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7 Moka Pot Questions Answered
If you are new to this brewing coffee method, here are some of the most common Moka pot questions answered.
Published November 30, 2021
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Jennie Backteman
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
If you are new to this method of brewing coffee, making coffee in your Moka pot can be frustrating to start with, but it can also be a very rewarding method to master and get the hang of. Moka pots will brew a heavy-bodied, rich coffee that is both versatile and full of flavor. The coffee produced in a Moka pot can be enjoyed black, or you can combine it with hot water, milk, steamed milk, cream, and other options to create the perfect cup of coffee for you. And, once you have mastered how to use your Moka pot to get the best results, you can easily repeat the brew and get the same consistently great results every time. Whether you’ve had a Moka pot for a while and want to improve your brewing method or are considering investing in a Moka pot as your next kitchen accessory, here are some of the most common Moka pot questions answered.
Why Am I Brewing Bitter Coffee?
One of the most common problems that people face when brewing coffee in a Moka pot is coffee that tastes bitter. But the good news is that you don’t have to be frustrated by this since it is not a permanent problem, and there are a few things that you can do to improve the taste of your coffee and eliminate the bitterness from your next brew. Bitter coffee is mainly the result of either coffee that has been over extracted due to brewing for too long, or coffee beans that are stale, over-roasted, or simply low quality.
Assuming that you’re using high-quality and freshly-roasted coffee beans to brew coffee using your Moka pot, then the issue is likely to be that the coffee is over-extracted. Basically, this means that you are pulling too much from the grounds. The good news is that there are a few things that you can do to extract less from the grounds and avoid bitterness. These include:
- Go for a coarser grind: When the coffee beans are ground coarser, the water is not going to pull the flavors out as much compared to a finer grind, which should reduce the bitterness in your cup.
- Brew for a shorter period of time: Shorten the time that your coffee grounds are being heated in the Moka pot by brewing with pre-heated water.
Can You Make Espresso in a Moka Pot?
While Moka pots are often referred to as a ‘stovetop espresso maker’, it’s not a 100% accurate description. This is because true espresso is made by forcing hot water through very fine coffee grounds at around eight to ten bars of pressure. This can only be achieved with an espresso machine. In comparison, the Moka pot is capable of producing 1-2 bars of pressure. While the result is definitely similar to espresso, it simply does not use enough pressure to create the same kind of espresso that you would get from Starbucks or another coffee shop.
However, the coffee that you will get as a result of using your Moka pot will still have a heavy body and enough intensity to make similar drinks to those that you might make using espresso as the base like cappuccinos or lattes. However, you will need to invest in an actual espresso machine if you want to make true espresso at home.
How to Use a Cold Towel to Cool the Moka Pot
Most Moka pot brewing guides such as the Bialetti cappuccino maker instructions will recommend that you use a cold towel once the brewing process is complete to cool down the Moka pot rapidly. The reason for this is because a Moka pot is a large metal brewer that gets so hot it can actually impact the taste of your coffee even after the brewing process has finished. Applying a cold towel to the pot will quickly cut off the brewing process to avoid over-extraction of the coffee and prevents the pot from burning the liquid coffee inside and impacting the flavor. While it’s not an essential step in the process of making coffee in your Moka pot, it can be a useful step for reducing the risk of your coffee tasting bitter. Instead of using a cold towel, you can achieve the same effect by running the Moka pot under cool water after brewing.
What Temperature Water to Start With?
When using your Moka pot to brew coffee, one of the most common questions is which temperature of water you should start with. Using cold water in your Moka pot and leaving it to heat up on the stove will work, but this is a common mistake that can lead to over-extraction of the coffee grounds, resulting in a bitter cup of coffee. Because of this, it is recommended to start with hot, pre-boiled water in your Moka pot. Not only will this reduce the amount of time that you are waiting for your coffee to brew, but it will also ensure that the hot Moka pot doesn’t heat up so much that it burns the coffee grounds inside before the brewing process actually begins, which will lead to a nasty, bitter, and metallic taste in your cup.
Do The Coffee Grounds Need Tamping First?
If you have ever used an espresso machine to brew coffee, then you probably know that you will need to tamp the coffee grounds to ensure that they are perfectly even to avoid channeling, which is where the water extracts from some coffee grounds more than others as it flows through. However, doing this with the coffee grounds that you put into a Moka pot is going to lead to problems.
In an espresso machine, tamping the grounds is necessary, and it’s also safe since these machines are designed with lots of safety features that prevent the machine from exploding under too much pressure. If you have an espresso maker like the Cooks model or Forever coffee maker, tamping will be included in the Cooks espresso maker instructions. However, your Moka pot is not quite as durable. Even if there is a release valve, too much pressure in the pot could cause it to explode, which can lead to serious injuries from the hot water or flying pieces of metal. Even in the best case scenario where your Moka pot doesn’t literally blow up on the stove, it will only generate one to two bars of pressure while brewing, which simply isn’t enough pressure to force the water through fine coffee grounds that have been tightly packed.
What’s the Best Size Moka Pot to Get?
The size of your Moka pot can’t be adjusted, so if you are thinking about investing in a Moka pot for your home, the size is one of the most important considerations to make. You can usually get either three-cup or six-cup Moka pots, so choose the one that is best for you depending on requirements such as household size. When using a Moka pot, the general rule for Moka pot 6 cup instructions is to fill the pot with coffee and water to make a full pot, so the last thing that you need is a larger pot if you’re the only person who’s going to be drinking the coffee and you have a couple of cups per day. On the other hand, a smaller pot will be frustrating if you make several cups of coffee for your household daily. While it’s possible to use less water or coffee in your Moka pot, this is not advised since it makes over extraction much easier.
Can You Take a Moka Pot Camping?
If you enjoy traveling, being outdoors, and camping and want to make sure that you always have access to great coffee no matter where you are, the Moka pot is one of the few types of coffee brewers that is an ideal choice for camping and traveling. You can easily use a Moka pot to make a perfect cup of coffee using a portable camping stove, or even over your campfire. And if you like to camp with a group of people, you can use a larger Moka pot model that brews around twelve cups at a time to make perfect coffee for everybody in the morning on your outdoor adventure.
However, there are some disadvantages to consider if you are going to be using your Moka pot while camping. Firstly, bear in mind that compared to when you’re brewing coffee in your kitchen, getting everything precise is always going to be harder when you are outdoors, meaning that there’s a higher risk of the cup being unbalanced due to over- or under-extraction. Along with this, many Moka pot models are not lightweight or portable, meaning that they can be bulky to travel with. The good news is that since they’re so durable, you don’t have to worry about damage to them in your bag. Alternatively, the AeroPress works in a similar way to a Moka pot and is the best option for traveling and camping.
Whether you’re looking for your first coffee maker, or looking to brew coffee differently, a Moka pot is a great choice.
About the author
Jennie Backteman
I´m a ultramarathon runner, landscape designer and a coffee lover.
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