The History: The “Little Man with the Mustache”
In 1933, amid the Art Deco movement, Alfonso Bialetti watched his wife doing laundry in a “boiling” machine that forced soapy water up through a central tube.
He applied this same principle to coffee, creating the iconic octagonal aluminum pot that we know today the Moka Pot
The Moka Express changed everything.
For the first time, the intense, concentrated coffee previously only available in the grand espresso bars of Milan could be made on a kitchen stove.
It became the “People’s Espresso.”
The Science: Steam and Pressure of the Moka Pot
The Moka Pot is often misunderstood.
It doesn’t use the 9 bars of pressure an espresso machine does; it uses about 1.5 to 2 bars. It works by boiling water in the bottom chamber, creating steam that pushes the water up through the coffee grounds and out into the top collector.
The Result: Because it uses a metal mesh filter, the oils and micro-sediments are preserved. This creates a “creamy” mouthfeel and a heavy body that highlights chocolatey, nutty, and earthy notes.
The Result: A cup that is heavy-bodied, syrupy, and incredibly punchy.
The Master Technique: Avoiding the “Burn”
The biggest complaint with Moka Pots is bitterness. This usually happens because the coffee grounds get too hot before the water even touches them.
Here is The Coffee Guide method to fix that:
The “Hot Start”: Boil your water in a kettle before putting it in the bottom chamber. This prevents the metal pot from sitting on the stove for too long and “toasting” the dry coffee grounds.
The Grind: Use a Medium-Fine grind (slightly coarser than espresso). If it’s too fine, the water won’t be able to push through; too coarse, and it will be sour.
The Basket: Fill the basket to the brim but do not tamp it down. Just level it off with your finger.
The Heat: Place it on a medium-low flame. Leave the lid open so you can watch the magic happen.
The Kill: As soon as the coffee turns from a dark “honey” color to a pale, bubbly yellow (and you hear a gurgle), remove it from the heat immediately. Run the bottom of the pot under cold tap water to stop the extraction instantly.
Recommended Origins: “To get the most out of your Moka Pot, we recommend the Tradition and strength of
Nicaragua: The bold, heavy-hitting flavor of Nicaraguan beans holds up against the high heat of a stovetop brew.
The Moka “Crema” Myth
“While a Moka Pot doesn’t produce true espresso crema, you can create a ‘Faux Crema’—a technique used by Italian grandmothers.
Take the first few drops of the dark coffee extract, whisk it vigorously with a spoonful of sugar in a separate cup until it turns into a thick, pale paste, then pour the rest of the coffee over it. It’s a 20th-century ritual that mirrors the 17th-century love for sweetened, frothy decoctions.”
“Courtesy of James Hoffmann. A deeper look at the ‘Moka Pot’ technique mentioned above.”