I think the coffee oils season it so more likely the coffee flavours the aluminum. Cleaning is by water rinsing only. Soap and detergent verboten.
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Let’s talk coffee
- Thread starter jmattbassplaya
- Start date
Aluminum IS a fairly reactive metal. In that regard, yeah possibly at first, before the surface starts to oxidize. Some people swear by never washing an aluminum Moka pot - due to coffee oil mojo or protecting a coat of non-reactive aluminium-oxide (aluminum doesn't rust the same way that iron does), some swear by washing them to get rid of stale coffee oils. It's been a while since I've done any real reading on the subject of aluminum, but I personally never notice anything off about coffee out of my Moka pot compared to my French press or espresso from a cafe, or cowboy style from my steel kettle. I also wash mine every couple weeks or so with some dish soap and a rag. It keeps a dullish patina and I don't bother with every crevice. Honestly I might just go back to rinsing and using a rag or paper towel, I never gave it much thought.
If that turns you off they make stainless steel ones as well.
A bit of an aside: do you guys preheat the water in a Moka pot? I've been trying it, while also experimenting with grind size just a bit.
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For me getting a Moccamaster was a game changer. They tell you the advantages in their web site. To me it makes the best cup of coffee. Very smooth and the right temperature. I won’t go back to a regular drip machine. My friend who recommended it has had hers for 30 years.
I forget the exact time it takes for exposed Al in air to become Al2O3 but it's closer to seconds than minutes. So long as the pH remains close to neutral that's how it stays.
My Bialettis are all stainless steel.
The instructions said to use cold water so that's what I have always used. And no soap.
Turned the grind down to 7 today. Slight increase in bitterness but more coffe taste in the cup. So i turned the water temperature down 2 degrees. I'd have to say it's probably north of 98% perfect for my taste.
Crema is a bit richer as well.
What temp did that end up being?
I find when I get over 196, I like the end product less.
-Mike
Unable to answer that. I have 5 degrees to play with on my machine. But what those degrees are is not spelled out in the manual. I'm assuming they are talking Celcius. Now I'm on the lowest setting.
And wishing I'd read that bit of the manual sooner. Remarkable difference to the taste. I guess if 2 degrees (4 in your language) make such a difference, it would be close to the point you mentioned.
Anyone out there have an opinion on Mayorga coffees? I can get their green beans in bulk but I don’t have a way to try it first.
Mayorga are good people.
I have my reservations though about what they are selling for the green coffee. I haven't been able to confirm if it is the same beans they are roasting, or perhaps some of the beans they rejected, but are still suitable to use anyway.
It would take a lot of effort to separate those beans out and bag them for sale to less than knowledgeable consumers, so part of me thinks that is not what's happening.
On the other hand, that does happen, so not out of the realm of possibility.
Unless you have some kind of deal to get the beans at a discount, the prices on the website are high for green coffee. I'd never pay that much, then add shipping, for green coffee.
-Mike
The last brown bag of organic green beans I finished came with a fair amount of ''dross'' at the bottom. Yellowed to brown / wizened beans , leftover dry pulp in the cracks. Cleaned it up and it still roasted fine.
I love the Hario V60 Size 2 dripper. Intelligentsia is my favorite roaster. They have free shipping right now which is pretty great. I buy whole bean and grind with my Baratza Vario-W. There is a brew guide and timer built into the Intelligentsia iPhone app which is really good even if you use another roaster.
You can definitely get good pre-ground coffee but I'm definitely in the freshly roasted - freshly ground camp. I think there's a noticeable difference but, again, you can also get great pre-ground beans.
The dry pulp in the cracks, we call it chaff around here, is fine. That's not an indicator of poor quality coffee. That's just the thin outer skin of the bean.
If you roast a little darker, that should all burn off.
As for the Imperfect beans, I get those too. It's why I'm careful about where I buy my beans.I research from what coop/washing station/farmer the beans are coming from. Some parts of the world, the coffee farming and washing is of poor quality in the first place, so I know I'll get a good amount of bad beans I have to throw out when they arrive.
-Mike
Then there's the home roasted that actually takes a week on the shelf at home to get to its best!
Good choice of equipment and beans.
I went with the GINO Dripper from notNeutral and a Hario server. They make a nice server at notNeutral, but there's something iconic about that beehive Hario server I have to have it.
I'm particularly fond of the Black Cat espresso blend from Intelligentsia when I'm in the mood to buy their coffee.
We love our Baratza too. We've had it over 10 years now. They are located just about an hour north of us. Great folks. We've visited the shop a few times.
La Colombe is another favorite coffee of mine after meeting the other Todd at an SCAA event in Seattle years ago, then watching his series Dangerous Grounds.
Ross Street Roasting is a small roaster in Iowa run by a friend of mine. He roasts great coffee.
All great coffees, but I still prefer what I roast to others.
-Mike
Most beans have a bit of film here and there but the dud few I mentioned were properly gunged up.
One of the things I like to do when sharing my coffee with others locally is have them cup it every day at the same time starting 24 hours after it roasts. They can taste the flavor profile develop over the next 7-10 days as it hits peak freshness.
I usually ask for feedback on when they thought it was the best. That helps me when I roast for them the next time in better knowing what they want flavor wise from the coffee experience.
-Mike
I agree with you on the Hario server. It's beautiful and curiously indestructible. I've had mine for many years without damage, which is a feat in my house. In comparison, I've been through 4 ceramic drippers in the past 10 years. I know this because I just ordered another one tonight and Amazon reminded me that I have purchased it 4 times before. The Hario gooseneck kettle is also pretty great.
