Are you a fan of strong coffee but don't always have an espresso machine with you? Well, my friend, meet the Moka Pot. Invented in Italy in 1933, this coffee maker brews coffee by passing pressurized steam through your coffee to create a quick and easy way to create a strong cup of coffee.

What you Need to Make Moka Pot Coffee and choose the correct Moka Pot grind size.

  • Recommended Coffee: The Cascades or Rock Creek Blend
  • A Moka Pot
  • Water
  • A Coffee Grinder (Not applicable for pre-ground coffee)
  • A Heating Implement
  • Mug of Choice

Moke Pot Grind Size, Prep, and Measure:

Moka Pot Grind Size

  1. Grind enough coffee needed for your moka pot size to fill up the metal filter - set aside.
    1. The grind should be about medium fine ground. Looks similar to granulated sugar or table salt
  2. Fill the bottom chamber of the moka pot with water until it is level with the valve, about 345 grams.
  3. Fill the funnel with the ground coffee, leveling the grounds and wiping the funnel’s rim clean. Do not tamp/apply any pressure to the ground coffee.

Assemble

  1. Place the funnel—the coffee ground metal filter—into the bottom half of the pot.
  2. Screw the moka pot’s spouted top on tightly, making sure the silicone valve is still intact on the upper half of the Moka Pot

Brewing the Coffee:

grind size

  1. Place the moka pot on a stove over medium heat. If using a gas stove, make sure the flame is not larger than the base of the pot so as not to expose the handle to heat.
  2. As the water in the bottom chamber approaches a boil, the pressure will push a stream of coffee steadily up into the upper chamber. You know it’s done when you hear a hissing, gurgling sound. 
  3. Immediately remove the moka pot from the heat. Let the coffee finish flowing into the upper chamber, and then use caution (and a potholder) to pour your coffee.

Cleaning:

To clean your moka pot for its next use, once the pot is cool enough to handle, unscrew the spouted top and remove the rubber gasket and filter plate that sit above the funnel. Use warm water without soap to clean all of the parts thoroughly. If you’re unable to remove any residual coffee oils, use a coffee-specific cleaner such as Cafiza, which will remove residue without imparting a soapy taste.

October 13, 2022 — David Ilgenfritz