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Is it possible to achieve better coffee with a Moka Pot;

08/05/2019
by coffees.gr

Although in several homes, several cafes complain about the quality of their Moka Pot coffee. Are there ways to improve it?

The Moka Pot is a popular alternative when there is no espresso machine available. With its roots in interwar Italy and being a particularly stylish design object, the espresso coffee maker is an emblematic coffee appliance that we all, more or less, use. However, like every coffee appliance, it has its little "secrets", however simple its function is. In what ways can we improve the coffee that produces a moka pot?

Initially, it is important to know that coffee produced with a Moka Pot can not be described as espresso. The official, Italian espresso definition specifies that the pressure to be produced by the machine, in order to extract the coffee correctly and can be called espresso, is 9 bar, while the espresso coffee pots create a pressure not exceeding 1.5 bar. The main loss, instantly perceived in the cup, concerns the absence of crema, which is one of the characteristics of espresso. Although there are modern Moka Pot models have a special valve that can significantly increase the pressure, in general the coffee produced from a coffee pot espresso will be always different from the original espresso, produced by the relative machine.

However, there is an easy way to improve the taste and texture of the coffee we prepare in an espresso coffee maker. By following a few simple tips, we can make the most of the possibilities offered by this simple machine, resulting in a better cup of coffee!

 

Is it possible to achieve better coffee with a Moka Pot?

 

Pay attention the the grinding: The coffee used in your Moka Pot should be a little coarser than the grinding for espresso machines in order to extract the coffee properly. It goes without saying that freshly ground coffee always has a better flavor than the packed coffee. Since different pliers may require little different grinding, experimentation is one way to learn your machine. For these reasons, a grinding mill will solve your hands in order to get better coffee in your moka pot.

Use hot water: The water used is good to be hot, although many Moka Pot friends support the opposite. Generally, if you use cold water, the end result will begin to bitter strongly, while hot water reduces the time coffees stays  on the machine, resulting in a better result. Ideally, do not use boiling water, but we care for our water to have a temperature of 70-75 degrees Celsius before putting your moka pot in the kitchen stove.

Always keep your moka pot clean: A popular urban myth claims Moka Pots produce more delicious coffee over time and that Italians traditionally never clean them, adding extra flavor to their coffee. Of course, our Moka Pot should be thoroughly cleaned after each use, using water and soap, to avoid the coffee residue that will make our cup bitter. Still, it is good to periodically desalinate our briquette as, like any metallic device that comes in contact with water, it tends to accumulate salt.

Choose the suitable coffee: As we have already explained, it is impossible to have perfect crema using a Moka Pot, but the coffee you choose can help in this direction. Robusta-rich blends generally produce more cream than Arabica's blends, so choosing a blend of 60% and more on Robusta, is more likely to have some weak crema in your espresso - although nothing can to replace the espresso machine in this area.

Pay attention in how to fill the basket: Unlike espresso machines, where tamping, compression of ground coffee is critical to the final result, this rule does not apply in moka pots! In order for your coffee to be extracted properly, yousimply have to place it, applying gentle pressure and straightening it with your finger, so that it does not overflow. More tamping will not just offer something, but instead will negatively affect extraction.

 

The "tricks" we can do with a moka pot do not stop here: there are online Moka Pot fanatic communities sharing tips and videos to get the coffee that comes out of the briquette to be tastier or closer to espresso - the moka pot can become a very interesting hobby. Besides, everything is done for good coffee!