Tips for using Moka Pot (dated 2021 Jan)

 

Moka pot coffee between drip and espresso. I am currently using Moka as my main coffee maker.

Below are my experience

This is some of the video watch, when learning how to use moka. Inside, Hoffman tell audience not to tamp.

Do not tamp the coffee powder used in Moka Pot?

Well, you can't tamp it like the tamping force in espresso, but you can use your thumb to lightly pressed on it, and make sure your bed is flat. 

• Using your thumb, you can press out the air pocket. 
• you can feel which area of the chamber is hollow, can you can gently press it and make sure your coffee distribution is even. 
• of course people in the coffee house wont do as such, but since you are making it for your own... so, why not?
  

Because Moka Pot uses coffee bean to build pressure, you need to properly fill the brew chamber. 

• Meaning, you cannot using 11g coffee on a 4-cup (or larger) Moka, you need smaller pot.
• If you use big pot but small amount of coffee, even if you use small amount of water, you will not be able to build strong coffee because of insufficient pressure, and there will be alot of back-flow.
• Get a 2-Cup or 3-Cup Moka if you only brew for yourself.
  

Rule of thumb: Think of how much coffee u want to make, then use the Moka Pot of that size.  

(Update)

Brew Ratio i normally use is 100-120ml to 11.5g of bean. So you just scale from there (remember that coffee will soak up some of your coffee, and there will be some water left in the boiler).

In a 2-Cup, the boiler can hold about 120-140ml, when filled until touches the escape valve.

• The capacity of brew chamber is 11 to 12g coffee powder.
• top chamber holds about 100ml after the sound "ssssssssssssssssssssssssss".
  
• Meaning, 150ml in, 100ml out. 
• The rest of the 50ml is either in the coffee or in the boiler.
  

Grind size refer to Honest Coffee Guide.

Example, If you use Kinu M47 (all 3 variant have the same burr) - 5 to 20 clicks.

• Dark roast - coarser ground, say 15 clicks.
• Light roast - finer ground, say 10 clicks.
• Medium roast, will be in 12-13 clicks.
  

(this is not drip coffee, so you cant control the heat.)

Another picture

Credit: Image from [https://coffeeb.net/grinders/grind-size/]

Suggestion

How many to put

If you are drinking alone, i suggest you get a 2-Cup or 3-Cup moka, 1-Cup is too small (for me). 

• For a 2-Cup, the max capacity for the brew chamber is 12g, optimal size for me is 11.5g. Boiler volume for 2-Cup is 100ml to 120ml.
  
• For a 3-Cup, (i never used it), you can go to 15g. Volume for 3-Cup is 150ml to 180ml.
• Water-in to Bean ratio is 100ml:10g for average strength me.
• Bump up the bean ratio if you want stronger.
• Or reduce the water volume.
  
• One of the common ratio is 7ml:1g, meaning 70ml water-out to 10g bean.
  
• This 2 link there [https://www.javapresse.com/blogs/stovetop-brewing/ultimate-guide-moka-pot-coffee][https://www.javapresse.com/blogs/stovetop-brewing/ultimate-guide-moka-pot-coffee]
  
• But be mindful of the capacity of your Moka Pot brew chamber size.
• water-in means the water you put on the moka pot boiler. Vice versa for water-out.
  
• When you use higher bean ratio, like 7ml:1g or 6ml:1g
• you can use finer grind.
• but not as fine as an espresso.
  

How i know if i overextacted:

• woody taste.
• bitter, esp at the early tasting and will continue to linger. 
• you will feel harshness in the coffee.
  
• if the bitterness at the end, that could be the characteristic of your coffee.
  

When that happen, you can:

• more coffee powder, if your brew chamber allows.
• less water.
• use coarser grind (not recommended).
  

Heat setting

• For simplicity, use minimal setting (stove) all the way. 
• You can use medium or high heat, but once the coffee starts to come out, turn the flame to minimum.
• But it is highly recommend that u use min. heat setting. 
• Dont put your moka on the center of stove, put on off-axis, or off-align.
  
• If you are using induction, adjust the power setting at boils, dont use higher watt than that.
• once you heard sound 'sssssssssssssssss', and see the foam/bubble coming from your Moka, off the heat.
• let it sits there for a while if you want. Lets the remaining coffee in the brew chamber to gargle out.
  
• if you dont want to wait, pour the coffee out and serve.
• I use hot water, faster, but need to be careful.
• You can use cold water to brew, just need to wait longer.
  

 

Dilution ratio

• 1ml coffee to 2ml water. 
• That is my preference. The lower ratio of water you add, the stronger the taste of coffee, up to u.
  
• 1ml coffee to 1ml milk. 
• If you want milk coffee. Coffee produced by Moka is not as strong as espresso, if you use 1:2 ratio, then you will get coffee flavored milk.
• 1ml coffee to 0.5 ml milk (or lesser). 
• if you want the taste of coffee to stand out.
• use hot milk if can, at least use room temp. milk. Try not to use cold milk. 
• use almond, soy or oat juice* as a healthier alternative for milk
  

 

My opinion: *those are not milk. Milk are solution that secreted from mammalian gland, aka tits. Almond, soy and oat don't have tits. hence, if you add water to the powder, they are juice, not milk.

 

Repeat

1. If the flow is quick and the coffee felt weak, slightly reduce the grind size.
2. If the flow is very slow, and you see water spurting ('bzzzzzzzzzzz') out from the seam (the screw between collecting pot and boiler), increase grind size because your moka pot may have've choke.
   
3. Repeat the above process until to achieve the taste you like.
   

Above are my experience using Moka. The moka pot i mainly use is Metalisk from Ikea, i also brought another 2-Cup moka from Lazada that cost about MYR20.00. Both made good coffee.

 

Final Note:

Q:How to measure water volume when you don't have a measuring cup? 

A: Use weight, density of water at 100 deg(C) is 993g/cm3. So, measure about 100g+ of plain water should do the trick. (i assume u have a scale to measure your bean, if you dont have, buy one)