Posted Mon Aug 22, 2011, 3:22pm Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
The Bialetti pots are pricy, but they are more solid. I don't think the coffee they produce is any better than from a cheap Chinese made knock-off.
Check eBay for cheap moka pots. Try to buy a new one, or at least one with a usable gasket.
I would initially avoid the Brikka, as well as techniques involving preheating, tamping, overfilling the grounds basket or other similar practices. Brew a standard cup and see if you like it.
If you like something that resembles espresso more closely then I suggest the brikka. The crema may just be for show but the weighted valve it has really does help increase extraction pressure that makes for a richer cup. On the other hand, if you just like some really strong coffee, the moka pot is gonna be your choice. It's cheaper too.
One thing these two have in common though is their ease of use. They are both very very forgiving to the person making the coffee. As long as you're using grinds of the right size, which is just slightly finer than what you'd use for drip brewing, you can easily produce consistently awesome cups of coffee everytime.
rlshults Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2011 Posts: 1 Location: Newport Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Sep 27, 2011, 7:55pm Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
I recently purchased a Brikka 2 cup from a company called Amiganien through Amazon. However, when I received the unit, there was severe discoloration in the water reservoir as can be seen here. I would really like to own a Brikka, but certainly not in such a condition. I have searched high and low for a replacement from a different company, but unfortunately, I have had no luck. There are several other sites, but all of them are subsidiaries of Amiganien. I'm somewhat skeptical to order from them again, seeing as how they sent out such a poor quality product. Does anyone know of an alternative place to get a Brikka 2 cup or should I simply roll the dice and try again?
transient Senior Member Joined: 5 Nov 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Turkey Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution, Bialetti... Grinder: Hand Mill Roaster: Popcorn popper
Posted Sat Nov 5, 2011, 11:35am Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
As a 2c Brikka owner, i had stumbled upon this thread about two years ago, and had read it all - really enjoyed the discussion. Brikka remained as my main "coffee-maker" for a long time. I acquired a 6c Moka Express last year, but because it made too much coffee for one person (and consumed too many of my precious home-roasted beans) i didn't use it much, and continued to use my Brikka. Then, about two months ago, i finally bought a real espresso machine, a Gaggia Evolution. The Brikka was put on a shelf, and it remained there while i tried to learn how to make good espresso. This week though, i got a little tired of the espresso challenge - i was feeling discouraged because the Evolution, having too much pressure, makes a decidedly bitter and harsh espresso.
Then i remembered my Brikka. Took it off the shelf, cleaned it thoroughly with vinegar (it had some white aluminum rust in it), and re-seasoned it with sacrificial batches. Made coffee with it. 10g of Colombian beans, roasted 5 days ago. A habit from my espresso preparation ritual, i utilized the Weiss Distribution Technique : stirred the grounds in the funnel with a toothpick - i figured since we're not supposed to tamp, a good distribution should be important. And the coffee was good, really good, it was strong, yet very smooth. Close to what i had expected from my espresso machine, that it wouldn't deliver. The next day i tried with 14g of beans, the coffee was a bit stronger but still pretty smooth.
I don't remember my previous Brikka shots as being this smooth, but i'm not sure if i've gotten used to the harsh taste of my espresso that the Brikka seemed smooth in comparison -- or if the distribution technique really helped. Something to experiment with, i guess.
brandkb Senior Member Joined: 21 Dec 2011 Posts: 8 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Dec 21, 2011, 5:01pm Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
I finally bought a 1-cup moka pot a few months ago and I've been loving it, however now that I read how much people love the brikka, I want one too!
I'm the only person in my home that drinks coffee so it's just me and my tiny 1 cup pot. It's comically tiny. I got a baby bottle brush to clean it out!
SirCharles Senior Member Joined: 3 Feb 2012 Posts: 11 Location: Oregon Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Feb 7, 2012, 8:49pm Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
Hello all. I'm new to the forum and Brikka in general. I've been working on some Elementary Brikka Theory which I posted in a different thread before I found this one.
Like I said, it is a theory, but it does seem to explain a lot of the observations without any contradictions and clear up some of the mystery of this deceptively complex and temperamental device.
avramw Senior Member Joined: 1 Mar 2012 Posts: 3 Location: Seattle, WA Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Thu Mar 1, 2012, 2:04pm Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
Hello all,
I'm still reading my way through this monster thread and it's fantastically full with information (I'm on page 65). I have a quick question though but forgive me if it's been answered before. Is there a way to make less than 6 cups of espresso in the 6-cup moka or less than 4 cups in the 4-cup brikka? I seem to recall that there was an adapter of some sorts that could fit in the basket to use less coffee or was that another brand altogether?
transient Senior Member Joined: 5 Nov 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Turkey Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution, Bialetti... Grinder: Hand Mill Roaster: Popcorn popper
Posted Tue Mar 6, 2012, 2:03am Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
As far as i know, it's not possible to make less coffee with these pots, at least not with good results. But even with a 6c Moka pot, the coffee isn't too much (less than a "mug") - i can drink that alone. And you can reduce the amount of grounds to make a really "mild" coffee.
Enkerli Senior Member Joined: 1 Aug 2004 Posts: 711 Location: Montreal, Qc Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: (At cafés, not at home) Grinder: Hario hand grinders Vac Pot: (Moka Pot) Bialetti Brikka Drip: Steep and release pour-over Roaster: iRoast-2
Posted Tue Mar 6, 2012, 4:00am Subject: Re: Confessions of a Brikka Lover
Welcome to our little thread, Avram!
avramw Said:
Is there a way to make less than 6 cups of espresso in the 6-cup moka or less than 4 cups in the 4-cup brikka? I seem to recall that there was an adapter of some sorts that could fit in the basket to use less coffee or was that another brand altogether?
Haven’t heard of any adaptor for a moka pot of any kind. Maybe it exists, but I have no idea how or if it works. You could experiment with using less water and less grounds, but there are mechanical limits to how low you can go. After all, you’re trying to generate enough pressure to move the water up without making the water too hot. My guess is that a much smaller amount might end up having strange effects. But, as Emre says, even a 6c moka doesn’t typically produce that much coffee. And it’s using as much grounds as the equivalent quantity in filter coffee, so you’re not likely to get overcaffeinated from that amount.
Delonghi makes an electric 6 cup moka pot called the Alicia that comes with a basket adapter for making 3 cups. Along with reducing the size of the coffee basket they also instruct the user to fill to a lower water level. But whether or not this tastes good they don't say! As mentioned the geometry of the pot makes a difference. While you could experiment with filling some of the space with glass marbles or stainless steel balls it's probably a lot easier to just buy a smaller pot.
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