The use of a Moka pot is very simple, but the brewing process can still be bitter, overly strong, and lacking in flavor from time to time. Today we share some tips on how to use a Moka pot, hoping that Moka pot players can make delicious espresso black coffee at home.
Let’s think about it from bean selection to brewing to tasting
1. Use medium-dark roasted coffee beans - drink more mellow flavor
Since the water temperature when brewing in a Moka pot is high and there is pressure at the same time, if you use ordinary light roasted coffee beans, the coffee will not only lack oil and have a weak aroma, but the concentrated taste extracted will also be extremely sour and have a thin body.
So if you want to make delicious Moka pot coffee, we recommend giving priority to the medium-dark roasted Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling (herbs, spices), Front Street Brazilian Queen's Estate (roasted nuts, cream chocolate), Front Street Colombian Cymbidium (dark chocolate, cocoa), and Front Street 2013 Yunnan Tiepica (chocolate, brown sugar). The Moka pot coffee made from these coffee beans has a richer caramel aroma and oily feel.while drinkingEither add water or milk.
2. Fill in enough powder to avoid imperfect smell
Generally, the powder filling for a Moka pot is to scoop the coffee powder into the bean trough with a spoon, but there is actually a lot of space in the bean trough. We will first use the empty powder trough to directly fill the coffee beans that have not yet been ground, then grind them when they are full, and then try to put all the coffee beans into the powder trough.
The simplest method is to put a clean cloth on the table and tap the base of the Moka pot vertically. The upper coffee powder will collapse to make more space for you to put the remaining powder in. Filling the powder tank will help to keep the density in the powder tank close, so that some powders will not be extracted too much and some powders will be extracted too little, resulting in uneven flavor or bitterness, and the flavor will not be too flawed.
3. Test of grinding degree - first grasp the limit of bitterness and then push back to the safe grinding degree
Grinding degree is a favorite question everyone asks, what is the appropriate thickness? What grinding size do I need to use my grinder? However, there are hundreds of grinders, and even those with the same model and scale may not necessarily produce the same grinding thickness. It is useless to give a standard answer. It is recommended that you test a few grinding degrees at the beginning to find a rough range, and then make fine adjustments according to the taste each time you brew.
What about concentration? Due to the design of the Moka pot, high temperature + a little pressure will make the flavor richer. It is normal for people who are used to drinking Pour over(V60) drinks to find it too strong. Therefore, it is recommended that you adjust the density by adding water or milk after cooking, instead of adjusting the coarse grinding degree easily, otherwise the flavor will be insufficient, which would be a pity.
4. Use filter paper to create a clear taste
The coffee brewed by the Moka pot usually contains a small amount of fine powder, and it will feel a little gritty when you drink it at the bottom. Some people don't like this taste. You can also use filter paper to extract it together. For filter paper, you can buy round filter paper (or pill-shaped filter paper) sold on the market, or you can cut your own hand-washed filter paper and use it. The effect is very good.
After loading the coffee powder into the powder trough, you can place the filter paper on the coffee powder or stick it to the bottom of the pot. The brewed coffee will be filtered by the filter paper, which can effectively make the taste clear and the taste will be very different. In addition, if you want to make small adjustments to the brewed acidity, using two layers of filter paper can slightly reduce the sourness and turn it into a thicker taste. It is also very convenient and simple to apply.
5. When it is almost boiling, turn down the heat and turn off the heat when the coffee is halfway up the pot - to avoid bitterness.
After spreading the powder, locking the Moka pot and putting it on, of course you have to start heating and brewing. In fact, whether it is brewed with hot or cold water, the Moka pot is quite fast. It is recommended that you don't run around and pay attention to the Moka pot. Only by controlling the fire can you drink better. The key is that when the temperature of the Moka pot is about the same, it will make a clear sound. At this time, you can turn down the heat and don't let it heat up too fast. The slow rise in temperature will allow the water and coffee powder in the pot to have enough extraction time, so that the flavor will be sufficient.
Raising the temperature too quickly means adding water too quickly, which can easily break up the powder layer and cause uneven extraction, making it unpalatable. In addition, when the coffee in the pot is halfway out, you can prepare to turn off the heat. The pressure in the pot will increase in the second half of brewing. Use the residual heat to complete the brewing.
6. Moderate hydration - blend to create the perfect concentration
The last thing I want to remind everyone is: Moka pot is basically on the strong side, so it is more comfortable to drink when replenishing water. For example, the powder trough is filled with about 20g of coffee powder, and the lower pot is filled with about 200ml of water. The actual amount of coffee poured out is about 160ml, which means the ratio of powder to water is about 20:160=1:8, and the concentration is quite high.
The concentration that Chinese people are accustomed to drinking is about 1:12-1:15. It can be seen that the concentration of the Moka pot is on the high side. Therefore, add an appropriate amount of water and adjust the concentration to your favorite flavor. This is a truly comfortable way to drink it, instead of forcing yourself to drink strong coffee. The good flavor in coffee will not disappear just because you add water. On the contrary, the right intensity can allow you to drink more exquisite and good taste. when usingMoka Pot Extract Selected ItemsWhen the coffee beans from Queen's Manor on Front Street are concentrated, it smells of roasted peanuts and butter cookies. After adding hot water, the coffee turns into a rich aroma of roasted nuts, chocolate, and cocoa.
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
