Liquid Language

Stovetop Espresso

As we join in this New Year’s verse to collectively remember long-standing friendships, let us as coffee enthusiasts and professionals find time to reconnect with a coffee brewing tool that has been in our lives for more than 75 years.

The moka pot, or stovetop espresso maker, has been serving up strong, sweet brews since the 1930s. However, this top-selling coffee brewer often finds its way to the back of cabinets and cupboards, overshadowed by other techniques that are more convenient, forgiving and, sometimes, more trendy.
 
The moka pot closely resembles the commercial espresso technology of its day. When Alfonso Bialetti enlisted Italian inventor Luigi De Ponti to develop the first Moka Express in 1933, commercial espresso machines were still using steam power to push water through a bed of finely ground coffee. Italians were also facing a struggling economy, and Bialetti wanted to capitalize on the population’s desire to spend a little less in the cafes and still enjoy quality coffee at home.
 
The result of their efforts was a product that was both viable and vibrant. Its trademark octagonal and hourglass shape balanced form and function in a way that has earned it a place in several art museums, including the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Architecture and Design in New York City.
 
The moka pot has three parts. The bottom compartment holds water, the middle compartment holds finely-ground coffee and the top compartment holds a metal filter, brewing tube, and reservoir for the brewed coffee. The entire brewer is placed above a flame or on an electric range. As the water reaches the desired temperature, the natural steam pressure pushes the water up through the bed of grounds, through the metal filter and into the top compartment. Unlike machines that use pods or pre-portioned cups, this method also produces zero waste.
 
When approaching the stovetop espresso maker, it is best to take the term “espresso” and set it to the side. Mentioning the moka pot to most third-wave baristas and coffee pros often results in a wrinkle-nosed response, because it does not make “real” espresso (I was guilty of this). They are not incorrect. Even though the resulting brew is more concentrated than that of a pourover or drip coffee maker, it is far from the intensely concentrated experience produced by a pump-driven espresso machine.  So, obviously, a different experience should be expected. If the user is willing to forego preconceptions and use taste as a yardstick, even the most ardent coffee snob will find something to love in a cup from this stovetop stalwart.
 
Expect the moka pot to highlight the sweetness and body in a coffee. The resulting brew can best be described as a slightly concentrated, short coffee. It is an excellent base for a cafe au lait, an Americano or a coffee-based cocktail.
 
Bialetti still manufactures the original aluminum Moka Express, as well as versions that regulate pressure or heat and texture milk while brewing the coffee. Several companies, such as Bodum, Alessi and Bellman, manufacture versions of the moka pot, with subtle modifications to the original design. There are now several stainless steel models that can also be used on an induction range and electric models with a built-in heating element. You can purchase these brewers in several sizes, and they are often measured in 2-ounce cups.
 
So drink a cup of stovetop kindness and spend some quality time with this old friend of coffee lovers around the world.
 
Ben's Hints:

• An exceptional cup will require your attention and some experimentation with time, temperature, ratio and the type of coffee you are using. Here are some tips for an exceptional moka pot experience:
• Use a fresh, locally-roasted coffee known for having a full body and sweetness. Ask your roaster for a recommendation. If they do not have a recommendation, find another roaster.
• A consistent, fine grind from a burr mill grinder will make a tremendous difference. There is no need to tamp the coffee. Try loosely mounding the coffee in the basket.
• Take the slow and low approach by using medium heat. The coffee should not spurt out the top, but arrive in a gentle flow. Start with the same temperature you would use to fry an egg.
• Stop the brew before it finishes. Remove the brewer from the heat and pour as soon as the color starts to get blonde. This will prevent over extraction and scorching.
• Like a cast-iron skillet, aluminum models benefit from seasossure or heat and texture milk while brewing the coffee. Several companies, such as Bodum, Alessi and Bellman, manufacture versions of the moka pot, with subtle modifications to the original design. There are now several stainless steel models that can also be used on an induction range and electric models with a built-in heating element. You can purchase these brewers in several sizes, and they are often measured in 2-ounce cups.