Geyser coffee maker and the secrets of using it to make coffee

Enjoy your coffee!

Mocha was invented with the dream of making strong coffee like espresso at home. How close your drink is to Espresso is up to you to judge, but you will find more ways to brew strong coffee in our other articles. And remember that there is always room for experimentation - try different beans, change the grind size, and try brewing coffee with spices: cinnamon, nutmeg or white pepper, it will be delicious!

For the instructions, we used a Bialetti coffee maker; this is the company that popularized this design. The founder of the company, Alfonso Bialetti, was so delighted with this creation that he bequeathed to be buried in the same coffee maker. You can find out a detailed history by visiting the official website, or read on Wikipedia.

The operating principle of a geyser coffee maker for preparing a drink

The coffee maker resembles a Turk, but has a more complex design.
A geyser coffee maker looks like a simple Turk, but unlike it, it has a lot of advantages. She does half the work on her own, but it’s also not worth leaving her for a long time.

It consists of only two parts: a lower compartment for water and an upper one for ready-made coffee, so it is quite simple to use. There is a special sieve into which ground coffee is poured to a certain level, and it is installed in the upper part. Thanks to special filters, coffee does not form sediment, so a serving of coffee is no different from that prepared in a coffee machine.

Geyser coffee maker device

This type of coffee maker can last quite a long time; the only element that needs to be replaced from time to time is the gasket that is placed between the compartments. But it can also last quite a long time if you don’t tighten the structure too much. At the bottom, for your own safety, there is a special safety valve that will work if the coffee is poured or selected incorrectly. It is thanks to him that the steam will not linger inside, but will simply come out, so the device will not catch fire.

Depending on the price of the device you purchased, you can see markings that indicate the amount of water that needs to be filled. In expensive models, there will be special markings on the walls, and in cheap ones, a valve serves as this level.

Water should not be filled to the top of the coffee maker.

If we compare the operating principle of a geyser coffee maker with something natural, it resembles the work of a volcano. After the water boils, the pressure lifts the water through the filter in which the coffee is poured, and then it simply erupts in a geyser stream into the upper part.

Types of geyser coffee makers

Geyser coffee makers are also produced by other companies, for example, Bellman, Alessi, Cuisinox, Volturno. But Bialetti remains a trendsetter.

Some models of Bialetti geyser coffee makers are made of stainless steel: Musa, Class and Venus. Such devices are suitable not only for gas and electric, but primarily these are coffee makers for induction cookers. Electric geyser coffee makers are also on sale.

Bialetti Brikka is the only model that can be used to make coffee with foam. Increased pressure is created in its body, and a special valve is placed on the spout of the tube through which the coffee comes out.

Bialetti Mukka Express – geyser coffee maker for cappuccino. Milk and coffee are whipped in the upper container using a special cappuccino maker.

Bialetti Mukka Express 2

How to brew coffee in a geyser coffee maker?

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Pour water into the lower part strictly up to the mark.
We install a funnel with a filter on it.
Pour in ground coffee.
Place a bowl on top to collect the prepared coffee.
We check the tightness of all connections.

Having combined all the components together, tightly connecting them to each other, you can set the coffee maker to warm up. A gas or electric stove can be used for this. If the design allows, you can place it on a special heating base. To obtain the desired taste and aroma, none of this matters. However, there are some subtleties here too.

Which grind to choose for a geyser coffee maker?

Professional baristas prefer to choose a medium grind for their coffee. Then the finished drink will be especially thick and aromatic. To get an idea of the size of coffee particles, you can remember that coffee for a geyser coffee maker should be smaller than for a Turkish coffee maker. At the same time, the particles should not be too small, as when preparing a drink in a French press. Sometimes this grind is called “coarse espresso.”

It is not recommended to choose a fine grind, as coffee particles may get into the upper part of the geyser coffee maker. And this, in turn, will spoil the taste and appearance of the finished drink.

Which brand is best to use?

Natural freshly ground coffee is the best option for preparing a rich and aromatic drink , but if you don’t want to grind beans in a coffee grinder, you can use another option and purchase ready-made ground coffee from trusted manufacturers.

Which is better? Among the wide variety of brands, professionals and coffee connoisseurs prefer the following brands :

Jardin

Jardin occupies a leading position in the Russian market , because in order to obtain a high-quality drink, the manufacturer uses modern technologies for double-roasting coffee beans in a protected environment.
The main advantage of Jardin is the wide range of both grain and ground , so everyone can find the most suitable option for themselves.

When using a geyser-type coffee maker, it is best to purchase Jardin Espresso di Milano - medium-ground beans in vacuum packaging. The coffee is a mixture of three types of Arabica, characterized by a delicate honey aroma and chocolate taste with a slight almond bitterness, so it will definitely appeal to espresso fans.

