Bialetti Moka Pot
Invented in 1933 by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti, the Moka pot is a stove top coffee maker which brews coffee by forcing steam pressurized water through coffee grounds. The name was derived from the city of Mocha in Yemen, a port town famous for its exporting of coffee. While the stimulating effects of coffee are considered to have first been discovered in Ethiopia, the process of brewing is thought to have originated in Yemen.
Outside of Italy, the Moka pot is most commonly used in Europe and Latin America. It brews a full bodied coffee similar to espresso, with a fair amount of silt like one could expect from a French press. Displayed in modern industrial art and design museums such as the Wolfsonian-FIU, Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum, the Design Museum, and the London Science Museum, its now iconic design continues to be manufactured from aluminum with Bakelite handles.
While there are a variety of sizes available, our ratios and brew method are intended for use with the 6 cup Bialetti moka pot.
Tools:
Bialetti Moka pot, scale, kettle (to boil water), stovetop or burner
Ratios:
20 to 22 grams of coffee is a good starting place. Feel free to experiment and adjust to your preferences.
Grind:
We recommend a fine grind, similar to espresso. Aim for a consistency similar to fine sand.
Brewing Instructions:
Begin by boiling water, then use it to fill the bottom half of your Moka pot.
Fill the filter basket with your finely ground coffee, and give it a gentle shake to help the grounds evenly settle. Gently place it into the bottom compartment.
Being mindful of the now hot bottom chamber, carefully screw on the spouted top.
Place on a stove set to medium heat.
As the water in the bottom chamber nears boiling, the pressure should gently force a stream of coffee into the upper chamber. If your water is too hot, it may explode upward. if it burbles lethargically, turn up your flame. You will hear a hissing, bubbling sound when your coffee is done.
Similar to any metal object heated on an open flame, The Moka pot will be hot! Please use caution!
All photos by Kristan Lieb.