The Italian coffee maker, or moka pot, is one of the most common brewing methods in France. Simple, quick, no electricity needed: it produces a concentrated, full-bodied coffee with a lot of character. But its result depends heavily on the coffee chosen and the grind used. At Verlet, here's what we recommend to get the best out of it.
How the Italian coffee maker works
The Italian coffee maker extracts coffee by steam pressure: water heated in the lower reservoir rises under pressure through the coffee grounds, then settles in the upper part. This extraction is faster and more intense than filter coffee or a French press.
The result is a concentrated coffee, with a pronounced body and low residual acidity. It is not an espresso in the technical sense of the term: the pressure generated by the moka pot is much lower than that of an espresso machine. But the profile is similar: dense, aromatic, with a pleasant mouthfeel.
The grind: fine but not too fine
For an Italian coffee maker, the grind should be fine to medium, finer than for a French press but less fine than for an espresso. A grind that is too fine clogs the filter, slows down extraction, and produces a bitter, over-extracted coffee. A grind that is too coarse results in a weak, thin-bodied, under-extracted coffee.
Espresso grind sold in supermarkets is often too fine for a moka pot and causes over-extraction. Ask for a grind specifically adapted for an Italian coffee maker.
At Verlet, we custom grind to order. Specify "Italian coffee maker" in your grinding instructions and we will adapt accordingly.
Dosage and preparation
Fill the moka pot filter to the rim, without tamping. Unlike espresso, where tamping is essential, tamping coffee in an Italian coffee maker obstructs the passage of steam and causes bitter over-extraction.
Fill the water reservoir up to the safety valve, never above. Heat over medium heat, not high: too rapid a temperature rise burns the aromas before extraction is complete. Remove the coffee maker from the heat as soon as the coffee begins to rise into the upper part, before the final gurgle that signals the end of extraction and the beginning of over-extraction.
Which coffees are best suited for the Italian coffee maker?
The Italian coffee maker amplifies the body and intensity of a coffee. It is particularly suitable for origins with round, chocolatey, or spicy notes. Very delicate coffees with floral and fruity notes may lose some of their finesse with this method: keep them for filter or French press.
Some references from our selection that are particularly well-suited:
Haute Mer, our historic blend with marine and spicy notes, and a body that stands up well to the intense extraction of the moka pot. It's a coffee designed to be powerful without being aggressive.
Tarazzu Amapola from Costa Rica, for those looking for a soft, low-acid coffee with notes of butter and chocolate. The Italian coffee maker makes it a very pleasant morning coffee, without excessive bitterness.
Mysore from India, whose bean produces notes of hazelnut and milk chocolate.
Ordering the right coffee for your moka pot
All our coffee selection is available online at verlet.fr, with custom grinding to order. Specify "Italian coffee maker" in your instructions and we will grind accordingly.
Our team welcomes you at 256 rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 1st, Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, to guide you according to your tastes and equipment.
