how to use moka pot?

The Origin and Extraction Principle of Mocha Pot

There have always been many questions about the correct use of Mocha teapots, but after discussion and summarization, these four points have aroused everyone’s curiosity:

1. Do you need to press powder?
2. Should hot water be used directly or slowly heated with cold water during extraction?
3. Pay attention to the safety valve, will it explode the pot?
4. Will high-temperature steaming of coffee cause over extraction?

Let’s first take a brief look at the Mocha pot, which was invented in 1933 by Alfonso Alfonso Bialetti, named after his surname, established the coffee machine brand Bialetti, and the mocha pot quickly became a household coffee making tool for Italians. Since then, Bialetti has become a famous coffee brand in Italy and is renowned worldwide.

The most common mocha pot we see is a one called Moka Express, which is the representative work and sales champion of Bialetti company. Its metal shape is angular with eight corners, making it the famous octagonal pot.

Traditional mocha pots are made of aluminum, which has strong thermal conductivity and is lightweight. They are prone to scratches if accidentally bumped. To meet consumer demand, stainless steel has also emerged today.

The early Mocha pot was the “direct fire Italian coffee pot”, which was directly placed on the stove to extract coffee. Later, electromagnetic induction heating method also appeared, and Mocha pots were widely used in European and Latin American countries.

The Mocha pot is divided into three parts: upper, middle, and lower. The lower pot is used to hold water, and the pot body has a pressure relief valve that automatically releases pressure when the pressure is too high; The middle part holds coffee powder and is connected by a conduit; The upper pot is used to hold the extracted concentrated coffee liquid.

The working principle of a Mocha pot is not difficult to understand, which is to use the pressure generated by water vapor to extract coffee.

Its operation process is roughly as follows: the pot is heated on the stove, and the water in the lower pot boils and converts into water vapor. The pressure generated by the water vapor pushes the hot water into the coffee powder storage tank through the conduit, and the hot water fully heats and extracts the coffee powder. The extracted coffee liquid is then filtered through a metal filter and pushed up to the upper pot through the conduit, where it aggregates and flows out.

The extraction principle of mocha pot brewing coffee is somewhat similar to that of the Italian coffee machine. Both use high temperature and high pressure to quickly extract the essence of coffee. “High temperature and high pressure” is not suitable for making single coffee, but more suitable for making espresso. Therefore, mocha pot does not have extensive requirements for coffee beans, and it is more recommended to use Italian blended beans.

The development of Italian coffee machines has become very intelligent, with precise adjustments to pressure and temperature, simple operation, and a relatively complete extraction theory. Most baristas extract Italian coffee under the guidance of this theory.
Some people will apply the methods of Italian coffee to a mocha pot, such as introducing the step of pressing Italian coffee powder to extract higher concentration coffee liquid. With the spread of social media, people will discuss whether these methods are beneficial for extraction.

The most controversial aspect of the Mocha pot is that baristas and consumers have different standards for coffee, and the coffee made from the Mocha pot may not meet the espresso standards that baristas consider. But consumers don’t need to pay too much attention to the standards of a barista, because if the role of a barista is matched with that of a chef, there should be standards, and it is also the most basic professional quality. Consumers always hope to get a good cup of coffee or a delicious dish when they spend money. If they make it at home, everyone will be more free to do as they please.

1. Do you need to press powder?

Most people, including baristas, do not recommend pressing the powder because the pressure during coffee extraction in a Mocha pot is only 1 bar. If your powder layer is particularly dense, there may be insufficient water pressure, making it difficult for hot water to penetrate the powder layer and extract the coffee; It is also possible that although hot water has penetrated the powder layer, it prolongs the extraction time, resulting in over extraction of coffee and a strong, black, burnt, and bitter coffee liquid.
If you feel that the distribution of the coffee powder layer is uneven, you can gently vibrate the powder slot while filling it up to evenly distribute the coffee powder. After filling it up, gently tap the powder layer with your fingers to make it evenly distributed, and then gently press the surface to make the coffee powder layer slightly denser. Note that it is only denser, rather than using a lot of force to press the powder like making Italian espresso. After all, the extraction pressure of Italian coffee machines is 7-9 bar.

2. Should warm water or cold water be used to slowly heat up during extraction?

People who hold the view of adding warm water believe that warm water can shorten the heating time of the mocha pot on the stove, and at the same time, the coffee powder will not be damaged by continuous heating, resulting in over extraction.

People who hold the view of adding cold water believe that after adding hot water, it is impossible to tighten the pot body, which can also lead to air leakage. But the disadvantage of adding cold water is not only that it will increase the heating time, but also that a small amount of water will enter the powder tank before the water temperature reaches the required temperature, which will affect the extraction.

That is to say, both cold and warm water are acceptable, it depends on personal habits. Most people choose to use warm water, usually 60-70 ℃.

3. Pay attention to the safety valve, will it explode the pot?

Mocha pots have the difference between single valve and double valve. The pressure relief valve of a single valve Mocha pot is located in the lower pot, where water boils and produces steam and pressure; The double valve is a pressure valve added to the upper pot to increase the pressure during extraction, thereby making the coffee taste richer.

Then some people will worry about whether the Mocha pot is safe during use? As long as the quality of the Mocha pot you buy is qualified and operated properly, there will be no safety issues. Proper operation also includes not exceeding the height of the safety valve when pouring water into the lower pot.

4. Will high-temperature steaming of coffee cause over extraction?

The majority opinion is that there is a higher possibility of over extraction. So the coffee liquid extracted from a Mocha pot usually gives the impression of smoke, bitterness, and mixed flavors. Actually, it’s also related to the operational techniques.
I have also tried some coffee made by local professional baristas using mocha pots. There is no taste that makes people frown when they think of mocha pot coffee. On the contrary, the taste is particularly smooth and full. The overall taste is very clean, with obvious chocolate and caramel flavors. He controls every step from bean selection, grinding, powder to water ratio, to water injection temperature.

But in practical operation, when making coffee at home with a Mocha pot, the coffee beans we use are the common Italian blended beans on the market. Grinding is also a rough way to find the thickness, and when filling the powder, simply fill the powder tank with water and control the amount of water within a safe range. Some people use warm water, while others use cold water, which is a relatively arbitrary extraction scheme, and the possibility of over extraction is relatively high

Moreover, the powder to water ratio of the Mocha pot is very small, and the extraction time is also short. As long as it does not deviate from the recommended operating steps, it is not so easy to over extract. Even if it is over extracted, it is not so exaggerated. Italians like to drink this kind of coffee, just like Chinese people like to drink strong tea. They all know that it is a little over refined, but they can’t help but like this taste and concentration.

Although there is a certain gap between the espresso made by a Mocha pot and the espresso made by an Italian coffee machine, for consumers, the coffee made by a Mocha pot is stronger and more fragrant than other home coffee utensils. If the powder to water ratio is adjusted properly, the extracted espresso can also be used to make latte. This is really interesting and fun for coffee enthusiasts who like to explore and try new things.