How do you like your coffee?

[Shortfall]

@Shortfall Mine is a Magnifica S. I've put the temp adjustment up to max and it's about hot enough for me.


Agree.


😲 I wince if it's in double figures! That's a special occasion bottle and no mistake!

Re the wine, agreed! That's about the maximum I ever want to spend, unless it's in a restaurant when you just have to accept that they're gonna gouge you. In fact on that subject, why don't they just charge the customer a fair price for the food AND the alcohol? Why is it accepted that booze is used to subsidise the food price/restaurant profit? It's not like they're adding any value by opening and pouring it.

 

[Pblakeney]

Why is it accepted that booze is used to subsidise the food price/restaurant profit?

To entice you into thinking it will be £60-£80 for lunch when the end bill will be £150 by the time you've added on desert, coffee and drinks.
That's their rational. Why it's accepted is less would go for a £100-£120 lunch.

 

[DaveReading]

I grind my own beans (Amazon own brand) and shock horror I use boiling water!!!!!! I've tried making it with cooler water but tbh I can't taste any difference and I hate my drink going cold within about 2 minutes.

There is practically a war in the Bialetti community about whether you should start the stove top bit with hot or cold water.

What did you use in your Moka? (I start with 175 ml of water heated in the microwave for 1:45 for a 3-cup pot)

 

[Pblakeney]

There is practically a war in the Bialetti community about whether you should start the stove top bit with hot or cold water.

What did you use in your Moka? (I start with 175 ml of water heated in the microwave for 1:45 for a 3-cup pot)

From the horse's mouth - room temperature.

https://www.bialetti.com/ee_en/inspiration/post/how-the-moka-works

 

[Shortfall]

There is practically a war in the Bialetti community about whether you should start the stove top bit with hot or cold water.

What did you use in your Moka? (I start with 175 ml of water heated in the microwave for 1:45 for a 3-cup pot)

I used to start with hand hot water from the tap. The theory goes that if you use cold water that by the time it's started bubbling through then the excess heat in the body of the moka pot starts to burn the coffee or at least adversely affect the flavour. I certainly found this to be the case. I also took it off the heat as soon as it made the gurgling noise when the last of the steam was coming through, again to stop it being stewed and becoming bitter. In terms of volume of water, I filled it to just below the pressure relief valve. People can get very precious about "rules" but I just work on the basis of what works for me. YMMV

 

[Pblakeney]

I used to start with hand hot water from the tap. The theory goes that if you use cold water that by the time it's started bubbling through then the excess heat in the body of the moka pot starts to burn the coffee or at least adversely affect the flavour. I certainly found this to be the case. I also took it off the heat as soon as it made the gurgling noise when the last of the steam was coming through, again to stop it being stewed and becoming bitter. In terms of volume of water, I filled it to just below the pressure relief valve. People can get very precious about "rules" but I just work on the basis of what works for me. YMMV

What works for you, definitely!
I once read that low & slow is the way to go. Pot on a heavy cast iron ring, small ring, lowest setting. Avoids the burning.

It is a moka not a quick espresso. 😉

Edit - "It is best to prepare coffee on low heat, allowing for all the time necessary." From the link above.

 

[Shortfall]

What works for you, definitely!
I once read that low & slow is the way to go. Pot on a heavy cast iron ring, small ring, lowest setting. Avoids the burning.

It is a moka not a quick espresso. 😉

Yes low and slow rather than a fierce heat.

 

[DaveReading]

I don't have the patience for that. Full heat until the coffee starts to appear from the spout, then minimum heat while the top chamber fills. Just enough time for the toast to pop up and be buttered.

Haven't had any complaints from SWMBO yet!

 

[mjr]

From the horse's mouth - room temperature.

https://www.bialetti.com/ee_en/inspiration/post/how-the-moka-works

Yeah, but I'm using a stainless steel Lacor pot on induction, so Bialetti can go ritually fondle themselves with their cold pots as much as they like!

More seriously, I find it depends on the coffee. Some tastes better starting with hot water in the base. It's certainly faster to start with heated filtered water: faster start-to-finish than one of our drip filters.

One thing I do disagree with Bialetti about is filling the basket after putting it in the base: if you do that, it pretty much guarantees more coffee falling through the grid to the base water and also makes it more likely some coffee gets burnt into the threads between base and jug (which won't affect the taste but smells bad and is annoying to clean). Fill the basket and level it, then stand it in a holder and carefully put it in the base after filling. Even when starting from cold, I don't fill the basket over the water.

 

[DaveReading]

One thing I do disagree with Bialetti about is filling the basket after putting it in the base

Yes, that's just daft.

Fill the basket and level it, then stand it in a holder and carefully put it in the base after filling. Even when starting from cold, I don't fill the basket over the water.

Or just hold the basket in your hand and fill it from the grinder cup before putting it into the already-filled base..

 

[BrumJim]

In their camping 'special, coming up, Aldi are offering a coffee maker which appears to work simply by pouring boiling water onto your ground coffee of choice, wait and serve.
I think it's around £6, but has a five year warranty - !
Any takers - ?

This one:
https://www.aldi.co.uk/product/adventuridge-portable-coffee-maker-000000000642324001

Down to 1 year warantee now.