# What setting for Moka Pot?



## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

I do my setting for Espresso usually around 15, and adjust accordingly.

What setting would you start with for a Moka pot?


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## IDREAMOFCOFFEEBEFOREIWAKE (Nov 19, 2018)

Every niche setting is different, use as you find best and learn from experience, I've used mine straight of the box no calibration and my expresso is near on 25/27, no where near expresso on the dial.

Sent from my VTR-L09 using Tapatalk


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Forget the numbers as they are just a point of reference. Moka pots need the grind at the very lowest end of espresso settings ie the grind wants to be more like flour than salt


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> I do my setting for Espresso usually around 15, and adjust accordingly.
> 
> What setting would you start with for a Moka pot?


 If you follow James Hoffman's method, you want your grinds to be drip / filter size, so even coarser than "salt-like" grinds.


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## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

Well these are interesting responses - @dfk41 advocating a fairly fine grind, while @MediumRoastSteam suggesting a much coarser grind.

Personally, I don't use the moka pot much these days, but it would be useful if perhaps we could reconcile these two quite dissimilar approaches to grind sie. How can both be correct?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

RDC8 said:


> Well these are interesting responses - @dfk41 advocating a fairly fine grind, while @MediumRoastSteam suggesting a much coarser grind.
> 
> Personally, I don't use the moka pot much these days, but it would be useful if perhaps we could reconcile these two quite dissimilar approaches to grind sie. How can both be correct?


 The answer is simple. There is no right or wrong, if you are happy with the result you are drinking. The coarser suggestion stems from having the water hot when you put it into the pot thus cutting down the time it is in contact with the grind, needing a coarser approach. I have tried that and find I get better results my way! Sometimes I use hot water, sometimes cold. Main thing is if you are not happy with the taste then you either need to change something or it I a coffee you re not going to get on with. With any coffee process, you have to be able to adapt


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@dfk41 hit the nail in the head there. There's no "correct" way. Just a recipe. Try the traditional method, try James Hoffman's and see which one you like the most.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> If you follow James Hoffman's method, you want your grinds to be drip / filter size, so even coarser than "salt-like" grinds.


 Having just watched that video again, on grind size, all he actually says is, grind coarser than for espresso


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

> 3 minutes ago, dfk41 said:
> 
> Having just watched that video again, on grind size, all he actually says is, grind coarser than for espresso


 Yes. He even says "grind coarser than salt-like". Isn't that what I said?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Yes. He even says "grind coarser than salt-like". Isn't that what I said?


 I thought he said, you don't want to grind super fine, like table salt.......though my ears are famous for being not being very good.....


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

dfk41 said:


> I thought he said, you don't want to grind super fine, like table salt.......though my ears are famous for being not being very good.....


 Ok. I think we are both saying the same thing.😂👍😉


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## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Yes. He even says "grind coarser than salt-like". Isn't that what I said?


 Yeah you did, however on Niche, Drip/Filter is in the 40-50 territory.

I know they are only guidelines, and ignore the numbers to an extent, but mine is calibrated where most Espresso works where it suggests on the dial.

I just made it at around 23 on the dial, so slightly courser than the max Espresso setting, and it was delicious (using hot water method).


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## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Ok. I think we are both saying the same thing.😂👍😉


 Fabulous resolution! I too had always thought it should be coarser than espresso grind, but not too coarse ... good video btw, very informative!

I will never forget many years ago while living in Italy, I sat in our neighbours kitchen while another friend of theirs, from Sicily, spent a good 30 minutes carefully tamping as much ground coffee as possible into the moka pot basket. The resulting brew was like treacle, you could fill the pot-holes with it. Surprisingly drinkable (but with a little milk - a little like unsweetened condensed milk), very heavy body. Never had anything quite like it since!


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> I just made it at around 23 on the dial, so slightly courser than the max Espresso setting, and it was delicious (using hot water method).


 And this is what matters. 👍


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I think the point I am making, is if you buy table Salt, is has a different consistency to 'salt'. Table Salt is more powdery and coffee ground to that level would be unsuitable.....so, grind finer than espresso but not into the drip range. I am no expert on brew methods and I might have misunderstood what the learned Hoffman meant....but my original point stands! If you do not like the taste, make adjustments!


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## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

Just made another, and the water wouldn't blow up the spout properly. Does this indicate it's too fine?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> I think the point I am making, is if you buy table Salt, is has a different consistency to 'salt'. Table Salt is more powdery and coffee ground to that level would be unsuitable.....so, grind finer than espresso but not into the drip range. I am no expert on brew methods and I might have misunderstood what the learned Hoffman meant....but my original point stands! If you do not like the taste, make adjustments!


 That should of course say coarser, not finer, and yes Robbie...try a little coarser


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## PortafilterProcrastinator (Aug 26, 2020)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> Just made another, and the water wouldn't blow up the spout properly. Does this indicate it's too fine?


