How to make moka pot coffee

The base recipe

With a moka pot, the size of the pot sets the dose: fill the basket to the brim and the base to just below the valve. You don’t need scales – grind and heat matter more.

Step by step

The method is the same for every pot size.

1. 01
   Add water

   Fill the base with hot water to just below the safety valve. Hot water shortens the time on the hob, so the coffee is less bitter.

2. 02
   Fill the basket

   Fill the basket to the brim with medium-fine ground coffee and level it off. Don’t press it down – pressure builds up and the coffee turns bitter.

3. 03
   Screw together

   Insert the basket, wipe the rim clean and screw the top on firmly, holding the hot base with a cloth.

4. 04
   Heat

   Put the pot on medium heat with the lid open, keeping the handle away from the flame.

5. 05
   Take it off in time

   As soon as the coffee starts to bubble up pale and gurgle, take the pot off the hob. The rest will finish on its own.

6. 06
   Serve

   Stir the coffee in the top chamber briefly to mix the layers and pour straight into warmed cups.

Which coffee to buy for a moka pot

Medium to dark roasts work well. A medium roast brings sweetness and body without the harsh, burnt taste very dark roasts often develop in a moka pot.

Ideally, buy whole beans and grind them medium-fine right before brewing so you can match the grind to your pot. Pre-ground coffee is the practical alternative if you don’t own a grinder – just make sure it isn’t powder-fine espresso grind, or the coffee will turn bitter.

Choose the bag size to match your consumption: a 3-cup pot uses little coffee per brew, but an opened bag should be finished within a few weeks.

Ethera Single Origin Ethiopia is a medium-roast, 100% arabica from the Ethiopian highlands. For a moka pot we recommend whole beans ground medium-fine; pre-ground is the practical choice without a grinder.

Common mistakes

Bitter or metallic moka pot coffee almost always has one of these causes:

• Heat too high: the coffee boils and tastes burnt. Use medium heat and a small burner for small pots.
• Too long on the hob: take it off at the first gurgle, or steam runs through the coffee.
• Grounds tamped or too fine: don’t tamp, and grind medium-fine rather than fine.
• Cold water in the base: the grounds heat for too long before the water passes through.
• Washing with detergent: rinse with warm water only, dry well, and check the gasket and basket regularly.

Moka pot coffee with milk

Moka pot coffee is concentrated and makes a good base for milk drinks. For a homemade caffè latte, top it up with warm frothed milk – roughly one part coffee to three parts milk. A handheld frother, or a lidded jar shaken hard and then warmed, is enough to make foam.