How to Brew in a Moka Pot

STEP ONE

Preheat the water. Bring kettle water to a boil and remove from heat.

We do this to keep the temperature of the moka pot from getting too hot and cooking the coffee, imparting a metallic taste.

STEP TWO

Grind your coffee on a drip coffee setting, about as fine as table salt. You need enough coffee to fill the filter basket, which is about 15 to 17 grams (or about 2.5 Tablespoons) for a 4-cup Bialetti moka pot.

STEP THREE

Add the heated water and fill to the line in the bottom of the brewer.

STEP FOUR

Insert the filter basket into the brewer bottom.

STEP FIVE

Fill the basket with coffee, slightly mounded, and level the surface off with your finger. Brush away loose grounds on the top edge of the filter basket.

STEP SIX

Screw the top and bottom together. Use hot pads and don’t over tighten.

STEP SEVEN

Put the brewer on the stove, use moderate heat and make sure that the handle is not subjected to heat. Leave the top lid open.

STEP EIGHT

The coffee will begin to come out and you will hear a puffing sound and see a rich-brown stream that will get progressively lighter in color. Once the stream is the color of yellow honey, remove from heat source with hot pads and close the lid.

STEP NINE

Wrap the bottom of the pot in a chilled bar towel or run under cold tap water to stop extraction. We do this to prevent the coffee from developing a metallic taste. The idea here is to get a relatively small amount of coffee which is very concentrated and rich.

STEP TEN

As soon as the coffee stops bubbling out, pour it into cups or a carafe. You may wish to dilute with hot water depending on preference.

Enjoy