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In daily life, Front Street often hears the saying, "For safety reasons, it is best not to use the Moka pot." Why is this?
Why is it not recommended to use a Moka pot?
Front Street understands that there are two main reasons why people think this way. First, the operation of the Moka pot is relatively difficult. If you want to make delicious coffee, you must not only control the grinding size, grinding strength, heating time, but also the heat, so it is not very friendly to novices. The second is the safety issue. There is no scale mark inside the Moka pot as a reference, so it is difficult to control the specific ratio. The quality of the brewed coffee will easily be unstable, leading to over-extraction of the coffee. Even if it is not operated properly, high-temperature hot water will splash out, causing burns.
However, in Front Street’s view, since this device has been circulating for hundreds of years, it shows that it can indeed be a good helper for our home coffee. As long as we master some details and parameters, I believe it is not difficult to make a cup of delicious coffee with a Moka pot. Let’s start by understanding the structure of a Moka pot.
Moka pots are generally made of aluminum alloy or stainless steel and are divided into three parts: an upper pot, a powder bowl, and a lower pot, connected by a conduit in the middle. The lower pot will be equipped with a pressure relief valve. When the pressure generated in the pot during the heating process is too high, the pressure relief valve will automatically release the pressure to avoid the risk of the pot body swelling and decomposing due to excessive pressure.
The working principle of the Moka Pot is that the pot is heated by placing it on a heat source, and the water in the bottom of the pot boils to produce steam. The steam pressure generated by the evaporation of water when it boils is used to push the hot water from the conduit through the bowl containing the coffee powder, and then filtered by the filter and flow into the upper pot.
No matter which brand or model of Moka pot you use, you need to pay attention to these details when using it! !
1. Before using a newly purchased Moka pot, you must try it at least twice. Do not drink the first two brewed coffees, which can effectively remove trace metals that may remain in the Moka pot making process.
2. The water level when adding water to the lower pot must not exceed the lower edge of the pressure relief valve.
3. After loading the coffee powder bowl into the Moka pot powder bowl, it is not advisable to compact the powder layer/if filter paper is used, its size cannot be larger than the surface of the coffee powder layer, otherwise it will easily cause too much pressure, causing steam to overflow, which may easily cause burns and the risk of the pot body decomposing.
4. After cleaning, the pot must be dried to avoid oxidation.
5. The maximum service life of the sealing ring under the upper pot should not exceed one year. If the frequency of use is high, it is recommended to replace it every six months. The function of the sealing ring is to strengthen the sealing of the upper and lower pots and avoid the risk of burns caused by steam leakage/water leakage.
6. When twisting the pot, try not to use the handle of the upper pot to exert force. This will cause the handle to loosen in the long run. Therefore, it is recommended that you tighten the Moka pot by rotating the lower pot. If the lower kettle is filled with hot water, remember to take insulation measures.
7. Aluminum alloy Moka pots are only suitable for electric ceramic stoves, open flames (gas stoves, gas stoves), and small electric appliances. Only stainless steel Moka pots can be heated with induction cookers and other heat sources.
8. If the brewed coffee flows into the upper pot in a splashing manner, it may be that: too much water has been added to the lower pot, covering the lower edge of the pressure relief valve; or the coffee powder is ground too coarsely, the powder tank is slightly filled, or the coffee powder is not added; or the heat is too high/the heat is removed too late during heating; it is also possible that the accessories in the pot are not fully installed/the accessories are installed incorrectly.
9. If the pot body leaks during the cooking process, it may be that the rubber ring is aging/the upper and lower pot bodies are not tightened; water leakage may also occur when trying a new pot, and it will usually disappear after 3-4 tries.
10. When the pressure relief valve blows air and makes a squealing sound during heating, it is because the coffee powder is ground too finely/too much coffee powder is added/the water exceeds the lower edge of the pressure relief valve, causing excessive pressure.
11. If the Moka pot cannot be unscrewed after making coffee, you can add some boiling water to the upper pot. After a minute or two/when the water in the pot is not so hot, pour out the water and take insulation measures before trying to unscrew it. If it really doesn't work, just ask for outside help. There will always be someone who can unscrew it haha~
12. The Moka pot cannot be placed in the dishwasher! Do not use corrosive solvents for immersion! !
13. For Moka pot coffee beans, it is recommended to give priority to medium to dark roasted types. We recommend the classic Italian blend of Front Street. This is a dark roasted coffee made from a combination of Brazilian semi-sun-dried, Indonesian Mandheling and Vietnamese washed coffee. In addition to the caramel flavor, the focus is on full oil, which can release rich golden oil and give the coffee a 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
