Classic Blend coffee beans are recommended. This is a brand-new formula specifically for moka pots and espresso machines. The coffee made with a moka pot not only has a rich and mellow taste, but also, because of the abundant crema, makes Americano and Latte exhibit a delightful coffee aroma.

Grind fineness:

The particle size is about0.3-0.55mm. You can measure it in two ways. The first is to buy a particle size ruler or refer to moka-specific grounds; the second is through continuous adjustment—generally not many times, about3-5tests will basically let you figure it out. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee liquid will spurt out quickly, possibly even like a fountain. If the grind is too fine, you will hear the bubbling sound of water boiling, and if the coffee liquid still has not come up, then it is too fine. It is recommended that you turn off the heat quickly. Remember to take safety precautions when doing such adjustments.

How to use a moka pot

1)Pour hot water into the lower chamber of the moka pot; the water level must not exceed the lower edge of the safety valve. The safety valve is the maximum water level limit for each moka pot.

Cold water is not recommended, as this will increase the time the water soaks the coffee grounds, making the extracted coffee burnt, bitter, and cloudy.

2)Add grounds. This step is one of the important elements affecting the coffee's serving result(water amount, adding grounds, extraction timing).

Many friends make obvious mistakes in this step, summarized as follows:

a. Insufficient amount of grounds. If you choose the maximum water level in the lower chamber, then your grounds must also completely fill the filter basket. Otherwise, as the amount of coffee grounds becomes insufficient, the coffee's taste will gradually become weaker.

b. Using a tamper to press the grounds. Many friends borrow an espresso-machine-specific tamper to press the moka filter basket. This is a laborious but unhelpful move. If it is pressed too tightly and the coffee grounds are too fine, the coffee will be very difficult to draw up. So the key to filling the moka pot with grounds is: fill it as much as possible rather than pressing it tight. You can add grounds in batches, tapping the edge of the filter basket with your hand so that it fills as much as possible without leaving gaps.

After the coffee grounds are filled, you can tap the filter basket vertically against the table a few times to ensure that the coffee grounds can fully fill and compact.

3)After correctly placing the filter basket on the lower chamber, screw the upper chamber tightly onto the lower chamber. For safety and to prevent air leaks, it can be tightened slightly more than usual.

4) Place the correctly assembled moka pot on a heat source to heat. For easier observation, Front Street recommends brewing the moka pot with the upper lid open.

Soon the coffee liquid overflows from the central metal column of the upper chamber.

As extraction continues, the coffee liquid level will gradually rise. When crema appears on the surface, please be alert that the coffee extraction is nearing its end. When the color of the crema changes from dark to light, the heat source should be cut off immediately to stop extraction; otherwise the coffee will be in an over-extracted state.

In particular, do not stop only after the"bubbling" sound appears. Such coffee may even have a burnt rubber taste.

6)If conditions permit, friends can prepare a towel soaked in cold water beforehand and place it beside the heat source. When step five is finished, place the moka pot on the cold towel. This will greatly reduce the possibility of over-extraction.

Precautions for moka pots

1. The sealing gasket under the upper chamber of the moka pot must not be used for longer than one year; pay attention to replacing it. This is somewhat like the rubber sealing ring of a pressure cooker. If not replaced in time, poor sealing and air leakage will occur.

2. If the pressure relief valve of the lower chamber releases air or leaks water when making coffee with the moka pot, the thin metal sheet in the middle of the pressure relief valve needs to be replaced in time; otherwise the moka pot will greatly lose pressure.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.