I have a Moka Pot which I have had for years, so I don't know what brand it is. I got the rubber seal replaced and everything is in working order.

I have been playing with it for several months now, trying to get a good coffee but one thing I notice is that the coffee spits out the top, not flows. When cleaning it with just water and no coffee, however, it does flow so I am guessing it must come down to the coffee.

I fill the basket to the top and take a knife to level it out. Grind is just coarser than espresso but finer than french press. Any suggestions?

Jason

Hi Jason,

My grind is around what I use for drip. If you use a French press grind size, do you still see the same issue? The extra pressure through the coffee grounds can be enough for steam to push through other channels if there's pitting in the aluminum or grounds on the gasket. Also, increased pressure raises the boiling point, which will cause the water to boil as the pressure decreases. At just 1/2 bar above atmospheric pressure, the temperature is around 110C. An increase in extraction temperature also gives a bitter extraction.

With my aluminum Bialetti, the funnel and lower basin's lips weren't completely flush (poor mfg. QC), so I always had to really tighten the upper basin on. I've since switched to a 4c stainless moka pot instead of the 9c and had better results.

Here's a method I use for my Moka pot (I know everyone has a method, but I use this to keep my grounds cooler in the pot and speed up the overall brew time):
-Add water to lower basin and bring to boil on stove-top (I just turn it up fairly high to speed up the process).
-While water is heating, prepare funnel with coffee and set aside (I set it in the upper basin so it doesn't fall over)
-Remove moka pot lower basin from heat and wait for boiling to stop
-Insert funnel into lower basin, wipe any grinds off lip, and screw the unit together using hot pads
-turn heat on low, and place moka pot back on burner
-Monitor the flow. As it starts flowing, turn burner down. I also lift the moka pot off the burner to stop the boiling if it starts sputtering too.
-Once steam starts coming through the top with barely any coffee, I remove the heat completely.
-If your grinder creates sludge, let it settle to the bottom of the upper basin, pour & enjoy.

-In a pinch, just add cold water or milk & chug, haha I did this while a bachelor and while the wife was out. The overall unit makes a fun Moka stein.

Good luck and keep us updated,
-Scott