How to Make Moka Pot Coffee, What Coffee is Suitable for Moka Pot, and How to Choose Moka Pot Coffee Beans

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How can you extract espresso at home without an espresso machine? Many friends have asked FrontStreet Coffee. Yes! The handsome-looking Moka pot is perfect for this. The Moka pot generates pressure through high-temperature brewing, using the siphon principle to draw water from the lower chamber to the upper chamber. Due to its design, the Moka pot brews a small amount of coffee each time, and through siphoning, water cannot completely pass through the coffee grounds, resulting in quite concentrated extracted coffee.

Components of the Moka Pot

The Moka pot consists of three parts: the upper chamber, the coffee filter basket, and the lower chamber. The lower chamber is the water reservoir, the filter basket holds finely ground coffee powder, and the upper chamber collects the extracted coffee liquid.

Moka Pot Extraction Principle

The principle of Moka pot coffee extraction is quite simple: it utilizes the steam pressure generated in the lower chamber. When the steam pressure becomes strong enough to penetrate the coffee grounds, it pushes hot water up to the upper chamber, brewing rich, aromatic coffee. Using the vapor pressure of boiling hot water to extract coffee with flavors close to espresso is what FrontStreet Coffee considers the charming characteristic of the Moka pot.

So how should we use a Moka pot to extract a perfect espresso for milk-based coffee? FrontStreet Coffee's approach is:

1. First, determine the amount of coffee grounds. Grind to a fine espresso setting, level it after tamping, and see how many grams it weighs.

2. Determine the water amount. The water volume in the lower chamber is initially difficult to determine, so you can only estimate the coffee liquid yield through trial and error. For example, FrontStreet Coffee uses 20g of coffee grounds and wants to make espresso with a 1:1.8 coffee-to-water ratio, which means using 36g of water. During the first test, use the Moka pot's recommended water amount to brew a pot and see how much coffee liquid is actually produced. If 100g of water yields 60g of coffee liquid, but we only want 36g, then for the next brew, we only need to use 100-(60-36)=76g of water.

3. Fine-tune the grind size. The ideal extraction state is when coffee liquid flows slowly, the pressure relief valve slightly releases steam, but there's no whistling sound. If the coffee liquid flows too quickly and the pressure relief valve doesn't release steam, the grind is too coarse. If the coffee liquid flows slowly and the pressure relief valve whistles and releases steam, the grind is too fine.

4. Timing for removing from heat. Turn off the heat when the extraction is stable (when the liquid from both sides has formed a circle at the bottom). Pour it out promptly before small bubbles turn into larger ones. The longer you wait, the stronger the burnt taste becomes, and the crema will be dissipated.

How FrontStreet Coffee Uses a Moka Pot to Extract Espresso

For this demonstration, FrontStreet Coffee uses Brazil Queen Estate coffee beans, which have rich nutty and cocoa aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee - Brazil Queen Estate Coffee Beans

Region: São Paulo State, Brazil

Estate: Queen Estate

Altitude: 1400-1950m

Variety: Yellow Bourbon

Processing Method: Pulped Natural/Natural

1. Pour purified water into the lower chamber of the Moka pot, with the water level about 0.5cm below the pressure relief valve.

2. Choose a grind size slightly coarser than espresso. Gently tap to distribute the coffee grounds evenly, and level the coffee surface through distribution when the grounds form a small mound.

3. Place the filter basket in the lower chamber, tighten the upper and lower parts of the Moka pot, and place it on an electric ceramic stove/stovetop over high heat. When the coffee liquid in the upper chamber reaches halfway, turn off the heat. The residual heat and pressure of the Moka pot will "push" the remaining coffee liquid into the upper chamber.

4. When all the coffee liquid has been extracted into the upper chamber, you can pour it into a cup to enjoy. Coffee extracted with a Moka pot is very concentrated and can even produce crema. You can also mix it with an appropriate amount of water or milk for an even better flavor.

Flavor Description of Brazil Queen Estate Coffee Beans Brewed with Moka Pot

Rich nutty aroma, chocolate flavor, brown sugar sweetness, rich and full-bodied. When paired with milk, the taste is absolutely comparable to coffee shop offerings~

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, ID: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473