Egoiste

The brand has proven itself well in the global market and is very popular among consumers.

For your information! All stages of coffee production are carried out at one plant, where elite varieties of beans are researched, roasted, crushed and finished products are packaged.

To prepare an invigorating drink using a coffee maker, Egoiste Noir is an ideal option - medium-roasted beans with a slight sourness, caramel-chocolate notes and a bright bitterness. also worth trying Egoiste Espresso - dark roasted beans with a pronounced aroma and tart taste.

The cost of Egoiste coffee is slightly higher than other brands, since all types of products are premium class.

Tchibo

A world-famous company whose product line includes grain, ground and instant coffee at an affordable price.
Among the main types of Chibo coffee are :

Exclusive - a drink with floral notes, delicate aroma and balanced taste;
Black & White is a strong and rich drink for lovers of classic long-roasted black coffee;
Gold Mokka is ground coffee with notes of oriental spices, a velvety taste and a multifaceted aroma.

By the way! The company carefully monitors the quality of its products, using exclusively selected Arabica and Robusta beans.

Lavazza

The Italian company, which has conquered more than 90 countries with its products, has been offering consumers ground and bean coffee of the highest quality for 120 years.

A distinctive feature of the brand is a wide selection of flavors that will appeal to even the most demanding coffee lovers. For connoisseurs of a strong coffee drink prepared in a geyser coffee maker, experts recommend paying attention to the following types :

Caffè Espresso;
Club;
Gran Espresso.

Consumers who prefer an aromatic drink with hints of chocolate, exotic fruits or flowers should try the following types of Lavazza coffee:

L'espresso Gran Crema;
Espresso Crema & Aroma;
Qualità Oro;
Caffè Decaffeinato.

People who eat organic foods most often buy Tierra Bio Organic, a tropical-fruit-flavored Arabica coffee grown on certified farms.

Paulig

A brand popular in Russia and Finland, producing several brands of coffee and related products of high quality. The Paulig company takes a responsible approach to the purchase of raw materials and their processing, so freshly brewed coffee turns out amazingly tasty and refined .

For your information! The brand's trade line is represented by beans and ground coffee in various packaging - from small packs to large packages that can be used in bars.

To prepare a drink in a geyser-type coffee maker, Paulig Classic medium roast coffee is perfect , combining the delicate aroma of coffee beans, a rich velvety taste with bitterness and a pleasant aftertaste.

Lebo

Budget coffee made in Russia.
The manufacturer places the main emphasis on Arabica, adding Robusta only to varieties intended for making espresso. Coffee beans are purchased from Asia, Africa and South America. Lebo Original is a natural medium-roasted premium coffee with a light chocolate aroma . The finished drink has a fairly traditional taste, is not bitter or sour, and therefore will appeal to lovers of classic coffee without various additions.

Note! Lebo coffee is supplied in glass and tin cans, as well as in foil vacuum packaging that preserves the unique aroma of the beans.

Segafredo

An Italian brand whose product range includes espresso mixtures and coffee blends. The brand enjoys special respect among Russian consumers and is known in more than 100 countries around the world, where the coffee drink is also consumed with great pleasure.

Several types are considered popular:

Brazilian Origins;
Selezione Crema;
Decaffeinated;
Buono;
Costa Rican Origins.

Important! Segafredo not only processes grains responsibly, but also cares about the environment, provides assistance to farmers, invests in the education of local residents and works to improve their quality of life.

History of the geyser coffee maker

The idea of making coffee by passing hot water through a layer of ground beans was tried by many inventors back in the 19th century. For example, in 1889, the American Hans Goodrich patented a percolator - a coffee pot with a tube located in the center. When heated, hot water rises through the tube and irrigates a layer of ground coffee in a filter installed on top. Passing through the coffee grounds, the water returns to the reservoir. The longer you heat the percolator, the stronger the coffee, however, due to the high temperature of the water, the drink loses most of the subtle nuances in the aroma, but may acquire a burnt taste.

Percolator

A more advanced version of the coffee maker was invented in 1933 by the Italian Alfonso Bialetti. The design was simple to the point of genius, and therefore has remained unchanged to this day.

The coffee maker, created by Signor Bialetti, consists of two vessels, between which there is a small container with a perforated bottom filled with ground coffee. To prevent grains of grounds from getting into the drink, the ground coffee is covered with another filter on top. Water is poured into the lower vessel. When heated, steam is formed, displacing water. As the water rises through the tube, it enters a funnel filled with ground coffee and passes through the coffee tablet. The finished coffee rises higher through the tube and splashes out of the spout into the upper vessel. The principle of operation of the device is similar to the operation of a geyser.

