12
votes
My moka pot brew exploded. What did I do wrong?
While the grind could have been too fine, I suspect what happened is you overfilled the bottom chamber, and the water level was covering the safety valve.
You really don't want the water level to go ...
- 464
9
votes
Is it good to have the "floating oil" on the surface of some coffee drinks?
The amount of oil in your coffee correlates to what is called the "body"? This is the "fullness" that you feel of the coffee in your mouth. Like the difference between a light cake and fudgey brownie. ...
8
votes
Accepted
Is it good to have the "floating oil" on the surface of some coffee drinks?
Nice question. A similar myth has been arisen for Turkish coffee pot; such as it should be cleaned only with water to keep the greasy surface made with coffee oil.
Partly correct, partly not. ...
- 7,688
7
votes
Accepted
Coffee ground too finely - how to deal with it?
In this case, my usual pre-coffee tiredness solved the problem:
I had planned to mix the espresso grind with my usual grind to minimize the total amount of grounds in the cup. The idea was
1/2 too-...
- 4,078
7
votes
How to properly use the Bialetti Brikka
I understand that the crema created by the Brikka is an approximated crema using the gasket's small opening. Sure, purists may not consider this tan, smooth film of microbubbles as authentic crema (...
- 533
6
votes
Aluminium moka pot put through dishwasher and then polished - would it alter taste?
As you suggest and note in your question, and it deserves repeating:
Aluminum of any kind is generally not recommended for the dishwasher: it is likely to corrode / oxidize like your pot did.
Keeping ...
- 8,475
6
votes
Is this moka pot safe?
This looks like oxidation, try cleaning it with hot water (NO soap). After most of it has gone, fill up with hot water again and add a few spoons of bicarbonate. Stir and let it sit for a day or 2. ...
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5
votes
How to properly use the Bialetti Brikka
I think you gave a good overview of everything. Here's a few comments on your list that I find is most important from my own personal experience, and from this Bialetti guide.
"Moka" grind is ...
- 8,475
5
votes
When and how should I clean my moka pot?
As Robert explained the residue that is accumulated by not cleaning to rigorously is generally considered to add to the flavour. However, this remains a personal choice as always. I personally always ...
5
votes
Most moka pots don't work on my induction stove. How can I still use them?
Shop for stainless pots with a magnet! If it sticks, they will work provided the base is big enough. I found a larger unbranded one (at Goodwill!) with a flared base that works perfectly with my ...
- 51
5
votes
Stainless steel moka pot with a crema valve for espresso-like crema
My wife and I moved to our new house and we have an induction hob installed there.
We used our brikka(s) a lot and loved the results.
We bought a 4 cup musa for the time being but compared to the ...
- 51
5
votes
Why does my Moka pot sometimes produce GREAT coffee and sometimes awful coffee?
Actually, this question is self explanatory. I assume you only need some guidance and confirmation for what's going wrong.
A better known fact is:
if your coffee is underextracted, it tastes sour.
...
- 7,688
5
votes
Accepted
Why is tamping necessary for espresso machines but not mokas?
Espresso machines rely on pressure to extract coffee solutes over a very short (~25 seconds) extraction time. Tamping is a critical aspect to achieving this. By tamping ideally, you eliminate channels ...
- 1,567
5
votes
What are low-maintenance and plastic-free options for making coffee?
A French Press lasts forever. Or until you drop it, whichever comes first. I have a stainless steel thermos French Press which is bullet proof and keeps coffee warm for hours.
Or you could be a ...
- 331
4
votes
Accepted
How to reduce sourness in my moka-pot brew?
What I immediately notice is that you say the entire brew process takes only 5-10 seconds. Even for a 1-pot moka, this seems way too fast.
Vary some other parameters:
Start with cold water in the ...
- 8,475
4
votes
Purpose of Hole in Moka Funnel
Just guessing here, but the hole could keep the water from going up until it reaches a certain temperature. The amount of pressure from the steam varies on the temperature of the water, and if there ...
- 458
4
votes
Do I need to use a tamp if using a Moka pot stove top espresso maker?
The general idea is that tamping with moka pots is unnecessary/harmful/dangerous because of the excessive pressure this will cause (see Ivan's answer: https://coffee.stackexchange.com/a/489).
...
- 183
4
votes
Accepted
Is this kettle (Moka pot) intended for re-brewing coffee?
The photo you have posted is a standard moka pot (See Wikipedia entry here) by a well-known brand, actually the inventor of the moka pot.
You should fill it up to the safety line. You should see it ...
- 7,688
4
votes
Bialetti Brikka..is 2 cup really 1 cup?
The Bialetti two Cup stove top produces 100ml of coffee. That is in fact much more than two average espressos. A double shot pulled from an espresso machine would have between 40ml and 60ml.
Your ...
- 2,197
4
votes
Accepted
How do I make an espresso shot in a moka pot?
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 ...
- 166
4
votes
Coffee in bottom chamber of moka pot?
I think you are on the right track with your idea. To understand what's happening you need to understand how the moka pot works and how to correctly use it. I'll explain it here quickly but there are ...
- 2,197
4
votes
Accepted
Water shooting out of spout in Moka pot
How's the grind on your coffee? It should be pretty fine, if not the water will move through the puck very quickly. Have you tried using a little finer coffee?
Also recommended method is to use ...
- 66
4
votes
Accepted
Is the moka pot predisposed to producing burnt or bitter coffee?
This is nothing I've tried myself, but to add onto your theory of the heat required to brew the Moka-Pot, I believe we'll arrive at an answer. The problem is not likely the water temperature itself, ...
- 291
4
votes
Accepted
Troubleshooting Moka coffee grind size vs sediments
A Moka grind is a tad coarser than espresso grind and ideally finer than standard pour over. If it’s too fine, you’ll see the excessive sediments or - worst case - even clogging up.
The size of the ...
- 4,078
4
votes
Do Hand Ground Beans Work for a Moka Pot?
Yes. I've used manual grinders for many brew methods, including moka pot, Aeropress, and pour over, and it has worked well with all of them. Make sure to get one with a good range of adjustment for ...
- 1,567
3
votes
Accepted
Moka pot - oxidization, rust or mold?
You have mentioned that you've seen similar questions but... Did you see this one?
What are these spots on the inside of my moka pot? Do I need to remove them?
If yes, then I can help you with two ...
- 7,688
3
votes
Most moka pots don't work on my induction stove. How can I still use them?
If you want to stick with your pot and don't want to use an adapter you could also buy a single stove like this one:
At least thats what my father uses. Its also nice because you can place it on the ...
- 329
3
votes
Does longer brewing time with hot water negatively effect flavor?
As discussed further in this question about bitterness, degree of extraction is one significant factor in bitterness in your cup. There are a couple of other links to coffee bitterness in that ...
- 8,475
3
votes
How to avoid coffee grounds in my cup with a Bialetti?
The reason is that your coffee grounds are too fine. Your Percolator needs coarser grains for various reasons:
Allowing water trough it more easily – else the pressure needs to go too high and your ...
- 236
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