 Hi @RobbieTheTruth - where did you get to in the end with your Moka and Niche?

I have just received the Niche and am using it with my Alessi 3-cup. Whilst everything is tasting good, I am noticing that with 16g at 29/30 with my current beans I can hear the pressure valve hissing sporadically.

I don't really mind this, but just wondered if others were at a grind/ dose that meant the pressure valve was triggered.


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## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

SuffolkDoug said:


> Hi @RobbieTheTruth - where did you get to in the end with your Moka and Niche?
> 
> I have just received the Niche and am using it with my Alessi 3-cup. Whilst everything is tasting good, I am noticing that with 16g at 29/30 with my current beans I can hear the pressure valve hissing sporadically.
> 
> I don't really mind this, but just wondered if others were at a grind/ dose that meant the pressure valve was triggered.


 I think you just need to go a tiny bit courser.

I'm getting really interesting results with mine. I'm using Rave Signature blend, ground at setting 28 on the Niche. The result is the creamiest, smoothest, chocolatiest coffee I think I've ever had.

Grinding at lower than 24 is a bit too fine and the water struggles to rise through the grinds, leaving me with a thick, small amount of unpleasant coffee.

Grinding 25-26 and it tastes a little bitter. I think that's because the water is still fighting to press through the coffee, increasing the extraction time.

28 is absolutely perfect.

30+ and the coffee flows up the spout beautifully, but it lacks flavour and it's a little watery. Just yields a very generic, average, bland cup.

I'm really surprised at how 'unforgiving' the pot is on this coffee, and how high the high point is!

I expected decent results, but with plenty margin for error. Instead I get exceptional results, but the criteria has to be perfect.


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## PortafilterProcrastinator (Aug 26, 2020)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> I think you just need to go a tiny bit courser.
> 
> I'm getting really interesting results with mine. I'm using Rave Signature blend, ground at setting 28 on the Niche. The result is the creamiest, smoothest, chocolatiest coffee I think I've ever had.
> 
> ...


 Thanks, all really helpful.

Goes to show you how different beans are - I got all the way to 34 and now at about 32.5 - still not totally happy but might be the beans.

I completely agree about the sensitivity. The niche is the first decent grinder I've owned, so the fact it is stepless has really highlighted how small changes in grind size make a big difference.

I'm still not sure about whether the pressure valve triggering is something that I should be paying attention to. If I take a results based approach, then I don't think it is. It also doesn't seem to correlate with yield.

I've got a kilo of new beans turning up next week, so going to be more systematic about things.

If I can get a reasonably consistent yield then I can work on dilution ratios.

The fun continues.


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## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

SuffolkDoug said:


> I'm still not sure about whether the pressure valve triggering is something that I should be paying attention to. If I take a results based approach, then I don't think it is. It also doesn't seem to correlate with yield.


 I don't suppose it matters if it tastes good.

Ideally, I think you want an almost silent flow, and take it off the heat when it starts spluttering.


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## PortafilterProcrastinator (Aug 26, 2020)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> I don't suppose it matters if it tastes good.
> 
> Ideally, I think you want an almost silent flow, and take it off the heat when it starts spluttering.


 It is pretty silent, apart from a sporadic/ occasional hiss on the pressure valve.

Do you find the coffee in your basket has sunk one everything has cooled and you can take the top off? I've found that interesting as I'd have thought the coffee would expand to the size of the basket with the water/ pressure.

I can't get any more than 17g in my basket without tapping it on the worksurface and that really did set the pressure valve off so I stopped.

The dose isn't an issue, I don't need more in the basket - more just an observation.


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## RobbieTheTruth (Jun 4, 2019)

SuffolkDoug said:


> It is pretty silent, apart from a sporadic/ occasional hiss on the pressure valve.
> 
> Do you find the coffee in your basket has sunk one everything has cooled and you can take the top off? I've found that interesting as I'd have thought the coffee would expand to the size of the basket with the water/ pressure.
> 
> ...


 A little bit yes. It kinds of sinks and compresses a bit, and the puck is harder to knock out than it is out of the portafilter in my Espresso machine.

With the valve hiss, are you putting it on tight enough? Sometimes if I don't screw it on enough, pressure seems to escape out of the join, and little bubbles of water spurt through.


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## PortafilterProcrastinator (Aug 26, 2020)

RobbieTheTruth said:


> A little bit yes. It kinds of sinks and compresses a bit, and the puck is harder to knock out than it is out of the portafilter in my Espresso machine.
> 
> With the valve hiss, are you putting it on tight enough? Sometimes if I don't screw it on enough, pressure seems to escape out of the join, and little bubbles of water spurt through.


 Agree on getting the pick out - if it has totally cooled I have been known to turn it over and give it a little blow to push it out before washing it up.

Yes - I've watched/ listened closely a few times now. I use an oven glove to hold the base so I can give it a good twist tight. Not sure if want to go tighter.

Got a new bag of beans arrive today, so I'm going to start experimenting again.


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