The moka pot is a stove-top coffee maker which produces coffee by passing hot water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. It was first patented by inventor Luigi De Ponti for Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. Bialetti Industrie continues to produce the same model under the name "Moka Espresso".
 | |
| Manufacturer | Bialetti |
|---|---|
| Release date | 1933 |
The moka pot is most commonly used in Europe and in Latin America. It has become an iconic design, displayed in modern industrial art and design museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum, the Design Museum,[1] and the London Science Museum. Moka pots come in different sizes, from one to eighteen 50 ml cups.[2] The original design and many current models are made from aluminium with bakelite handles.
Variations and brands
Traditionally, moka pots are made of aluminium and are used over a flame or electric range. The aluminium moka pots cannot be used on induction stoves. There are, however, also many stainless steel models available.[3] Electric self-heating moka pots are also available. More recently induction specific moka pots are now available and are made of a titanium-alloy base.[4]
Brikka is a modified moka pot manufactured by Bialetti. It incorporates a weighted valve as a pressure regulator on top of the nozzle that allows pressure to build up inside the water tank in a manner similar to a pressure cooker. As pressure builds up more quickly in this method (since there is much less leakage of vapor) compared to the standard moka pot, it reaches the level required for water to rise through the ground coffee at a lower temperature. However, the weighted valve allows pressure to accumulate and temperature to rise somewhat further before the liquid bursts through the nozzle. The result is coffee brewed at a higher pressure and at a lower temperature than the standard pot, making it more similar to espresso, and therefore with more visible crema. [citation needed]
Mukka Express is a modified moka pot also manufactured by Bialetti that allows milk to be frothed and mixed with the coffee during brewing. The name, "Mukka", is a pun on the Italian for cow, "mucca". Bialetti also manufactures several stainless steel moka pots, i.e.: Musa, Class or Venus.
Alessi is an Italian kitchenware manufacturer known for their moka pots. Cuisinox also markets several models of moka pots in both aluminium and stainless steel. [citation needed]
Top Moka is an Italian manufacturer well known for their variety of different colors and their induction moka pot models. [citation needed]
Vev Viganò is an Italian manufacturer that specialises in stainless steel moka pots. Their product lines include Kontessa, Itaca, Vespress and Carioca. [citation needed]
Bellman makes a stainless steel moka pot, the CX-25 Series, operating at higher pressure and capable of creating a crema. It also has a wand to steam liquids, such as milk for cappuccino.[5]
The brand Volturno has been manufacturing moka pots in Argentina for many decades;[6] the name Volturno is sometimes used synonymously with moka pot there.[7]
Top Moka, another Italian manufacturer, offers two different styles of moka pots in a wide variety of colours. The more traditional Top Moka Pot comes in sizes varying from two to six-shot boilers. They also make a Mini Moka Pot in one- and two-shot sizes that use dispensing arcs rather than the standard collection chamber. Both are available with aluminum boilers for standard cooktops or titanium-alloy boilers for induction stoves.[8]
Brewing coffee with a moka pot
The boiler (marked A in the diagram) is filled with water almost up to the safety release valve and the funnel-shaped metal filter (B) is inserted. Finely-ground coffee is added to the filter as shown below. Then the upper part (C, which has a second metal filter at the bottom) is tightly screwed onto the base. The pot is placed on a suitable heat source, the water is brought to its boiling point, and thereby steam is created in the boiler.
A gasket ensures a tightly closed unit and allows for pressure to safely build up in the lower section, where a safety valve provides a necessary release in case this pressure should get too high (with clean filters, that should not happen). One preferred method of preparation states that the entire filter should be filled with coffee and placed over medium to medium-high heat.[9]
The steam eventually reaches a high enough pressure to gradually force the surrounding boiling water up the funnel through the coffee powder and into the upper chamber (C), where the coffee is collected. When the lower chamber is almost empty, steam bubbles mix with the upstreaming water, producing a characteristic gurgling noise.
Maintenance
Moka pots require periodic replacement of the rubber seal and the filters, and a check that the safety release valve is not blocked.
After use, a thin coat of oily coffee residue is left lining the interior of the stems, filters and upper chamber. It is said to be desirable to retain this residue, as it subsequently prevents coffee from acquiring an unpleasant metallic taste through contact with the aluminum wall.[10]
Moka pot dimensions
The Moka pot comes in various sizes based on the number of 50 mL espresso cups they produce. The following table are the standard sizes for the Bialetti Moka Express.
| Espresso cups |
Metric units | Imperial units | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mL | height | base | fl oz | height | base | |
| 1 | 60 mL | 133 mm | 64 mm | 2.0 fl oz | 5¼" | 2½" |
| 3 | 200 mL | 159 mm | 83 mm | 6.5 fl oz | 6¼" | 3¼" |
| 6 | 300 mL | 216 mm | 102 mm | 10.0 fl oz | 8½" | 4" |
| 9 | 550 mL | 254 mm | 105 mm | 18.5 fl oz | 10" | 4⅛" |
| 12 | 775 mL | 292 mm | 127 mm | 25.0 fl oz | 11½" | 5" |
Moka coffee vs. drip coffee
The flavor of Moka pot coffee depends greatly on bean variety, roast level, fineness of grind, and the level of heat used. Due to the higher than atmospheric pressure involved, the mixture of water and steam reaches temperatures well above 100 °C, causing a more efficient extraction of caffeine and flavors from the grounds, and resulting in a stronger brew than that obtained by drip brewing.
Moka coffee vs. espresso coffee
Moka pots are sometimes referred to as stove-top espresso makers and produce coffee with an extraction ratio similar to that of a conventional espresso machine. Depending on bean variety and grind selection, Moka pots can create a foam emulsion, known as crema. However, the maximum pressure for coffee extraction that can be achieved with a Moka pot is 1.5 bar[citation needed]. According to the Italian Espresso National Institute and the Specialty Coffee Association of America, an espresso must be made using a precise extraction pressure of 9 bar.[11][12] So, while a Moka coffee pot can produce a crema similar to espressos, different equipment is required to make a true espresso.
Notes
- ^ GREENBAUM, HILARY (September 1, 2011). "Who Made That Moka Express?". nytimes.com.
- ^ "Moka Express factsheet" (PDF). Bialetti. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ "Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker". Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ Induction Moka Pots: "Induction Moka Pot". (Accessed on April 6, 2012)
- ^ CoffeeCrew: "Bellman Cappuccino Maker reviewed". (Accessed on December 7, 2009)
- ^ "Volturno - Cafeteras Express" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2010.
- ^ "Familia de Artistas". Página/12 (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2010.
sirven café de una cafeterita Volturno
- ^ Top Moka: "Top Moka". (Accessed on April 2, 2012)
- ^ "Brewing At Home, Part 1: Moka Pot". Gimmecoffee.com. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Brewing italian coffee with a moka pot".
- ^ "Espresso Italiano Certificato" (PDF). Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Espresso and classic drink Wiki". Retrieved 30 January 2011.
References
- Rombauer, Irma S. (1997). The Joy of Cooking. Scribner. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-684-81870-1.
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External links
Media related to Moka Expresses at Wikimedia Commons