You've got a moka pot, but you're wondering how to make amazing coffee with it? Wonder no more! With these helfpul tips and tricks, you'll learn how to brew delicious moka pot coffee and how to keep your stovetop espresso maker in great shape.
If you want to level up your barista skills, check out these step-by-step guides on how to make delicious French press and pour over. Check out our coffee snob's gift guide for some great gear to brew your own tasty java at home.
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About
The moka pot was invented in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti, and has been a fixture in Italian kitchens ever since. This unique eight-sided aluminum device makes strong coffee similar to espresso, but is much cheaper than an espresso machine and simpler to clean.
If you're new to this brewing method, you might be wondering what all the parts are and their purpose. Let's discuss each of these important components!
- Lower Chamber: this is where the water is stored and where it boils.
- Valve: this safety valve releases extra pressure if the lower chamber is overfilled.
- Funnel: this part holds the grounds and sits in the lower chamber.
- Filter: this metal filter keeps the grounds in place.
- Gasket: this rubber ring prevents leaks during brewing and enables the pressure to build up inside.
- Upper Chamber: the coffee comes out through the center column during brewing and is stored in this chamber for serving.
Ingredients
Fortunately, brewing some java doesn't take very many ingredients! Let's talk about the two key ingredients you need to making this amazing beverage.
- Coffee: It's best to use single origin, whole beans that have been recently roasted (within the last 2 weeks). Choose a medium-dark or dark roast for this brewing method.
- Water: Choose filtered water here, as it has the perfect balance of minerals and often contains less contaminants.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make
- Measure the coffee and water, then pour the beans into a conical burr grinder and grind on a medium setting.
- Boil the water, then fill the lower chamber to just below the valve.
3. Pour the grounds into the funnel, tapping the side to level the grounds and to remove any air pockets. Do not tamp.
4. Drop the funnel into the lower chamber and screw on the upper chamber. Use a towel or oven mitts, as the lower chamber will be very hot from the boiling water.
5. Place on low heat. In a few minutes, the water will boil and coffee will start to come out of the center column.
6. Once the stream of liquid is honey colored, shut the lid and immediately remove it from the heat.
7. Plunge the moka pot into a bowl of ice water or run it under cold water to stop the extraction.
8. Immediately pour the coffee into demitasse cups and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Use a medium grind, a little finer than you would use for pour over; the grounds should be slightly larger than granulated sugar. Choose a medium-dark to dark roast, whole beans that you grind yourself for the freshest and best flavor.
No, it isn't as strong as espresso. However, back in the 1930s when the moka pot was invented, it was much more similar to the espresso of those days. Modern espresso machines extract the brew under 8-10 bars of pressure as opposed to the 1.5 bars created by a moka pot, so you'll never get the crema or flavor of espresso with this method.
This unique brewing method creates a rich, aromatic brew with lots of flavor and aroma. Since it has a more intense flavor, it emphasizes the notes of the beans you're using and is perfect to use in drinks that call for espresso as an ingredient.
Yes, it is healthy in moderation. If you keep your moka pot clean by descaling it periodically, it will clean out the stale, rancid oils from the pot that can affect the taste of the brew and your health.
Troubleshooting
Having trouble with your brew? Let's see what went wrong and how to fix it!
- Bitter brew? Try a coarser grind or a slightly lighter roast.
- Acidic, weak brew? Try a finer grind or a darker roast.
- Stream of coffee erupting violently? Turn down the heat or turn it off altogether.
- Leaking or spitting? This can mean you tamped the grounds, used too fine of a grind, or you need to replace the gasket (affiliate).
- Steam coming from valve? The pressure was too high in the pot, and the lower chamber most likely was overfilled. Next time, make sure the water line is just below the valve.
- Air pockets in the grounds? Tap the side of the funnel as you fill it to prevent air pockets or an underfilled funnel.
Serve
If you're looking for other coffee drinks, you'll definitely want to check out our tutorial for using different brewing techniques! Learn how to make non-alcoholic Irish coffee, Cuban coffee, Greek coffee, pour over coffee, and French press coffee.
If you're looking for other other hot drinks to enjoy, try our recipes for hot chocolate mix and French hot chocolate.
