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Main
Date: 10 Sep 2007 17:45:14
From: FB
Subject: Bialetti Moka Express Help
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Hi.
I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took 4
scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
Undrinkable.
So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only want
to make one or two cups for myself?
Thanks from a coffee novice.
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Date: 15 Sep 2007 09:23:42
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Bialetti Moka Express Help
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Thanks to Jack for pointing correct intended dosages, and your
pointing out a not so obvious (intuitive) aspect of burning coffee.
Boiling water occurs at 212 degrees sea level, starts to increase in
temperature, to spurt and fizzle with agitation above, yet will
ideally flow at something less (195-205F for moka coffee).
Interesting to keep in mind for the next yen and a really big cup of
coffee.
--
'Not 91 or 93, but 92 Fahrenheit degrees.' -92 Degrees, Tinderbox.
Siouxsie And The Banshees.
On Sep 15, 5:14 am, opother <opother...@earthlink.net > wrote:
> On Sep 11, 12:03 am, "Jack Denver" <nunuv...@netscape.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Do not reduce the amount of coffee. Moka must use a full basket and full
> > amount of water. If you want less, buy a smaller moka - Italians own one in
> > each size.
>
> > Use medium heat. If coffee is too thick for your taste you can dilute in
> > your cup w. hot water. It is thicker than American coffee - it's supposed
> > to be syrupy and espresso like (but w.out the crema foam on top). This is
> > why its "6 cups" - six little Italian espresso cups - it's very intense and
> > you only drink one or 2 per person.
>
> > "FB" <nospamfbrown...@nc.rr.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:46e5badf$0$18986$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> > > Hi.
>
> > > I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
>
> > > I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took
> > > 4 scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
> > > Undrinkable.
>
> > > So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
>
> > > How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
>
> > > Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only
> > > want to make one or two cups for myself?
>
> > > Thanks from a coffee novice.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
>
> First leave the cover off or open so you can see the flow
>
> When you use a Moka pot heat it up very slowly you want the coffee to
> flow slowly if it burps, fizzles, and sprays it's way out then the
> coffee is ruined.
>
> This can happen if the heat is too high or you fail to remove it from
> the stove in time. However it really boils down to removing it from
> the heat in time. I can use high heat but I constantly monitor the pot
> and as soon as I see just a little tiny bit comming up I remove it
> from the flame and observe for a flow if it doesn't progress to a
> steady flow I put it back on the stove a little longer constantly
> monitoring it, the object is to (1) never never let the coffee burp
> it's way out and (2) remove the pot from the heat before all of the
> water makes it way up, which will by the way make a final last burpy
> spray which goes back to (1) no burping allowed
>
> Also you don't want the top portion of the pot to get too hot as this
> can affect flavour. I like to boil the water in the bottom half
> without the coffee and filter first, let it cool about a minute and
> then screw it all together with the coffee and use low heat to
> carefully finish the brew. This can be a pain when dealing with a hot
> pot and I would advise caution as well as pot holder mitts. Some
> people go as far as to put the top part in the freezer without the
> coffee and filter of course. I have done this but I find it
> unnessesary. The problem with the top portion overheating is all moot
> if you have one of those porcelain topped moka pots of course.
>
> As for crema I rarely get much if any crema in my moka brews, even
> with freshly roasted and properly ground (with a good burr grinder yes
> the expensive ones) coffee (ie anyware from 1 hour old to couple of
> days) but I find the flavour delicious when it comes out nice and
> reddish.
>
> And there is of course the painful dilehma of using cheap
> "weedwacker" blade grinders or even grossly cheap low quality plasticy
> rattly burr grinders to try to make a decent drinkable beverage using
> this brewing method it just won't work
>
> The only cheapo grinder that I know of that would work (ha ha ha work
> it is) would be a turkish mill ($25 - $40 US) or a good quality hand
> crank mill ($59 - $79) such as a Zassenhaus if the company every
> starts making good ones again, they made a big run of crap and shortly
> after almost went out of business so I would avoid used ones.
> .
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Date: 15 Sep 2007 02:14:21
From: opother
Subject: Re: Bialetti Moka Express Help
|
On Sep 11, 12:03 am, "Jack Denver" <nunuv...@netscape.net > wrote:
> Do not reduce the amount of coffee. Moka must use a full basket and full
> amount of water. If you want less, buy a smaller moka - Italians own one in
> each size.
>
> Use medium heat. If coffee is too thick for your taste you can dilute in
> your cup w. hot water. It is thicker than American coffee - it's supposed
> to be syrupy and espresso like (but w.out the crema foam on top). This is
> why its "6 cups" - six little Italian espresso cups - it's very intense and
> you only drink one or 2 per person.
>
> "FB" <nospamfbrown...@nc.rr.com> wrote in message
>
> news:46e5badf$0$18986$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
>
>
> > Hi.
>
> > I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
>
> > I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took
> > 4 scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
> > Undrinkable.
>
> > So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
>
> > How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
>
> > Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only
> > want to make one or two cups for myself?
