Mokapots, Moka, or Stovetop Espresso, Period.

[Sancho]

Well, Im starting to get hard pucks (while usually ~1/2 the basket worth is a hard puck after I beat it out of their). But I am confused by this brew in 45 seconds thing, mine almost always takes longer, generally on the order of 2-3 minutes to full brew. Is this a function of the 3 cupper vs my 6 cupper?

I have been using low heat to get a nice pressure build up but Im not sure if I should try high temp to spike the pressure then let it finish on its own seperate from heat?

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Sancho

Well, Im starting to get hard pucks (while usually ~1/2 the basket worth is a hard puck after I beat it out of their). But I am confused by this brew in 45 seconds thing, mine almost always takes longer, generally on the order of 2-3 minutes to full brew. Is this a function of the 3 cupper vs my 6 cupper?

I have been using low heat to get a nice pressure build up but Im not sure if I should try high temp to spike the pressure then let it finish on its own seperate from heat?

I call "brew" time the time from the first spurt out the post until the spurting stops. If you're getting dribbles and drools of coffee for 2-3 minutes (instead of 45-60 seconds), how does it taste? Good? Sweet? Crema? Not bitter?

45-60 seconds is the "rule" someone taught me but, to be sure, I've made good coffee that took one or twominutes to brew. If it tastes good, that's all there is is. If it tastes a little on the bitter side, try a slightly lighter pack for a slightly faster extraction. 3 minutes does sound a bit too long too me, though.

[Sancho]

Alrighty, I'll give higher temp a try tommorrow or maybe tonight. I have been very carefully monitoring my pack and have been tamping it down to maximize the pre-puckage before brewing. Thanks Moo!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Sancho

Alrighty, I... ... been tamping it down to maximize the pre-puckage before brewing. Thanks Moo!

Alrighty then! Sounds like you're getting ready to blow the safety valve! Very excellent! Learning where the edge of the envelope resides... love it - love it. This is real courage folks, tap dancing with a kitchen covered in boiling water/coffee spew.

(If you're mooshing in a filter full of coffee plus a dome on the top and it's taking 3-minutes to run a pot, you either need more heat to make more pressure - and risk blowing the valve or blowing up the pot - or a less dense pack, or a coarser grind.)

[Mister Moo]

Stainless mokapot and false crema do not seem to go together. The stainless pot makes excellent moka but I cannot make it produce crema. I've tried a dozen different kinds of freshroasted coffee and played every trick I know on the Bialetti Eleganz stainless pot to make it drool crema but it will not. I have called and written anyone and everyone who knows squat about coffee but there is no answer as to why this is. In fact, I discover, many so-called coffee experts didn't even know that a mokapot could produce the globs of crema that many of us here take for granted. Rookies, guys. We are surrounded by rookies. The best of them told me they had no idea why I can't get a stainless pot to make crema (not that any of them could). Except that my skills must be lacking there was no better answer.

I always felt the metal itself was suspect but couldn't figure out how to prove it.

Now, slightly off topic, I am suddenly struck by something I've known for a long time. My 18-10 stainless steel ibrik will not make AND HOLD decent froth when making turkish coffee. See where this is going?

Since this is now moving outside the scope of mokapots I will continue the discussion at the turkish coffee thread. Good day.

[chris45set]

I have to thank (or is the proper term "blame") all of you for steering me to that wonderful little Bialetti (yes I bought the six cup at Target, and I mix 1/2 & 1/2 with hot whole milk). YUM!! What an amazing brew. I didn't know anything like that even existed.
I also bought a Capresso Infinity burr grinder on sale just after Christmas, it has greatly improved my regular bean experience with my drip maker; I was using a whirly blade grinder (UGH!).
I need to try some beans for the Mokapot, have been using ground Seattle's Best I received as a present, but that is almost gone. What do you guys recommend I try for maximum goodness from the Bialetti?
Thanks for your sage advice.
Chris

Originally Posted by chris45set

I have to thank (or is the proper term "blame") all of you for steering me to that wonderful little Bialetti (yes I bought the six cup at Target, and I mix 1/2 & 1/2 with hot whole milk). YUM!! What an amazing brew. I didn't know anything like that even existed.
I also bought a Capresso Infinity burr grinder on sale just after Christmas, it has greatly improved my regular bean experience with my drip maker; I was using a whirly blade grinder (UGH!).
I need to try some beans for the Mokapot, have been using ground Seattle's Best I received as a present, but that is almost gone. What do you guys recommend I try for maximum goodness from the Bialetti?
Thanks for your sage advice.
Chris

Uncle Beanz goes back online tomorrow, give Norman a call and he will surely help you take that next step.

BTW don't forget to congratulate him on his recent marriage.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by chris45set

... What do you guys recommend I try for maximum goodness from the Bialetti?
Thanks for your sage advice.
Chris

What Richard said. UncleBeanz is the cat daddy but not the only daddy depending on where do you live. So, where DO you live? Sometimes it's easy to shop with a local, or nearby, roaster.

Great to hear you're loving the moka cafe con leche. When it's on it's hard to beat.