Today, Front Street is here to introduce you to this moka pot that is popular in Italian households.

Europeans don't call this pot a moka pot, but rather an Espresso Pot. From this name alone, the coffee made by the moka pot is truly Espresso, though its output format seems overly classic and simple. Some friends question it because it isn't as high-tech as an espresso machine, and when pouring, you don't see that thick layer of crema in the cup, so they conclude that the coffee it makes isn't Espresso. But such doubts are unconvincing.

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 tank for holding water, the filter basket is for holding the finer-ground coffee powder. The upper chamber is for collecting the extracted coffee liquid.

If we first set the lower water tank aside and use our hands to secure the filter basket to the bottom of the upper chamber of the moka pot, we can see more clearly how it is extracted.

First, the metal tube at the tail of the filter basket and the metal tube in the center of the upper chamber are coaxial with 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 tail of the filter basket, passes through the coffee powder in the filter basket, and after being filtered by the mesh at the bottom of the upper chamber, the coffee liquid rushes out from the central metal tube of the upper chamber under pressure. In this way, a coffee extraction process is completed in principle.

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 onto the lower chamber from the upper chamber and placed on a heat source to be heated, the hot water gains pressure. So we say the entire extraction process is completed under pressure. Espresso, in its original Latin meaning, is "placed under pressure," meaning that the method of extracting coffee with hot water under pressure is Espresso. Espresso is not only the name of this type of coffee, but also the name of this extraction method. However, note that the pressure of a moka pot is generally around 1.5-3 bar, while the pressure of an espresso machine is 9 bar, so the coffee produced by the two is still quite different.

Suitable coffee and grind fineness for the moka pot

For domestic coffee enthusiasts, the beans are a very important factor—which region's coffee beans, what variety, what roast, all very particular. But abroad, many channels for purchasing coffee beans (grounds) are supermarket shelves. They place more emphasis on the coffee bean brand, the bean's scope of application, and flavor.

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

The coffee beans suitable for the moka pot generally require a medium-dark roast. 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 recipe specifically for moka pots and espresso machines. The coffee made with the moka pot not only has a rich and mellow taste, but also, because of the abundant crema, makes Americanos and lattes express a delightful coffee aroma.

Grind fineness:

The particle size is about 0.3-0.55mm. You can have two ways to measure it. The first is to buy a particle size ruler or refer to moka-specific grounds; the second is through constant adjustment, which generally won't take many times—after 3-5 tests you can basically figure it out. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee liquid will quickly spurt out, and it might even be like a fountain. If the grind is too fine, you hear the humming sound of water boiling but the coffee liquid hasn't come up yet, then it's too fine, and it's recommended to turn off the heat quickly. Remember to take safety precautions when doing such adjustments.

How to use the 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 every moka pot.

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

2) Fill the grounds. This step is one of the important elements affecting the coffee output (water amount, ground filling, 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 should also completely fill the filter basket. Otherwise, as the amount of coffee grounds is 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, which is a thankless action. If pressed too tightly and the coffee grounds are too fine, it will be very difficult for the coffee to be drawn up. So the key to filling the moka pot with grounds is: fill as much as possible rather than press tightly. You can add grounds in batches, tapping the edge of the filter basket with your hand so they spread as much as possible without leaving gaps.

After the coffee grounds are filled, you can gently tap the filter basket vertically against the table a few times to ensure 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, you can tighten it slightly beyond.

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.

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

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

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

Precautions for the moka pot

1. The sealing rubber ring under the upper chamber of the moka pot should not be used for more than one year at most; be careful to replace it. This is somewhat like the rubber sealing ring of a pressure cooker. If not replaced in time, it will lead to poor sealing and air leakage.

2. If during use of the moka pot, the lower chamber's pressure relief valve releases air or leaks water, the thin metal plate 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.