Coffee Grind for Moka Pot

[PinkRose]

Hello again,

I went to the store where I buy my roasted coffee beans, and I asked them about what grind to use for the Moka-Pot. They said that they recommend an espresso grind for the Moka Pots.

I bought my usual supply of whole beans and then another half pound of beans ground on the espresso setting. The Moka Pot arrived yesterday, and I'm hoping to have some time this week to "season it" and experiment with it. By the way, the instructions that came with the Moka Pot say to use a course grind coffee. I guess I'll find out very soon which is best!

Rose

 

[shadow745]

Keep in mind that by the time you use the pre-ground it will mimic a coarser grind than when ground fresh. Of course you're a pro at this, so that should come as no surprise.

Do enjoy it and please report back with your findings.

 

[PinkRose]

Hello again,

Well, the espresso grind definitely didn't work out for the Moka Pot. I had a feeling it was going to be too fine, and it was so fine that it clogged the holes in the Moka-Pot coffee basket. It took a very long time to brew the coffee, and the result was a horrible mud-like brew. I have been chewing gum all afternoon trying to get rid of the terrible taste!

When I took the Moka Pot apart to clean out the wet grounds, most of the grounds were hardly wet, and there was a lot of sediment in the bottom chamber where the water goes. So, for my next attempt, I plan to adjust the grind to a more coarse texture. It's good I bought some extra whole beans this week!

Rose

 

[crwate]

Mind me, but what is a Moka-Pot?

 

[Moka-Pot]

A Moka Pot is a stovetop coffee maker that brews a beverage that's much like a true espresso.
It uses pressure, but not as much as a real espresso maker.
It's also much more affordable than the higher-end equipment.

Check out our shop (link is in my signature & some pics are featured in my avatar). We have sizes that range from single-cup to six-cup models in a variety of colors.

Feel free to ask more questions if you're interested in buying one.

 

[crwate]

That clarifies it and I think I'm gonna like Moka-Pot. Thanks!

 

[littlesigh]

Some interesting comments here considering many have never used a Moka Pot! I have used them for years and always used espresso grind, regular grind will work but it is all in the taste, as with most coffee. The only grind I have found that really doesn't work is the very fine grind used with Turkish or Armenian coffee in which case the grind becomes part of the drink so it doesn't matter.

 

[Moka-Pot]

littlesigh

It's great to see an experienced Moka Pot user on the site!

We just started our little shop a few months ago after a member of our team received one for Christmas & introduced the rest of us to it. It's been a bit of trial and error for us, and we're not ready to say we're experts yet. Hopefully, you can share some of you knowledge with the rest of us.

Any pointers you can think of off hand?

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "littlesigh"

Welcome to the Coffee Forum.

I also look forward to you sharing your Moka Pot experience with us.

As I posted earlier, the espresso grind that I bought at the coffee roaster this week certainly did not work with my Moka Pot. It was so bad that I had to use a straight pin to poke out the grounds that were stuck in the filter holes (the top section) before I could use the Moka-Pot again.

Today, I used my burr hand-crank coffee grinder and adjusted it to a coarser ground - close to drip grind, but not too coarse. The coffee came out much better. It was dense and rich, and it was not bitter and burnt like the espresso ground coffee was a couple of days ago.

The Moka-Pot is a keeper!

Rose

 

[Moka-Pot]

PinkRose,

I'm so happy to hear you found a grind that worked for you! How close did you think your results were to a true espresso?

I realize it probably won't be just like the real thing, but the intent is to give people a simple, affordable option for home use that's pretty close.

Moka Pot

 

[littlesigh]

Moka Pot and Pink Rose,
Well maybe not an expert but I use it enough to have learned 1. not to wash it! Clean the filter a bit if necessary, rinse as needed but don't use soap or scrub as you could get a metal taste in your coffee. Obviously don't let it clog. I can't comment on the grind you bought PR, as I use prepackaged espresso grind, like Lavazza, illy, Madaglia, Cafe Bustelo..etc Once you use one of these you can tell what the smallest grind can be.

Also, as for comparison to real espresso, it is not even close to what you get from a machine. No crema! I have a one cup Bialetti and it works great for a strong cup of coffee when I want one. Otherwise I do regular espresso, or Armenian.

Good luck!

 

[PinkRose]

Hi Moka-Pot

To be honest, I wasn't expecting to achieve "true espresso" by using the Moka-Pot. I know that would have been an unrealistic expectation.

The coffee that I made was dense and richly brewed, which basically make it a very good cup of strong coffee. The Moka Pot is an affordable (and easy to use) option for use at home, and the resulting coffee makes a respectable base for cappuccinos and lattes.

Rose

 

[Moka-Pot]

I'm glad you're enjoying your new pot!

 

[PinkRose]

Hello again,

I've been experimenting with my six shot moka-pot, and I discovered that I can actually use it to make "regular" coffee on those occasions when I don't feel like having an espresso-type brew.

Even though the instructions say to fill the coffee basket with ground coffee, I tried only putting 3 tablespoons into the basket (leaving the water level the same). The resulting coffee was strong, but not as strong as when I fill the basket to the top (approximately 5 tablespoons). I had enough coffee for my 10 ounce mug, which was great for a quick pick-me-up after a long day at work.

By the way, the Moka-Pot clean up is very easy. I just need to remember to let it cool down before I try to take it apart to rinse it out, because the metal base stays hot for a while. Then, only a quick rinse with hot water and a quick wipe with a paper towel, and I'm ready for the next time.

Rose

 

[Freddie_Mercury]

Nice to see other moka pot enthusiasts out there! I've been using one for almost 10 years and it's although I love me some espresso, the moka pot is still my favorite way to make coffee at home.

@PinkRose, you are on the right track with the coffee grind. When I grind coffee for moka at the store, I use a the setting just above espresso grind. To make sure I ground it correctly, I compared it those pre-ground coffee meant for moka pots such as Lavazza, illy moka ground, and Cafe Bustelo. While I don't have a trained eye the tad-coarser-than-espresso grind was quite similar to the pre-ground moka coffee. More importantly though, it brews good tasting coffee with a small amount of crema (you aren't gonna a ton of crema unless you use a real espresso machine).

A few observations based on my experience with moka pots. The strength of the coffee varies between different moka pots. I have a 2-cup (really a single shot brewer), a 4-cup SS, and traditional 3-cup aluminum Bialetti. The same coffee tastes different between all 3. I suspect the different water to coffee ratios may account for the difference. Perhaps the material, stainless steel vs aluminum, could also be a factor.

Another thing to consider is the temperature used to brew the coffee with. I've messed with different temperatures and found that low and slow seems to work best. Keep the flame at a low or medium-low, no wider than the base of the pot. Wait till you see the coffee brewing and then close the top chamber. As soon as you hear the pot start gurgling, turn off the heat to prevent the coffee from burning and let it finish brewing. It takes a bit longer to brew this way but I've found that gentle heat is the way to go for the best tasting coffee.

Oh and use filtered water and don't tamp the coffee too hard. I'll either give the filter basket a few shakes to level off the coffee or press very lightly with a spoon. And yeah, don't ever clean it with soap. Just rinse it out and wipe with paper towels.

Good luck and enjoy your moka pot.