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Who's used a moka pot (caffettiera)?

Satchmo

Why do they call it a Power Ranger???
Joined
Mar 20, 2006
Messages
1,884
I found one at TJMaxx and it was completely intriguing to me. I was told it can make espresso, so I bought it. I guess it can actually only produce a stronger coffee, not a real espresso.

What are your experiences with them? I'm sure it's been posted already, but I couldn't search anything out.
 
It's the original espresso!

Wonder full for a nice strong cup.

There are a few families I know (of the Italian heritage) that use this primarily.

I have a couple different sizes of these. Although I use it less frequently...I may have to bust it out again!

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from wiki:
The flavor of Moka pot coffee depends greatly on bean variety, roast level, fineness of grind, and the level of heat used. Due to the higher than atmospheric pressure involved, the mixture of water and steam reaches temperatures well above 100 °C, causing a more efficient extraction of caffeine and flavors from the grounds, and resulting in a stronger brew than that obtained by drip brewing
 
Definitely, I use it when I want to make a couple cups of strong coffee to go with a stogie.
 
I'm sure no one will be surprised when I tell you I've used one for years, and so did my mother. It doesn't make official espresso but it's close enough for those of us not willing to spend thousands on an official espresso maker.

Doc
 
You can make a lot of trips to a coffee shop for thousands of dollars.
 
I'm just looking for a way to make a stout cup of coffee. Sometimes a normal cup of joe just doesn't have enough zip. I heard that if you know what your doing you can even get a bit crema....

I can't wait to fire this thing up!
 
My brother brought his on our family vacation a couple weeks back. It was the first time I've used one and loved it.

Half the family doesn't like how strong I brew my coffee, so if my brother woke up late, he was stuck drinking their weak crap. He'd add a couple shots from the moka to his cup and made it work. Personally, I liked just taking what I made in the pot and pairing it with a cigar out on the deck.
 
You know what is great to is a coffee sock. They make coffee that way in Costa Rica and it kicks ass. I take one when I go hiking- awesome!
 
That's all the house had on our vacation in Italy, so I got used to using it. I enjoyed the coffee it made, too. I went ahead and picked one up to bring back with us. I switch back and forth between it, drip and the french press.

-John
 
I'm sure no one will be surprised when I tell you I've used one for years, and so did my mother. It doesn't make official espresso but it's close enough for those of us not willing to spend thousands on an official espresso maker.

Doc

You mean that thing on top of every stove (including my own) of every house I ever visited while growing up is NOT the official espresso maker Hank?

Coulda fooled me! I suppose the little white cup & saucer with the tiny sterling silver spoon from Italy isn't official either? :D

I buy Lavazza espresso grind, give it a light tap on the grinds, and it's ready to go...just have to keep an eye on it to see when it's done...really simple. A twist of lemon rind and a little home made Anisette...heaven on earth my boys!
 
Coarse or fine grind for moka pot?
I've used drip coffee and an expresso grind in mine and they both turned out fine. It seems to be made for a fine grind, but I don't know that it matters.

-John

Most espresso grind in general is a finer grind. The key to the flavor of the cup is how you 'tamp your grinds' in the grind chamber...tamp them too much and you get little openings through (think veins) the coffee and you don't get the entire flavor from all the ground coffee. By not tamping them enough, the water flows through too quickly and the espresso is thin and weak. This just comes with experience and the more you make, the better you get at it.

To tamp the grinds, just use the back of the coffee scooper (flat bottom version) and gently press them down. If you ever got espresso from Starbucks, watch them make it...they have a specific little tool to do this with. Now keep in mind, in that video, they are using an espresso machine that utilizes 18 to 24 bars of pressure and our moka pots are just a drip version under NO pressure....so you have to tamp the grinds less than what that guy is showing. Just a light tamp with the scooper bottom and you're fine.

Have fun... :)
 
Gary, are you confusing a Mocha with one of those pots you turn upside down when the water boils? A mocha pushes water UP through the coffee under pressure created by the steam.

Doc
 
You boys are talking about the one with the little man in black that was on the stove? I think when my mother passed my oldest brother took the pot.She made great coffee in that, good memories.
 
Gary, are you confusing a Mocha with one of those pots you turn upside down when the water boils? A mocha pushes water UP through the coffee under pressure created by the steam.

Doc

That's the one...it's not really under that much pressure, is it Hank? I mean, not like a barista used model that uses a pump. I always thought of it as a drip in reverse.

08-29-12_2033.jpg
 
Growing up in a Latino household, the Moka pot was the only way my parents ever brewed coffee. My parents liked really strong coffee, and the Moka pot made killer espresso. Café Bustelo was always the coffee of choice. Maybe I'm biased because it conjures up lovely memories of my mom and pop, but I think this method makes the best cup of coffee.
 
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