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The Moka pot is probably the easiest and cheapest appliance to make espresso. For players who like espresso but are not yet into semi-automatic coffee machines, the Moka pot is a good choice. Although it is said to be a coffee appliance that every Italian aunt will use, it is easy to put down, and you still need to understand its basic knowledge, so today Front Street will take you into the interesting world of this appliance.
For people who are interested in specialty coffee in China, beans are a very important factor. Which coffee beans are produced in which area, what variety, and how roasted are very particular. However, many people abroad buy coffee beans (powder) from supermarket shelves, because they pay more attention to the brand of coffee beans, the scope of application of the beans, and the flavor.
The Moka pot is divided into three parts: the upper pot, the powder trough, and the lower seat, which are available in different sizes. The lower pot is a sink that holds water, the powder trough is used to hold coffee powder, and the upper pot is used to hold brewed coffee. The principle of the Moka pot is actually very simple. When used, the water in the lower pot is heated to generate steam pressure. The water for extracting coffee flows from bottom to top. When the pressure reaches a high enough level, it will move upward. The hot water flows through the powder tank layer. The coffee powder layer forms a resistance that hinders the flow of water. Finally, the hot water breaks through the resistance of the coffee powder layer and pours into the upper pot, which is a rich coffee liquid.
Because the Moka pot is a pressurized extraction method with high temperature and fast extraction speed,If you want to make coffee with moderate oil and mellow flavor, you must give priority to using fresh medium-dark roasted coffee beans. We recommend Front Street Classic Italian Blend Coffee Beans (traditional mamba recipe, delicate and full fat), Front Street Commercial Blend Coffee Beans (same raw materials as the coffee shop, rich in fat), and Front Street Boutique Blend Coffee Beans (prominent caramel aroma and obvious sweet aftertaste).. In order to allow everyone to achieve the freedom of good coffee, Front Street promises that each package of coffee beans will be roasted within 5 days, so that all customers will receive it in the freshest state and can easily make delicious Moka pot coffee.
Of course, if you really can't figure out the grinding degree, or if you don't have the equipment to grind coffee beans at home, Front Street will provide you with grinding of your own coffee beans. However, it should be noted that if the coffee beans are ground into powder in advance, the aroma will dissipate more quickly, and the coffee oil produced by the Moka pot will also be greatly reduced. Therefore, it is recommended to buy your own grinder. Freshly ground and brewed coffee has the best effect.
After trying Front Street once, I found that it is quite practical. The coffee oil is also very rich. The extracted powder is strong and does not have holes. You can try to imitate it.
The fourth question, how to check the water volume?
Compared with other brewing methods, the water-to-powder ratio of the Moka pot does not have high requirements. Generally, the water level is required to be controlled at 0.5cm under the pressure relief valve (safety valve). I have measured it before. When water is added to 0.5cm below the pressure relief valve, it is about 100g. When the coffee powder trough is paved, it is 20g. In this way, the powder-to-liquid ratio will be 1:5. But if we only want to make "half a cup of coffee" at a time, then the amount of powder and water must be appropriately reduced. For example, add 15 grams of coffee powder, and according to the liquid separation ratio of 1:5, the water poured in should be 60g, which is 1cm below the pressure relief valve.
Note that if the amount of powder we add is relatively small, it will easily cause splashing when the Moka pot boils. Therefore, after pouring the coffee powder into the powder trough, tap it gently from left to right to let the fluffy coffee powder naturally fall down and make the particles closely connected. Then find a small spoon and use the back to gently "press" the powder layer until the powder layer is completely thin to half.
Regarding the issue of adding water, using cold water will increase the soaking time of the coffee powder, making the coffee over-extracted and bitter. Therefore, Front Street recommends using hot water, which can also shorten the extraction time.
Finally, for safety reasons, Front Street would like to say one more thing: Since most Moka pots are designed with a metal shell and have high thermal conductivity, try not to touch the pot body after heating. Remember to take heat insulation measures. You can use a wet towel to avoid burns. If we hear a whining sound, but the coffee liquid never overflows from the pot, it is likely that the liquid outlet is blocked. We should turn off the heat source first to avoid excessive internal pressure and causing a safety hazard.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
