Both moka pots and espresso machines can brew espresso, but the gap between them is actually huge. Assuming you want espresso with rich oil, you need to choose an espresso machine with higher performance, because only this type of equipment can produce thicker coffee liquid to help us make richer fancy coffee, and the corresponding price of this type of coffee machine is also higher, at least several thousand yuan; if you want to make a cup of acceptable black coffee quickly and conveniently at home, then the Moka pot will be more suitable, because it is not only cheap, but also can provide good brewing effect, which is very suitable for friends who are just starting to make coffee.
moka potHow does it work?
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.
How to use an espresso machine?
Espresso machines provide a stronger brew than Moka pots, and they are more sophisticated coffee machines. Making an ideal cup of authentic espresso takes time and skill, which takes some practice to develop.
In fact, espresso does not boil coffee powder directly with water, nor does it mean that the extracted coffee is concentrated by heating. The production of espresso requires a special coffee machine, which is the espresso machine we see in coffee shops that can spray steam.
The extraction principle of an espresso machine is to generate steam by heating water in a boiler. Using the pressure of steam, 94 degrees Celsius hot water is quickly passed through extremely finely ground coffee powder at a pressure of 9-10 bar, and a honey-like yellow-brown coffee liquid is extracted, which is more delicate and thicker than Moka pot coffee to the naked eye.
The coffee liquid will appear brown-red in the early stages of extraction, with a concentrated and smooth texture. As the extraction time increases, the coffee liquid will turn golden yellow and then light golden yellow.
Teach you how to use a Moka pot to make coffee correctly?
First remove the base of the Moka pot and add warm water to the lower pot. This can shorten the brewing time and avoid the burnt and bitter taste caused by excessive heating of the coffee powder. The water volume is controlled below the pressure relief valve line. The safety valve prevents the coffee pot from exploding due to grinding of coffee powder that causes the extraction channel to become clogged. If the safety valve is submerged by water and the extraction channel is blocked, the consequences of an explosion in the high-temperature coffee pot will be disastrous.
To make moka pot coffee, we use Front Street Whelan coffee beans. This is a washed specialty coffee produced in Colombia. It is medium-dark roasted and has moderate fat and body during the extraction process. Not only can it be mixed with water to make an American style, but it can also be added with milk to make a rich latte.
To extract rich black coffee, the grinding degree must be finer than ordinary hand brewing and coarser than espresso coffee. If the grinding degree is too coarse, it will cause problems such as insufficient extraction and splashing. If the grinding degree is too fine, it will cause over-extraction, and the coffee will be burnt and bitter, making it difficult to drink. The Front Street store uses an EK-43s grinder with a scale of 3 thickness.
Pour the ground coffee powder into the grinder trough, fill it evenly, smooth it with your fingers and put it into the base. There is no need to press hard, as an air layer that is too tight can easily block the flow of water upwards, thus affecting extraction. If there is not enough coffee powder, the water in the lower pot will not be fully extracted when it enters the middle powder layer under the action of steam pressure, which will cause the upper pot to splash significantly.
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 upper pot of coffee liquid is half full, you can turn off the heat source, use a wet towel to move the pot to the table, and use the remaining temperature and pressure in the pot to continue extracting the remaining coffee liquid.
If we hear a whining sound while extracting, but the coffee liquid never overflows from the upper pot, it is likely that the liquid outlet is blocked. We should turn off the heat source first to avoid safety hazards caused by excessive pressure inside the empty boiler.
Finally, pour the extracted coffee liquid into the cup and taste it directly. The palate has rich dark chocolate, caramel, cream, and a slight sourness, with the aroma of roasted nuts. A certain proportion of hot water is added to give a balanced taste, and when paired with milk, it has the sweetness of creamy chocolate.
Finally, daily use of the Moka pot requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Front Street will clean the Moka pot in time after each use to avoid coffee grounds stains, which are prone to odor and burnt bitterness. If old coffee stains remain on the filter, gasket, and extraction channel, they may cause blockage and affect normal extraction.
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
