Moka Madness

[TheRealBonger]

I have been getting more and more risky in my coffee tamping in the great moka pot. Each day I wonder if this is going to be the day that I blow the valve. I feel more confident each day that I do not, and if it were to happen I know I have been where few men have been before. Thanks to Mister Moo for giving me the courage to push the boundaries of what this little pot is capable of producing. Anybody else feel like they have a death wish while using their moka pots.

[germantown rob]

It really isn't all that bad when the safety valve blows, more common for the seal to leak and you get a pot of throw away.

Don't be scared, go finer, tamp harder.

After finding the breaking point, grind a step or 2 coarser and tamp a little less, you will have a great cup anytime you want, at least till the humidity changes the formula. Going the opposite direction, coarser and less tamping or no tamping was my ice coffee method before finding cold brew.


Disclaimer: By tamping I mean banging the bottom of the filler basket on the counter top to compress the grounds.

[Mister Moo]

Mostly, the closer you get to blowing the safety valve, the better the coffee gets. Glad to hear yer enjoying the mokapot.

[ashtonlady]

Okay How do I find out more about Moka Pots?

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by ashtonlady

Okay How do I find out more about Moka Pots?

heh heh heh - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-ISS...e=channel_page

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=705

[germantown rob]

Here is a link for Bialetti to see the variations

Bialetti
There are other makers but Bialetti was the first.

[ashtonlady]

Me thinks me needs a new toy. Thank you.

Alright first let me say that I hate you guys.

A few weeks ago I had never even heard of a Moka pot. Then I read Mr Moo's original post. I thought that sounds interesting so I went on Amazon.com and purchased a Capressio Infinity Burr Grinder and a 1 cup and a 3 cup Bialetti Moka pot. Since I love my Cappuccinos I also purchased a Nespresso Aerocino to heat and froth my milk. Since I have a prime membership with Amazon all this stuff arrives in 2 days. I also order some Intellingentia house blend coffee beans which also arrives at the same time having been roasted 2 days prior.

Now I'm ready to go. I wake up the next day and run some stale coffee beans I have through my new grinder to break it in. By the way this stale coffee smells and reminds me of coffee I used to buy by the can. I clean the grinder and set it to fine and grind up a bunch of fresh house blend by Intellingentia fill the moka pot and brew up my first pot it runs fairly quick but still smells and looks pretty good. I fill the Nespresso with milk to the max line and push the on button. The moka pot is done and I pour it in a cup and add the steamed micro foamed milk.

OMG this stuff is pretty good not perfect but way better than any other method of brewing I have come across except well made espresso. It is so good that I make and drink 2 3 cup moka pots and am buzzing like crazy from caffeine. Got to hold off on any more until the next day.

Long story short I have been dialing my grinder in day after day and yesterday I hit the mother load. I am on the second click of extra fine and I have been packing the grounds with my fingers to try to get the oozing type of coffee shown in the video. I have also reduced the amount of milk in the Nespresso because it tends to overflow even though it produces some pretty good micro foam and froth.

Now that I have everything dialed in all I can say is that this is the best coffee I have had in some time. My next upgrade will probably have to be about 4K in home espresso equipment to top this stuff.

So thanks again for pushing me down yet another slope.

[germantown rob]

robofan,
, thats the way. For the money a moka pot can't be beat. I got myself a Brikka and have found it gives a nice change up to a moka pot and when dialed in is very good.

I leave the insanity and cost of making espresso for crotchety old geezers and coffee shops for now.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by germantown rob

...I leave the insanity and cost of making espresso for crotchety old geezers...

You, uh, wanna name any names there old palsy-walsy?

(Speaking for crotchety geezers everywhere - esp. those with espresso machines - it is hard to beat a well turned moka if you have fresh roast and a decent grinder. As always, a good grinder is the first equipment key to great coffee. )

[germantown rob]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

You, uh, wanna name any names there old palsy-walsy?

I can't think of any off hand but they exist. I mean how can anyone spend all that money and time to achieve 2oz of liquid that they drink out of a wee little cup with their little finger pointing out to nowhere not be crotchety?
I suppose there is an exception or two out there.

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

(Speaking for crotchety geezers everywhere - esp. those with espresso machines - it is hard to beat a well turned moka if you have fresh roast and a decent grinder. As always, a good grinder is the first equipment key to great coffee. )

Give me good fresh beans and a couple rocks, a dirty sock and some dirty boiled water over some crappy stale beans in a great burr grinder. I joke, I wouldn't use the sock.

[TheRealBonger]

Originally Posted by robofan

Now that I have everything dialed in all I can say is that this is the best coffee I have had in some time. My next upgrade will probably have to be about 4K in home espresso equipment to top this stuff.

So thanks again for pushing me down yet another slope.

Eventually I see myself spending some cash to upgrade.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by ashtonlady

Me thinks me needs a new toy. Thank you.

Methinks you may need two new toys; one needs a grinder up to the task of a mokapot. A burr mill is your minimum requirement and, from my perspective, the better the grinder the happier, more versatile and better your coffee future. For moka (or a french press) a modest grinder will do the trick, however.

[ashtonlady]

I already have a burr grinder. That was part of my upgrade when I started roasting. It is a capressso.

[ashtonlady]

Okay,got the pot. And tomarrow is Saturday,so there is time.

[germantown rob]

Originally Posted by ashtonlady

Okay,got the pot. And tomarrow is Saturday,so there is time.

So, what do you think? Mr Moo has great directions and video for the how to on the Moka Pot.

[ashtonlady]

Today the coffee tasted good, but no creama. So still learning.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by ashtonlady

Today the coffee tasted good, but no creama. So still learning.

Known fresh roast and ground fine, A'lady?

[replicant_argent]

So.. you know that the top plate between the gasket and the main body of the Mokapot?
They are flat.... usually...

A couple weeks ago, mine ended up a nice domed shape.... I had to hammer it flat again.

[ashtonlady]

yes sir