>
> > Thanks from a coffee novice.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
First leave the cover off or open so you can see the flow
When you use a Moka pot heat it up very slowly you want the coffee to
flow slowly if it burps, fizzles, and sprays it's way out then the
coffee is ruined.
This can happen if the heat is too high or you fail to remove it from
the stove in time. However it really boils down to removing it from
the heat in time. I can use high heat but I constantly monitor the pot
and as soon as I see just a little tiny bit comming up I remove it
from the flame and observe for a flow if it doesn't progress to a
steady flow I put it back on the stove a little longer constantly
monitoring it, the object is to (1) never never let the coffee burp
it's way out and (2) remove the pot from the heat before all of the
water makes it way up, which will by the way make a final last burpy
spray which goes back to (1) no burping allowed
Also you don't want the top portion of the pot to get too hot as this
can affect flavour. I like to boil the water in the bottom half
without the coffee and filter first, let it cool about a minute and
then screw it all together with the coffee and use low heat to
carefully finish the brew. This can be a pain when dealing with a hot
pot and I would advise caution as well as pot holder mitts. Some
people go as far as to put the top part in the freezer without the
coffee and filter of course. I have done this but I find it
unnessesary. The problem with the top portion overheating is all moot
if you have one of those porcelain topped moka pots of course.
As for crema I rarely get much if any crema in my moka brews, even
with freshly roasted and properly ground (with a good burr grinder yes
the expensive ones) coffee (ie anyware from 1 hour old to couple of
days) but I find the flavour delicious when it comes out nice and
reddish.
And there is of course the painful dilehma of using cheap
"weedwacker" blade grinders or even grossly cheap low quality plasticy
rattly burr grinders to try to make a decent drinkable beverage using
this brewing method it just won't work
The only cheapo grinder that I know of that would work (ha ha ha work
it is) would be a turkish mill ($25 - $40 US) or a good quality hand
crank mill ($59 - $79) such as a Zassenhaus if the company every
starts making good ones again, they made a big run of crap and shortly
after almost went out of business so I would avoid used ones.
.
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Date: 11 Sep 2007 00:03:38
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Bialetti Moka Express Help
|
Do not reduce the amount of coffee. Moka must use a full basket and full
amount of water. If you want less, buy a smaller moka - Italians own one in
each size.
Use medium heat. If coffee is too thick for your taste you can dilute in
your cup w. hot water. It is thicker than American coffee - it's supposed
to be syrupy and espresso like (but w.out the crema foam on top). This is
why its "6 cups" - six little Italian espresso cups - it's very intense and
you only drink one or 2 per person.
"FB" <nospamfbrown627@nc.rr.com > wrote in message
news:46e5badf$0$18986$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Hi.
>
> I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
>
> I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took
> 4 scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
> Undrinkable.
>
> So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
>
> How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
>
> Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only
> want to make one or two cups for myself?
>
> Thanks from a coffee novice.
>
>
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Date: 10 Sep 2007 18:15:45
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Bialetti Moka Express Help
|
On Sep 10, 5:45 pm, "FB" <nospamfbrown...@nc.rr.com > wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
>
> I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took 4
> scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
> Undrinkable.
>
> So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
>
> How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
>
> Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only want
> to make one or two cups for myself?
>
> Thanks from a coffee novice.
Good beans mean a lot. First time I tried, I forgot to reset the
grinder. Result was with some creama and surprisingly delicious.
Could be more than a few grinds that managed to work their way through
the mesh and form a bottom sediment layer (I don't recall - quelled it
straightaway). Ignored the size of Bialetti's container and used what
I normally use for an espresso machine - not much more than a couple
ounces of water, maybe half the container, to a quarter cup or little
less of beans (homeroast and ground on the spot).
I can grind that amount directly into a pressure-top-seal "baggie",
seal it, put it in a side pocket to a leather laptop satchel for
later. The aroma will diffuse through the plastic and permeate itself
strangely about a six foot radius. (Occasional French press variant I
make, and not near the taste of the Bialetti). There's definite vigor
to be expected from a quality of roast and grind, and the Bialetti
does fine with them.
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Date: 10 Sep 2007 17:00:14
From: Alex_chef2000
Subject: Re: Bialetti Moka Express Help
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On Sep 10, 4:45 pm, "FB" <nospamfbrown...@nc.rr.com > wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I just bought a 6 cup Bialetti Moka Express and need help in using it.
>
> I followed instructions and filled the coffee chamber with coffee. It took 4
> scoops. I let it brew and the coffee was foul. Thicker than mud.
> Undrinkable.
>
> So I tried again with half as much coffee. It still wasn't very good.
>
> How much coffee should I use? I used Starbucks Espresso blend.
>
> Also, can I use the 6 cup machine to make less coffee as well if I only want
> to make one or two cups for myself?
>
> Thanks from a coffee novice.
Well, try to grind your coffee coarser, the Moka coffee is wonderful
when done right. When your coffee is ground for espresso or even for
turkish, the result is like you had. Try to buy an electric grinder
and grind everytime you prepare your coffee.
Alex.:
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