Both moka pots and espresso machines can brew strong coffee, but the difference between them is actually quite large. Assuming you want espresso with rich crema, you'll need to choose a higher-performance espresso machine, because only this type of equipment can produce thick coffee liquid to help us make richer fancy coffee drinks, and the corresponding price of such coffee machines is also higher, at least several thousand yuan; if you want to quickly and conveniently make a decent cup of black coffee at home, then a moka pot is more suitable, because it is not only cheap, but also provides a good brewing effect, very suitable for beginners just getting into coffee.

Moka PotHow does it work?

The moka pot consists of three parts: the upper chamber, the filter basket, and the base. It comes in different sizes, and Front Street Coffee uses a Bialetti three-cup single-valve moka pot. The lower chamber is the water reservoir, the filter basket is used to hold coffee grounds, and the upper chamber holds the brewed coffee. When in use, by heating the water in the lower chamber, steam pressure is generated, and the water for extracting coffee flows from bottom to top. When the pressure becomes high enough, it pushes upward, and hot water flows through the filter basket layer. The coffee grounds layer creates resistance to the water flow, and finally the hot water breaks through the resistance of the coffee grounds layer and rushes into the upper chamber as rich coffee liquid.

How to use an espresso machine?

Compared to a moka pot, espresso machines provide a stronger brew, and they are more complex coffee machines. Making an ideal authentic espresso takes time and skill, which requires some practice to develop.

Actually, espresso is not made by directly boiling coffee grounds in water, nor is it made by concentrating extracted coffee through heating. Making espresso requires a dedicated coffee machine — the espresso machine we see in coffee shops that can shoot out steam.

The extraction principle of an espresso machine is to heat the water in the boiler to generate steam. Using the pressure of the steam, 94°C hot water is rapidly passed through extremely finely ground coffee at 9-10 bar pressure, extracting a honey-like yellow-brown coffee liquid that is visibly finer and thicker than moka pot coffee.

The coffee liquid appears brownish-red in the early stage of extraction, with a smooth, concentrated texture. As extraction time increases, the coffee liquid gradually turns golden yellow, then light golden yellow.

Teaching you how to properly use a moka pot to make coffee?

Front Street Coffee first removes the base of the moka pot and adds warm water to the lower chamber, which can shorten the brewing time while avoiding the coffee grounds being heated too quickly and developing a burnt, bitter taste. The water level should be kept below the pressure relief valve line. The safety valve is there to prevent the extraction channel from being blocked due to coffee grounds being ground too fine, which could cause the moka pot to explode. If the safety valve is submerged in water and the extraction channel is blocked, the consequences of a high-temperature moka pot exploding are unimaginable.

To make moka pot coffee, Front Street Huilan coffee beans were used. This is a washed specialty coffee from the Colombia region, using a medium-dark roast. During extraction, it has moderate crema and body, and can not only be diluted with water to make an Americano, but also combined with milk to make a rich latte.

To extract a rich black coffee, the grind size should be finer than regular pour-over but coarser than espresso. If the grind is too coarse, it will lead to insufficient extraction and sputtering; if too fine, it will lead to over-extraction, with heavy burnt and bitter flavors that are hard to drink. Front Street shops use an EK-43s grinder with a setting of 3.

Pour the ground coffee into the filter basket, level and fill it, smooth it with your finger, and place it into the base. There is no need to tamp with force; an overly compacted layer can easily block the water flow from going up, thereby affecting extraction. If there is not enough coffee powder, when the water in the lower chamber enters the middle coffee layer under steam pressure, it cannot extract fully, which will cause significant sputtering from the upper chamber.

Next, screw the upper chamber tightly onto the lower chamber and place it on a gas stove or induction cooker to heat. When using an open flame, be careful to control the flame so it does not exceed the base of the moka pot. Wait for the moka pot to heat up. When you hear a hissing sound, turn to low heat, and the coffee liquid and crema will slowly flow out. When you see the coffee liquid in the upper chamber half full, you can turn off the heat source and use a wet towel to move the pot to the table, using the residual heat and pressure inside the pot to continue extracting the remaining coffee liquid.

If we hear a humming sound during extraction but the upper chamber never overflows with coffee liquid, it is very likely that the outlet is blocked. You should first turn off the heat source to avoid the internal pressure becoming too high from dry burning and causing a safety hazard from bursting.

Finally, pour the extracted coffee liquid into a cup and enjoy it directly. On the palate, there are rich dark chocolate, caramel, cream, and a slight acidity, with the aroma of roasted nuts. Adding a certain proportion of hot water presents a balanced taste, and pairing it with milk gives it the sweet fragrance of creamy chocolate.

Finally, daily use of a moka pot requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Front Street Coffee always cleans the moka pot promptly after each use to avoid leaving coffee residue stains, which can easily cause flavor transfer and burnt bitterness. If old coffee stains remain on the filter plate, gasket, or extraction channel, they may cause blockages and affect normal extraction.

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