How do I make an espresso shot in a moka pot?

Question

Ive tried brewing espresso in a moka pot but I end up making coffee that tastes like drip coffee. Not sure why, but is it because the water level in the moka pot (I fill it up just below the opening hole) is too much? I'd like to get the consistency of an espresso shot made by an espresso machine (thick and creamy). I've been following tutorials online but nothing changes!

Answer 1

You can create more pressure if you will use finer grind (but be careful). I even tamp a bit (but be careful again). You can also buy Bialetti Brikka, which has a pressure valve - it helps to build higher pressure and create crema. However, with moka pot you'll never get real espresso, you can only try to brew something similar.

Answer 2

It is a common misconception to think that a Moka Pot can make espresso like coffee. Espresso machines use up to 9 bars of pressure to push the water through the grounds. The Moka Pot only creates around 1,5 bar of pressure (for comparison, the pressure of your tap water lies probably between 3 and 6 bar). It is simply impossible to get anything close to an espresso (although it is often considered to be the closest espresso alternative without an expensive machine supposedly due to the residue coffee in your cup that gives it a slightly similar mouthfeel and body).

You can try to use very finely ground coffee, but that's about the only thing and it still won't make you an espresso. For that you need to invest in a machine. The good ones start at 500$/€. You can of course buy one for 100$/€, but they are not worth the money in my opinion. Tamping and other tweaks are not recommended because you might block the water from passing through the grounds, building up pressure until it is explosively released. If you are lucky through the pressure valve, but I've seen a Bialetti literally "erupt", spraying coffee through the entire kitchen and several meters high to the ceiling (slightly more than 3m to be precise, because that's the height of the ceiling where to coffee eruption came to a forceful halt).