Recently, a fan of Front Street has fallen in love with brewing coffee using a moka pot, especially enjoying a strong cup from the moka pot in the morning. However, this fan is unsure whether their method of using the moka pot is correct, so they asked Front Street to discuss this issue.

Front Street believes that as a standard household coffee device, the moka pot should not be bound by too many rigid standards. As long as a few main operating methods are followed, the rest can be freely adjusted according to one's own taste.

What is a moka pot?

A moka pot consists of three parts: the upper chamber, the filter basket, and the lower base. 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. The principle of coffee extraction in a moka pot is very simple: it uses the steam pressure generated in the lower chamber. When the steam pressure is strong enough to penetrate the coffee grounds, it pushes the hot water up to the upper chamber, brewing a rich and aromatic coffee.

Although its pressure (1.5-2 bar) is negligible compared to an espresso machine (9 bar), it can still extract coffee oils and produce a rich mouthfeel. Through the following images from Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), it can be seen at a glance, clearly showing its internal structure and the principle of coffee extraction.

Moka pots also come in single-valve and dual-valve versions, and dual-valve moka pots can produce more coffee oils than single-valve ones. Single-valve means the coffee liquid flows directly out through the two small holes at the top of the moka pot's hollow tube. Dual-valve means adding a pressure valve on top of the hollow tube; this pressure valve normally blocks the small hole in the hollow tube where the coffee liquid exits, and a certain steam pressure is required to push it upward and let the coffee liquid spray out. The coffee flavor brewed by single-valve and dual-valve models is also different: single-valve moka pots produce coffee with lower concentration and less oil, while dual-valve ones produce higher concentration and more oil.

The capacity of a moka pot is usually expressed in "cups" or "servings." Common specifications on the market include 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 servings. One cup of coffee requires about 30–40 ml of espresso. If it is for one or two people, you can choose a 1–2 cup specification, which is the smallest version; if you like to share with friends daily, you can choose a 3-serving size; if it is for family use and you can brew three or more cups each time, you can choose a large multi-serving model, and the corresponding price will be slightly higher.

First point: What coffee beans to use

What flavor the brewed coffee has is greatly related to what coffee beans you use. Front Street generally recommends using coffee beans with a medium roast or darker, because coffee brewed from beans roasted too light will be very sour and unpleasant to drink. Here, Front Street recommends a few coffee beans that Front Street has tried and found relatively tasty for reference. Everyone can place orders and purchase from the Front Street Tmall flagship store or the Front Street Taobao store.

The first type is Front Street Premium Blend coffee beans. This is an espresso blend made from Front Street Brazil semi-washed coffee and Front Street Colombia washed coffee. The brewed coffee has rich flavors of nuts, roasted peanuts, cocoa, cream, and caramel.

The second type is Brazil Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon. This coffee bean uses a medium roast, highlighting its very sweet sugarcane-like quality. It performs well whether drunk straight or made into milk coffee.

The third type is Indonesia PWN Golden Mandheling. Pawani Company's Golden Mandheling coffee beans are among the highest-quality coffee beans in Indonesia. They have the rich, full-bodied, and aromatic characteristics of Mandheling coffee, and are also very good in cleanliness. Suitable for people who are used to drinking bitter coffee.

Second point: Moka pot coffee grind size

One important thing in making moka pot coffee is the grind coarseness. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee liquid is likely to spray out; the lid on the moka pot also serves to prevent the coffee from spraying out and causing burns. If the grind is too fine, the coffee liquid will not easily penetrate the coffee bed and rise up, and the brewed coffee will be very burnt and bitter.

The particle size is about 0.3-0.55 mm. To the naked eye, the coffee grounds look similar in coarseness to those for an espresso machine, but in fact they are slightly coarser than those for an espresso machine.

Third point: Coffee-to-water ratio

Many friends ask Front Street how much water to put in a moka pot and how much coffee to add. Actually, this should not be asked to Front Street, but rather depends on how much water your pot can hold and how much coffee it can hold. When foreigners make moka pot coffee, they rarely measure precisely with a scale. This is because the lower chamber of the moka pot that holds water has a pressure relief valve, and as long as the water does not exceed that valve, it is fine. Generally, water is poured directly to below the pressure relief valve. The amount of coffee is also determined by the capacity of your filter basket. Be sure to fill the filter basket completely, with no gaps when not tamping.

When making moka pot coffee, the coffee grounds need to be tamped, which is quite different from an espresso machine.

Fourth point: When to turn off the heat

First, there are many ways to heat a moka pot. Common household appliances such as the electric ceramic stove and induction cooker that Front Street usually uses can come in handy. In addition, an open flame can also heat a moka pot, but Front Street needs to remind you to keep it on low heat throughout and remove it from the heat source immediately after the coffee liquid comes out to prevent burns.

When brewing with a moka pot, the heat should be even, and medium heat is best. When you hear a "woo woo woo" sound, you can open the lid to observe. When the first drop is about to spray out, you can turn off the heat. If you keep using high heat or wait until the coffee boils before turning off the heat, then this cup of coffee will most likely have a burnt taste.

Fifth point: Do you need to open the lid when brewing with a moka pot?

Some friends see in videos that people like to open the lid when brewing with a moka pot. Actually, this is to show the audience the state of the coffee liquid spraying out. In general, it can be left unopened. If you do not know when to turn off the heat, then you need to open the lid to observe the spraying state of the coffee liquid. Of course, if you keep the lid open all the time, the coffee liquid may splash out and burn your skin.

Value-for-money daily pour-over coffee bean recommendations: Front Street Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gudingding, Front Street Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Geisha coffee beans

Espresso coffee bean recommendations: Front Street Classic Blend, Strawberry Candy Espresso Blend

The above coffee beans are now available for purchase at the Tmall "Front Street Flagship Store." You can also find 60 kinds of single-origin pour-over coffee beans and espresso coffee beans from around the world there. Front Street coffee beans are freshly roasted and shipped within 24 hours.

Front Street Coffee single-origin coffee beans and espresso blend coffee beans are now available for purchase at the Tmall "Front Street Flagship Store," with 60 kinds of coffee beans from around the world, freshly roasted and shipped within 24H.

Tmall link: https://qianjieshipin.tmall.com

Or you can search directly on Taobao "Front Street Flagship Store"

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