# Mocha Pots and Illy



## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

I've got a Andreja HX machine, a Pharos hand grinder and a Gene cafe roaster. Last week due to a lack of time I ran out of beans. My son kindly brought a tin of Illy. Unfortunately it was pre ground. I don't like Illy at the best of times but pre ground it was really, really horrible in the Andreja. It was also pretty un drinkable in an Aerobie. So we tried it in a Mocha Pot. What a revelation. It was nice, good even, I think Illy must roasted with them in mind. I'm sure I'll tire of it eventually but at present, my morning coffee is now made in a Mocha Pot and I'm loving it.


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

There's a Megafactories programme on National Geographic which covers the Illy factory and it looked like they concentrate the roast on espresso (which should be fine for a Mocha Pot) however the grind might have an impact (and between tins there is inconsistencies).

When was the last time you had Illy compared to fresh coffee? I tried a tin not too long ago (just to see how it tasted for old times sake) and found it completely undrinkable as an Espresso, quite something when I used to love the stuff 12 months ago!


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## DannyT (Jan 20, 2013)

Every Italian household I've visited has a moka pot. They're pretty much universal. It would make a lot of sense for Illy to roast with them in mind I suppose.

Danny


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I used to live on preground Illy a moka pot in my pre-enlightened days...a few weeks ago I bought some Illy beans and made up a pot...I had to dilute down the output of my 2 cup pot to a regular mugfull, but it was better than I was anticipating, very enjoyable. Sadly, I didn't manage to finish the tin (too much competition from the oft mentioned roasters that crop up here) but I wouldn't turn my nose up at it. I still buy Lavazza medium roast "Espresso" beans from the supermarket, every now & then, and run them through the moka...delicious. In fact I'm rounding off dinner at this minute with some "no name" Abbyssinian, dark roasted beans that were given to me...and I can't fault it.


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

By the sound of it, I need a Moka pot for those emergency moments when drinking supermarket coffee


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ha ha, well it's only supermarket coffee if it comes from a supermarket, if it's single origin from a supermarket then it's still supermarket...if it's a single origin from another source then it's not supermarket coffee...the beans don't know one way or the other. Many coffees you see from specialty roasters are available through everyday outlets, they may not be presented & roasted as specifically, nor have a traceable roast date, but there is good coffee available on the high street.

I think that better understanding of coffee making, through "specialty coffee" & this forum makes us better at making coffee, full stop, wherever it may come from. It's possible that the moka process is more forgiving of beans that would otherwise be past their best in other extraction methods?


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## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

Geordie Boy said:


> By the sound of it, I need a Moka pot for those emergency moments when drinking supermarket coffee[/quote
> 
> Your right - for emergency moments, pre ground in a Moka pot is brilliant. Very forgiving, but little variation between different beans, roasts etc.


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