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Medium Format and Coffee

Godfrey

Well-known member
Anyone have a suggestion for best coffee to use in a Bialetti pot?:)
My favorite so far is Costa Rica Dark, roasted at the local venue (Dana Street Roasting Company in Mountain View, CA) and ground to an espresso grind. I buy a pound, have them grind it in their much-better-than-my grinder, and it generally lasts me about two weeks ... Not ideal, for sure, but good enough for my tastes. :D

G
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Tuesday, we received a gift from our dear friends in Italy. A Bialetti Moka Express AND a larger Venus Moka pot.

A can of Illy Classico arrived this evening and after several runs of coffee through the smaller pot, I was ready to make a cup for my own enjoyment!:)

Wow! I was not prepared for the taste even with the entire house filled with the chocolate/caramel/fruity aroma!

That was four hours ago. The smell and taste are still with me.:)

Now I better understand the Italian coffee experience. I am already thinking of how to try different coffees in the coming weeks.

This is great fun!!!
 

Hausen

Active member
I have had 60 days off coffee after going through a allergen/toxin protocol. Theoretically I am allergic to a protein in the coffee bean, not caffeine. Today is day 61 and it is back on the OK list and it was divine.
 

MartinN

Well-known member
I’m on day 380 about with lots of tea instead daily. Had two cups of drip brewed about a month ago and my stomach did not like it at all. Some day I will order decaf Espresso beans, and try with that. I think caffeine is the upsetting chemical and all stuff in tea is acting differently. For me.
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
This isn't a medium format picture (iPhone), but it is definitely about the need for coffee in the morning. Especially BEFORE you've had your first cup. This is not a posed picture. It really happened just as pictured.View attachment 185940
Matt,
I laughed when I saw this only because I run in automatic mode too much lately. I do some of the oddest things because I am not focused, either from distraction, stress or lack of sleep. LOL...
Today, I was given great advice by my dear friend in Milan. He and his wife gave us the Bialetti set for an Anniversary gift but he forgot to tell me he fills the coffee basket/funnel to only 50%.

I tried that this morning instead of 100% packed. For the first time, it was delicious and I don't feel like I am threading a sewing machine needle at full power!!!

Less is more as they say!:):):)
 

KC_2020

Active member
Today, I was given great advice by my dear friend in Milan. He and his wife gave us the Bialetti set for an Anniversary gift but he forgot to tell me he fills the coffee basket/funnel to only 50%.
!:):):)
My friends in Tuscany insist that you must fill the basket so that it's a little higher in the middle. Then then when you twist the top on the pot it evens the coffee out perfectly. :unsure:

I just explained their preference in 2 sentences. My wonderful Italian friends can spend a half an hour or more saying the same thing, but with the requisite arm and hand gestures. I admire their enthusiasm. :giggle::coffee:
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Ha! Today was Father's Day and I walked away with a gift card from my favorite coffee house. The Illy Classico I have been using is quite good! Now to try a different coffee grind.. ??? ... just a little less fine than espresso grind?

I am thinking that trying different coffees will be half the fun!:)
 

P. Chong

Well-known member
For the Moka pot, the proper way is to fill the basket to level, or just a bit below. At 50% the coffee is weak. If you prefer a weaker cup, I would prefer to dilute with hot water after the prep. Do not apply any pressure, or the Moka pot will choke. Coffee grounds swell when taking in water, and you don’t want to compress it. There is not enough pressure for a dense puck. The grind should be coarser than for espresso.

Start with hot water to the valve level in the container. This is faster than cold water, and will ensure the coffee grounds does not overheat. Watch the spout as coffee dribble out, and control the fire that it remains a steady flow. Never let it spurt. Take it off the fire when the coffee starts to gurgle, or just before…with experience you can judge this by observing the flow. And immediately cool the bottom under a tap or basin of water.

enjoy your coffee.
 
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dave.gt

Well-known member
For the Moka pot, the proper way is to fill the basket to level, or just a bot below. Coffee grounds swell when taking in water, and you don’t want to compress it in the Moka pot. Start with hot water to the valve level in the container. This is faster, will ensure the coffee grounds does not overheat. Take it off the fire when the coffee starts to gurgle, or just before…with experience you can judge this by observing the flow. And immediately cool the bottom under a tap or basin of water.
Thanks especially for the last part... I am still learning. It appears to me that as soon as it makes that gurgle sound and steam is coming out, that is the time to move the pot from the heat and pour.

I like the idea of starting with hot/boiling water too.

Tomorrow I will have some coffee ground just for the Moka pot... I guess it should be not quite espresso ground but a medium or medium fine grind?
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Update:

My black Bialetti Moka Pot has provided me with the start of an endless amount of coffee fun already!

Illy Classico is, of course, the baseline from which I started. Now I have it down pretty well with the intricacies of experimentation. Love that coffee and aroma.

I had my usual blonde roast beans from Starbucks ground to an espresso grind, and after a few weeks, I now have that coffee where I love it as well!👍

Our local coffee shop, in Senoia, is a small but successful restaurant that roasts its own beans. I have been invited to stop by and work out a custom grind for whatever roasts I would like. Wow! This is really going to be fun.:)

With all of the coffees available these days, I now have a lifetime coffee endeavor! And I haven't even scratched the surface yet!
 
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