HOW TO PREPARE COFFEE AT HOME IN THE MOKA OR ITALIAN COFFEE MAKER.
In this article, we offer you some recommendations on how to prepare delicious coffee at home using the Moka or Italian coffee maker.
The moka or Italian coffee maker is perhaps the most common method for preparing coffee at home. Who does not have a Moka at home or has ever used one? Undoubtedly very few would answer in the negative.
However, if we are not careful, with this method we can extract too much bitterness from our coffee. So how do you make good coffee at home with an Italian coffee maker?
We have seen and heard many, no, many misconceptions about the preparation of this method. So we decided to make some experiments preparing coffee with this coffee maker and reach our conclusions.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE TASTE OF COFFEE
cup of coffee at home course, there are several key factors to preparing an excellent coffee at home. And obviously, some of these factors are going to depend on the method you are going to use. Therefore, in this article, we will focus on those elements that we consider applying to make a better coffee at home using the Italian coffee maker, also called moka or greca. How to make a good coffee at home with the typical Italian coffee maker?
First we are going to identify the factors that in our opinion intervene in the preparation of coffee in the Italian coffee maker:
-coffee ,
-the water,
-the temperature,
-the grind,
-the extraction time and the
-the quantities
Let's start in order...
1- CHOOSING A GOOD COFFEE
The main thing to prepare a good coffee at home or in any place is obviously to choose a good coffee. Avoid using roasted coffee and prefer specialty or artisan coffees over commercial coffee.
commercial coffees. Specialty coffee has a lighter roast and higher quality. In addition, each bean is handpicked only when it is ripe to ensure the quality standards of the SCA.
Among the specialty coffees, you can choose whether you want an espresso roast (medium roast) or a filter roast (somewhat milder). It is important that you check first of all the roasting date and that this should not be more than 2-3 months at the most. It is also not recommended that the roasting date be too recent (we will talk about this freshness myth in another article).
Consult with your trusted roaster as to how long it is advisable to rest your coffee. After 5-10 days of roasting the coffee will have de-gasified and will generally be ready for use. This can vary between different origins and varieties of coffee.
Another consideration is to buy only the amount of coffee that you are going to consume in a week or a month at the most. This way you will be able to try other origins and you will always have fresh coffee at home. In case it is difficult for you to buy coffee frequently or if you are buying for more than a month you can consider freezing your coffee at home in a vacuum. However, always in small portions.
2- THE WATER
First of all, choose a quality water with balanced minerals. Water that is too weak in minerals can detract from the flavor of your coffee and water with impurities or bad flavors will be felt in your final beverage. You can learn more about the importance of water in coffee in this article.
3- TEMPERATURE
Logically, in the Moka or Italian coffee maker the coffee begins to be extracted when the water reaches boiling temperature. For this reason, it is practically impossible to control the temperature of the water. However, we will see later how we can control the extraction to obtain less bitterness.
4- GRINDING OR DEGREE OF COFFEE GRINDING
First of all, always prefer coffee beans over ground coffee since the former oxidizes less quickly. In addition, it maintains its properties, flavors, and odors longer.
Secondly, choose a grinder with grinding wheels and not a blade grinder. In the latter, the high speed of the blades causes the temperature of the coffee to rise, modifying its flavor.
Thirdly, try to grind only what you need for your preparation. The fresher the grind the more intense the flavor and aroma will be. Whenever using pre-ground coffee at home try to consume it in short periods, at the most a week or 2 after opening the package.
Finally, at home store the coffee in an airtight container at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. It is not necessary to store it in the refrigerator since coffee can absorb aromas from other foods. If you freeze it, try to do it under a vacuum and in small doses.
5- EXTRACTION TIME
The longer the extraction time, the risk of obtaining more bitter flavors and overlapping the fruity and acidic flavors. In the greca this is difficult to control. However, keep reading and we will give you some barista tricks to make better coffee at home.
6- QUANTITIES
Obviously, the proportion of water and coffee used, together with the size of the grind will have a great influence on the flavor and body of our beverage. With this you can play around and make different recipes until you get your favorites. Keep experimenting, but modify only one variable at a time until you get your winning recipe.
STEPS TO MAKE A GOOD COFFEE AT HOME IN THE ITALIAN COFFEE MAKER
-Grind your coffee at home a little coarser than for espresso. Or ask for it ground for Italian coffee from your trusted roaster.
-Dose and level it. Fill the filter of the Italian coffee maker with the ground coffee leveling it without pressing it. You can experiment by varying the grind to discover which recipe you like best. For example, we have used 20 grams of coffee for a 4-6 cup Italian coffee maker.
-Fill the base of the Greca coffee maker with water up to the valve. It is important that the water does not exceed this level and that the filter does not remain floating. In this way you avoid the coffee getting wet.
-Place the Italian coffee maker immediately on the stove with the lid open. This will help you to see when you should remove the coffee pot from the heat source.
-When the liquid begins to splash, lower the lid and immediately remove the Italian coffee pot from the heat. You can then cool the base by placing it under a stream of cold water.
-Always stir the coffee before serving. Why? The first extraction is always more concentrated, so in this way we homogenize our coffee.
-Keep your coffee maker clean. Wash the coffee pot after each preparation to eliminate all residues and oils. In this way your next cup of coffee will not carry old or unpleasant flavors. If you have a coffee grinder, it is also advisable to verify that there are no coffee residues before grinding the next one, as well as from time to time to do a deeper cleaning to eliminate the oils.