First moka pot question

[WalterK]

Just ordered my first moka pot (Bialetti 3 cup) and am pretty excited to see what the fuss is all about. Even got a bag of Lavazza to check out the coarseness of the grind and see if my grinder can duplicate it ...silly, I know.

I was just wondering if any of you use it to make anything else other than coffee? Anyone try making tea or any other type of beverage?

 

[Sabin]

I love to make espresso in my Bialetti. I don't think is recommended for tea...

 

[Mick]

Just strong coffee mixed 50/50 with milk.

 

[WalterK]

Thanks guys. Can't wait to give this thing a whirl.

 

[Marco]

Sir, it's ONLY for making coffee. But Bialetti is the very first and the very best Italian one.

 

[WalterK]

Sir, it's ONLY for making coffee. But Bialetti is the very first and the very best Italian one.

I just made my first pot today, and you are correct, the instructions clearly state not to use with cocoa, teas, instant coffees as they might clog the the unit.

 

[dpm802]

Sir, it's ONLY for making coffee. But Bialetti is the very first and the very best Italian one.

Its NOT just for making coffee ... but this application is rather unique.

Italy's late coffee king buried inside iconic Moka pot

 

[Bikac]

Bialetti you buy it once and thats it lol

 

[MntnMan62]

Its NOT just for making coffee ... but this application is rather unique.

Italy's late coffee king buried inside iconic Moka pot

View attachment 868988

And here I thought mine was the ONLY Bialetti blessed by the Pope. I guess I got ripped off.

 

[WalterK]

Old Night Court episode :"...that wasn't herbal tea, that was Herb!..." (someone made tea from Herb's ashes)


Wish I could have found the video clip.

 

[Nsgators]

Hi everyone. I’ve been on B&B for a couple of years but was usually in Brown Leaf forum. I’ve been lurking in the cafe forum for a few days while patiently waiting for my Virtuoso to be delivered to use in my new FP. I understand it’s not known to be good at grinding beans for espresso. However, I was wondering if it would do the trick for a Moka pot.

 

[MntnMan62]

Hi everyone. I’ve been on B&B for a couple of years but was usually in Brown Leaf forum. I’ve been lurking in the cafe forum for a few days while patiently waiting for my Virtuoso to be delivered to use in my new FP. I understand it’s not known to be good at grinding beans for espresso. However, I was wondering if it would do the trick for a Moka pot.

I have a Baratza Virtuoso and bought it for making coffee in my french press. It does an excellent job at the large grind needed for that. I get very little fines in my french press coffee. I also just bought a Moka Express but have been using pre-ground coffee because I had bought some by mistake. So I can't really answer your question directly. But I have a feeling you'll do just fine with it since you don't want the grind to be as fine as espresso for the Moka. If you go for an espresso machine, I've heard the Baratza grinder that works well for espresso is the Vario. I'm hoping to one day spring for an espresso machine and would get a separate grinder to go with it . But I think the Virtuoso will be good for your intended purchase. Congratulations on your purchase. Enjoy.

 

[Batou]

Sir, it's ONLY for making coffee. But Bialetti is the very first and the very best Italian one.

No, by no means. I have a Giannina, made to 100% of stainless steel and although it is designed for 2-3 espresso cups it weighs mere 750g! Solid like a soviet space station ;-)

 

[MntnMan62]

No, by no means. I have a Giannina, made to 100% of stainless steel and although it is designed for 2-3 espresso cups it weighs mere 750g! Solid like a soviet space station ;-)

The pricing on the Giannina is $165 for a 3 cup model while the Moka Express can be had for $26. I'll take the aluminum one any day. The coffee spends so little time in the pot that I doubt any aluminum has time to "leach" into the coffee.

 

[Nsgators]

I have a Baratza Virtuoso and bought it for making coffee in my french press. It does an excellent job at the large grind needed for that. I get very little fines in my french press coffee. I also just bought a Moka Express but have been using pre-ground coffee because I had bought some by mistake. So I can't really answer your question directly. But I have a feeling you'll do just fine with it since you don't want the grind to be as fine as espresso for the Moka. If you go for an espresso machine, I've heard the Baratza grinder that works well for espresso is the Vario. I'm hoping to one day spring for an espresso machine and would get a separate grinder to go with it . But I think the Virtuoso will be good for your intended purchase. Congratulations on your purchase. Enjoy.

Vario and espresso machine will be my next purchase, but that may have to wait a year or so.

 

[Marco]

No, by no means. I have a Giannina, made to 100% of stainless steel and although it is designed for 2-3 espresso cups it weighs mere 750g! Solid like a soviet space station ;-)

Sir, the beauty of B&B comes from the fact that everyone is entitled of his thoughts and everyone has to respect ideas given by others.

I am Italian and know Moka pots pretty well because they have been invented by us and are a strong part of our tradition.

The very first Moka was a patented design (1933) of Alfonso Bialetti, founder of the Bialetti company. Bialetti is the ORIGINAL Moka, no question. And for me it's the finest, too. The fact that the authentique Bialetti is made of Aluminum is an added bonus, not a drawback: Aluminum is lighter than Stainless Steel, it is a better conductor of heat and it is certainly strong enough for coffee making. In my house I have a Bialetti of the early 1940's that belonged to my Great Grandmather and it still works...

Thank you for your opinion.

 

[WalterK]

All I can tell you guys is that I'm very happy with my purchase. It is thick, solidly built, and feels like a quality unit.

On the lighter sides of things ... I first tried my moka pot one evening after dinner. I made a few sacrificial pots as the instructions suggested. Then I started drinking my experiments. After a few pots, and probably the equivalent of six or so espressos, I began to have the feeling that it might not be such a good idea to be doing this in the evening. Predictably, I didn't sleep too well that night.

I can truly see why folks who were raised on this type of coffee can't drink anything else, it really is special.

That being said, living in a cold climate, it really is nice to be able to drink a large cup of coffee in the morning to help warm you up and get going. I think the moka pot will see more use in the summer, or special occasions.

 

[MntnMan62]

I’ve come to really like the coffee my Moka Pot makes. But I decided to compare it to my old standby french press. And I have to say I think I prefer the french press over the moka. I think the taste of the moka coffee is stronger and it may even be stronger from a caffeine standpoint, but I like the taste of the coffee from the french press. It’s a softer flavor yet still very full. I do like variety in my coffee as much as my shaving so I anticipate both moka and french press will see lots of use all year long. I’m very happy I got the moka pot. You can’t beat the price for what appears to be a nearly indestructible hunk of metal, unlike my glass french press. I have an extra carafe just in case. Now the only thing that could replace both of these is a nice mid level espresso machine. But that’s a $2,000 investment all in and I’m nowhere near justifying that kind of outlay just yet. One day though.

 

[kfbrady]

Of course it’s not real espresso but the coffee that my Bialetti 3-cup pot makes is really quite good. I typically use store bought Lavazza but I also use it with my home roasted coffees too.

I’m not sure my heavy Kitchen Aid burr grinder provides quite a fine enough grind for the Bialetti but it seems to work - and taste - pretty good.

Mostly though I use a Bodum French press and I particularly enjoy East African coffees that I buy as green beans and roast and grind myself. Oh, and I drink all my coffee strong and black.

 

[Amir]

I’ve been lurking in the cafe forum for a few days while patiently waiting for my Virtuoso to be delivered to use in my new FP. I understand it’s not known to be good at grinding beans for espresso. However, I was wondering if it would do the trick for a Moka pot.

I set my Baratza Virtuoso for a fine grind of 15, adjusted to taste, for the Bialetti (like expresso), and a coarser 36-40 for French Press.