How to Prepare Coffee For a Moka Pot

Small, two-chambered moka pots are a fixture on many Italian stovetops. They are easy to use and produce a full-bodied coffee rich in aroma. The operation is simple: water is heated in the lower chamber and vapor pressure approaching two atmospheres pushes it up through ground coffee in the filter. It then collects in the upper chamber as liquid coffee.

The type of roast you choose is important for the flavor of your Moka pot brew. Dark roasts produce a bold and intense cup with good depth of flavor. Light roasts, on the other hand, tend to be more fruity and floral. Whichever you choose, your coffee must be fresh and ground correctly. Ground coffee, once exposed to air, loses its characteristics and taste much more quickly than whole beans.

Mastering the Moka: A Beginner’s Guide to Brewing Perfect Coffee

Grind your coffee for moka pot to a finer grind than what’s used in drip brewing but slightly coarser than what’s used for espresso. It’s also a good idea to preheat the Moka pot by running hot water through it before you start making your coffee. This will help to prevent clogs caused by the coffee grounds as they expand during extraction.

Once the brewing process is complete, remove from heat as soon as you hear the gurgling sound (before it begins to boil). Then take out the filter and carefully pour it into cups or a carafe.