Mokapots, Moka, or Stovetop Espresso, Period.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Sancho

So I picked up a SS mokapot this afternoon, loaded it up preparing for excellent coffee but the coffee was bitter and somewhat bitey. Any thoughts? How packed is packed? like a pipe bowl or tighter? I did use my whirlyblade on med/coarse (after the preliminary pot to the coffee gods per the instructions) using some one origin beans and the results are nice but it sure didn't make a lot of coffee

I never made good moka with a whirley blade chopper, not that I invested years trying. (And I am sure someone will claim they make fabulous moka with a Ronco herb chopper, two rocks or a hammer. Maybe so.)

Simple straight skinny:

1. moka is moka because it's made under pressure.
2. the pressure comes from resistance to the upward movement of water thru the coffee grounds.
3. even resistance (REALLY EVEN resistance) to the water causes all the grounds to be wetted during the brewing period.
4. all the grounds being wetted extracts the most stuff from the puck.

5. (this is the real deal) - if you grind for moka with a whirley blade, the grind will be irregular and lumpy and the upward moving water in a brew cycle will cut a channel thru the path(s) of least resistance, failing to extract much from the larger chunks or the areas distant from the channel(s).

A mokapot really needs medium fine, evenly ground (read "burr" grinder) coffee to do well.

(Now, for the guys who are happy with a mokapot and a whirleyblade, the hammer (or two rocks), I honor you in advance and respecfully request you start you own "how to" mokapot thread. I am also sure there are some people who paint "show quality" vehicles with Krylon from Lowes and a 4" nylon bristle paintbrush from the Sherwin Williams store. I'm not saying it can't be done. And I'm not saying you can't put a man on the moon with SCUBA gear and lots of gunpowder, either. I'm just saying I never tried and won't pretend I ever got good results with anything but a burr mill plus mokapot.)

Tom - I guess it can't hurt to season a new brewer. Most folks do pitch the first pot or two I think. The pack is the critical thing. It needs enough to let the water thru slowy but not so much to plug up the process and blow the safety valve. All I can say is, when you get it right with a little experimenting, it's easy to keep it right. Like riding a bicycle.