Make Great Coffee with a Moka Pot
ChefSteps3 HN recommenders · recommended in 2 months, 2020–2023
tutorial · intro · evergreen · 2020–2023 on HN
ChefSteps shows how to make espresso-style coffee in a moka pot, with a bonus latte hack. It is a quick how-to aimed at home brewers.
HN commenters link it in moka pot threads as a practical guide whose tips, such as starting with hot water, improved their coffee.
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6 comments from Hacker News
I like James Hoffmann's method for this, which is surprisingly from a channel that's not his: ▶ this video
There's a great video with coffee expert James Hoffmann on making coffee in a moka pot: ▶ this video However a moka pot generally doesn't make espresso as much as strong coffee. If you want something that makes espresso, check out the 9bar: link Of course you'll want a good hand grinder for either, but especially espresso. You can't get anything close to espresso with pre-ground or a cheap grinder.
I adopted a few tricks from either [1] or a similar video from James Hoffman’s Youtube channel some time ago (including the foaming milk with a French press one) and it vastly improved my lockdowns. The one useful thing they don’t say is (imo) it’s easier to get it right with a smaller size pot. [1] ▶ this video
James Hoffmann [1] and many others recommend starting with really hot water at the bottom, so the coffee grinds have less time to heat up. [1] ▶ this video
James Hoffmann recommends using hot water in the moka pot: ▶ this video I put mine (stainless steel) on my induction stove for 2, maybe 3 minutes maximum, and I've never encountered burnt coffee.
▶ this video I use one every day. Generally, fresh grounds, prewarm the water before assembly. I also like to wisk in a little sugar in the final cup after pouring out. (Don’t add sugar to the moka pot or it will caramelize/burn)