Cleaning
You've brewed a great batch of java, but how do you clean it when you're all done? Here's how to keep your moka pot in great shape for years to come.
- Let it cool completely. It's safer and easier to wait until it is cool to the touch.
- Discard the grounds. I like to dump the spent grounds into a plastic grocery bag, wrap the bag around the grounds, and then discard to keep the smell down in the kitchen garbage.
- Disassemble. Use the tip of a butter knife to pry the gasket out of its place, then thoroughly rinse the filter and gasket. Scrape off any grounds that are stuck to the gasket.
- Rinse. Use a dish brush and warm water to rinse and scrub off the lower and upper chambers. Never use soap on any parts, or your next brew will taste like soap!
- Air dry. Let the moka pot air dry completely on a clean towel before reassembling. Putting the components together when they're still damp can cause mold to grow inside.
- Descale regularly. Especially if you have hard water, boil a 50-50 mixture of distilled vinegar and water through the moka pot every month or so. Run plain water through it again to remove any vinegar taste.
- Replace the gasket annually. A set of replacement gaskets (affiliate) is quite affordable, and will keep your moka pot working at its best.
Expert Tips
- Using a brand new moka pot? Season it by making 2-3 brews; keep in mind you'll have to discard them, since they won't taste good. Use a cheaper coffee for this if you want.
- Use a medium grind that's slightly coarser than granulated sugar.
- Do not tamp the grounds when filling the funnel. This can cause channeling, which means the water won't flow through the grounds evenly, causing a poorly flavored brew.
- Make sure there are no grounds on the threads, gasket, or the edge of the funnel when you screw the two chambers together; even one piece can compromise the seal.
- Fill the lower chamber with boiling water rather than cold water; it speeds up the brewing process and prevents the coffee from getting overextracted.
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Recipe
How to Make Moka Pot Coffee
Ingredients
- 1.34 oz single-origin coffee beans, dark or medium roast
- 2 cups filtered water, for 9-cup moka pot
Instructions
- Make sure the filter and gasket are in place in the upper chamber, and bring a pot of filtered water to a boil (212°F or 100°C).
- Pour the coffee beans into a conical burr grinder and grind on a medium setting; a little finer than one would use for pour over. The grounds should slightly coarser than granulated sugar.
- Fill the lower chamber with boiling water to just below the valve.
- Pour the ground coffee into the funnel, tapping the side of the funnel to level the grounds and to remove any air pockets. Do not tamp down the grounds. Level the top with a knife.
- Carefully place the funnel into the lower chamber, then securely screw the upper chamber onto the lower chamber, using a towel or oven mitts to protect your hands from the hot metal. Make sure there are no grounds on the gasket, threads, or the edge of the funnel.
- Place the moka pot over low heat on an electric stove. If you're using a gas stove, keep the flame smaller than the base to protect the handle. After a few minutes on the heat, you'll hear the water starting to boil.
- Once the coffee starts coming out of the center column, watch it carefully. If it shoots out violently, turn down the heat immediately. Once the upper chamber is half full of coffee, turn off the heat.
- When the stream of coffee turns a honey color, immediately close the lid and remove from the heat. Stop extraction by submerging the lower chamber in a bowl of ice water, by wrapping it in a cold towel, or by running it under cold water.
- Pour the coffee into demitasse cups and enjoy right away.
Notes
- Use a medium grind that's slightly coarser than granulated sugar.
- Do not tamp the grounds when filling the funnel. This can cause channeling, which means the water won't flow through the grounds evenly, causing a poorly flavored brew.
- Make sure there are no grounds on the threads, gasket, or the edge of the funnel when you screw the two chambers together; even one piece can compromise the seal.
- Fill the lower chamber with boiling water rather than cold water; it speeds up the brewing process and prevents the coffee from getting overextracted.
- If you're breaking in a brand new moka pot, you'll have to discard the first two or three batches of coffee, since they won't taste good.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Beth
This is a deep, rich coffee with a beautiful fragrant aroma. I love drinking a cup of this dark moka pot coffee! It's much strong than normal coffee, but I like it better.
Emma
So glad you enjoyed it, Beth!
Alex
This moka pot coffee has a topical and earthy taste. The aroma from it is delicious!
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Alex!