The Moka pot is a very convenient coffee brewing appliance. Compared with expensive and complicated espresso machines, after grinding the coffee beans into powder, you only need water and an open flame to brew a cup of coffee. Many friends have also come to Front Street to ask about the tips for using a Moka pot. Front Street will take the Bialetti double-valve Moka pot as an example to briefly talk about how to make delicious coffee.
Moka pot extraction principle
The world's first Moka pot was invented by Bialetti in 1933. It generates pressure through heating to quickly extract coffee substances. The pressure is about 1-2 bar. It can be said to be a small espresso machine. Because of its ease of use, almost every Italian household is equipped with one.
The Moka pot is divided into three parts: the upper pot, the powder trough, and the lower seat. They come in different sizes. The one used by Front Street Street is the Biloti three-portion single-valve Moka pot. The lower pot is a sink for water, the powder trough is for holding coffee powder, and the upper pot is for brewed coffee. When used, the water in the lower pot is heated to generate steam pressure, and the water for extracting coffee flows from the bottom up. When the pressure reaches a high enough level, it will be pushed upward. The hot water flows through the powder tank layer, and 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.
According to different structures and functions, Moka pots come in two types: single valve and double valve. A single valve means that the extracted coffee liquid flows directly from the small hole at the top. A double-valve Moka pot will add a pressure accumulation valve on the basis of the hollow conduit. During extraction, the small hole through which the coffee liquid comes out of the hollow tube is blocked, and a certain steam pressure is required to flush it upward. Therefore, a double-valve Moka pot with greater steam pressure can extract richer coffee oil and a richer flavor. However, an increase in pressure can easily cause the coffee to be over-extracted, so the grinding thickness and amount of coffee powder need to be adjusted.
Moka pot operation
The operation of using a Moka pot to extract coffee is not complicated. You only need to equip coffee beans, a grinder and a heated gas stove (or induction cooker).
First remove the base of the Moka pot, add water to the lower pot (hot water can shorten the brewing time), and control the water volume below the pressure relief valve line. The injection here on Front Street is 130ml. Pour the coffee powder with a grinding scale of EK-43s#3-3.5 into the powder trough, fill it to 90% full, smooth it with your fingers and put it into the base. Then tighten the upper pot and lower pot and heat them on a gas stove or induction cooker. When using an open flame, be careful not to 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 oil will slowly flow out. When you see that the pot of coffee is half full, you can turn off the heat source and move the pot to the table. Use the remaining temperature and pressure in the pot to continue extracting the remaining coffee liquid.
Finally, pour the extracted coffee liquid into the cup. The taste will be richer. When drinking, you can add water, milk and other accessories to adjust according to your own taste.
There are two conditions for Moka pot coffee to have oil. One is fresh medium to dark roasted coffee beans, and the other is that the extraction method requires pressure. Coffee beans will store a large amount of carbon dioxide when they are heated, which will be released when they encounter water during extraction. Therefore, the darker the roast, the more gas. At this time, light roast beans should be avoided first, because they cannot release too much oil. Home novices who want better value for money should give priority to the Front Street Italian Bean series, including Front Street Black Cocoa Blend, Front Street Classic Blend, Front Street Commercial Blend, and Front Street Premium Blend. They all use medium-dark roasting, with their own caramelized aroma, and the espresso they make is rich in oil.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Moka Pot
Undoubtedly, the biggest advantage of the Moka pot is that it is very convenient to use, compact in size, and relatively simple to operate. It only takes a few steps to extract fragrant coffee liquid. Moreover, the price is relatively close to the people, and it can be satisfied without the need for expensive grinding equipment.
Due to the limitations of the equipment, the flavor of the coffee in the cup will also be sacrificed. Commercial espresso machines in coffee shops need a minimum pressure of 9bar and a powder-to-liquid ratio of 1:2 to extract rich, delicate and thick coffee liquid. The maximum pressure of the Moka pot is only 2bar, and the ratio of powder to liquid is about 1:5. The overall concentration will be lower than that of espresso, and the taste is not as delicate as espresso. In addition, Moka pots can only visually observe the extraction situation, and cannot accurately control the quantitative changes of coffee. The flavor of coffee is not as rich as Pour over(V60) coffee.
Since most Moka pots are made of metal, the temperature of the pot body is extremely high when heated. Front Street reminds everyone to operate with caution to avoid burns. The Moka pot needs to be cleaned after use. Coffee grounds can easily clog the filter holes, and long-term accumulation can easily lead to failure in normal use.
Which coffee beans are suitable for brewing in a Moka pot?
Since the extraction forms of pressurized coffee and drip coffee are different, the coffee beans used should differ according to their characteristics. Imagine using the same light-roasted single-origin coffee beans. The Pour over(V60) method will show the sweet and sour aroma of flowers and fruits, while the supercharged coffee will show a stimulating and strong sour taste. Therefore, Front Street recommends using medium-to-dark roasted coffee beans for extraction.
Front Street Brazilian Queen Estate Coffee Beans
The coffee variety of Brazil's Queen's Manor is yellow bourbon, which is sweet and clean in nature. It uses the sun-dried method to present the sweet and sour taste of coffee beans, with good balance and tropical fruit aroma. Medium-dark roasting gives the coffee a mellow flavor of nuts and chocolate. The coffee extracted using supercharged extraction is mellow and full, with a long-lasting aroma of caramel.
Front Street Columbia Whelan Coffee Beans
Colombian coffee, which is world-famous for its soft taste and rich nutty chocolate richness, uses the high-quality Caturra variety produced in the well-known production area of Huilan. The unique microclimate creates the rich aroma of the coffee. Washed Whelan coffee has chocolate, caramel and smooth, pleasant fruit acid, making Moka pot coffee with a balanced and clean mellow taste.
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