Bialetti called his creation Moka Express. Abroad, geyser coffee makers are simply called “Moka” (in English-speaking countries - Moka Pot).

Alfonso Bialetti (right) – creator of the geyser coffee maker

Since Bialetti owned a small company producing aluminum blanks, the first geyser coffee makers were made of aluminum. The choice of material turned out to be very successful: aluminum absorbs the aroma of the drink after preparing several servings of coffee. Until now, many branded Bialetti coffee makers are made from food-grade aluminum.

Signor Bialetti was more of an artistic person than an entrepreneur. He spent a long time perfecting the design of his invention and hardly cared about advertising. The Moka Express is so impressive and original that today it is exhibited in museums as an example of perfect design. However, before the war, Moka Express coffee makers were produced only in small quantities and were sold mainly in the Italian province of Verbania.

The man who brought the Italians home

The real success of the Bialetti company is associated with the name of the son of its founder, Renato Bialetti, who began working in the family business in 1946. Señor Renato actively advertised Moka Express on television. There were so many advertising videos that one of the newspapers even published a cartoon of the owner of the company. Renato Bialetti made this cartoon the trademark of his company.

Renato Bialetti

It was a fortunate coincidence that it was during that period that espresso coffee became extremely fashionable. But due to the high cost of the coffee machine, it could only be prepared in a bar. Many Italian men disappeared into bars until nightfall.

Bialetti advertised his coffee maker as a device that allows you to brew espresso at home. In the lower container of the Moka Express, a pressure of up to 3 atmospheres is created (for comparison, in a carob coffee maker - 9 atmospheres), so there really is some similarity between the taste of espresso and coffee prepared in a geyser coffee maker.

Caricature by Renato Bialetti

The cartoon became the prototype for the company logo

Renato Bialetti went down in history as the man who brought Italian men home from bars: any housewife could make delicious, strong coffee. Over time, the fashion for Moka Express has spread far beyond Italy. Already in the middle of the 20th century, sales of geyser coffee makers reached a million a year. Today, about 7 million of them are sold per year, and over the entire period since 1933, about 250 million Bialetti geyser coffee makers have been sold. Moka Express is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most famous coffee maker in the world.

What ingredients are needed to properly prepare a serving of good coffee?

In order to prepare a tasty drink, you need to pay attention to the grinding. Coffee should be medium or coarse grind, and always freshly ground. This is the only way the drink will taste amazing, and no factors can influence it.

Coffee beans need to be ground into medium and coarse fractions

It is advisable to take filtered or distilled water - this will reduce contamination of the lower compartment of the coffee maker. And if you don't like drinking strong drink, you can use milk or cream. They should be added immediately after preparing the drink to the cup from which you will drink coffee. How to prepare a drink in a geyser coffee maker

In order to prepare a drink that is tasty and correct, you must adhere to certain rules and principles.

We offer a step-by-step look at the preparation procedure:

Spin up your geyser coffee maker and pour the amount of water up to the mark, or up to the valve, but before that don’t forget to take out the filter;
Place the filter and pour freshly ground Arabica or Robusta coffee into it. The main thing is to know how much powder to put in according to the recipe and not to pour more than the level, because this will lead to improper operation of the device. And also, do not forget to remove all residues from the part of the funnel to which the upper part will be adjacent.
Next you need to tighten the upper part, just calculate the force correctly so as not to damage the silicone gasket;
Place the geyser-type coffee maker on the stove, the gas heat should be medium. Wait a few minutes until the water boils and the coffee starts to flow into the top;
after the click, which will indicate the preparation of the drink, it is necessary to reduce the fire of the gas or electric stove to a minimum, and after a minute, remove it completely;
pour your finished drink, such as espresso or cappuccino, into cups and enjoy the incredible taste and aroma.

Nuances of preparation

To brew delicious coffee in a geyser coffee maker, you need to consider several points.

It is necessary to use a coarse or medium grind size, because fine grinds will impart excessive bitterness and strength to the finished coffee.
During prolonged heating, ground beans may burn. To avoid this, it is recommended to use fresh boiling water.
Remove the coffee maker from the gas in a timely manner, otherwise the drink may become watery.

Important! If you grind your own geyser beans, try grinding them to the size of grains of sugar. The degree of grinding greatly affects the coffee, so it is interesting to change it in one direction or another until you get the taste that you like best.

Coffee in a coffee maker

How to determine how many spoons of coffee should be put into a geyser coffee maker? Traditional standard: 6 g of ground beans per 100 ml of water. A teaspoon holds approximately 7 g. This means that for a small 250 ml moka you need two tablespoons of ground coffee. This way you can calculate the required proportion for a coffee maker of any size.

Reference! By increasing or decreasing the amount of coffee, you can vary the strength of the finished drink and experimentally choose the optimal one for your taste.