TazzinaA home journal of the moka pot

Troubleshooting

When the coffee goes wrong

Bitter, sour, spitting, leaking or silent. Almost every fault has an ordinary cause and an easy fix.

Problems and fixes

Open the one that matches your cup. Most problems come back to three things: heat, grind and the gasket.

Bitter, harsh or burntTaste

Likely causes

  • The heat was too high, so the water rushed through too hot.
  • The pot stayed on the flame after the gurgle.
  • The coffee was pressed down, or ground too fine.
  • A very dark roast.

Try

  • Lower the flame and give it time.
  • Take the pot off at the first gurgle and cool the base to stop it.
  • Level the basket without pressing; try a slightly coarser grind.
  • Stir the coffee in the top before pouring.
Sour or thinTaste

Likely causes

  • The grind is too coarse.
  • The basket was not full, so the water slipped round the coffee.
  • A very light roast.

Try

  • Grind a little finer.
  • Fill the basket to the brim and level it.
  • Try a medium roast before blaming the pot.
Spitting and sputtering from the startFlow

Likely causes

  • The flame is too big.
  • A half-empty basket or a coarse grind lets the water through in jets.

Try

  • Turn the heat down; a calm, slow stream is the goal.
  • Keep the lid closed if it spatters, and fill the basket properly next time.
Leaking round the middlePot

Likely causes

  • Grounds on the rim or on the thread.
  • The two halves are not screwed tight.
  • The gasket has gone hard, flat or cracked.
  • The filter plate is bent.

Try

  • Wipe the rim before closing the pot.
  • Screw it tight, holding the boiler rather than the handle.
  • Replace the gasket, and the filter plate with it. How.
Nothing comes out, or the valve hissesPot

Likely causes

  • The coffee is ground too fine or pressed down.
  • The holes of the filter plate are blocked.
  • Not enough heat yet.

Try

  • Take the pot off the heat and let it cool completely before you open it. Never force open a hot pot.
  • Clean the filter plate holes with a brush.
  • Use a moka grind and a level, unpressed basket.
A metallic tasteTaste

Likely causes

  • A new pot that has not been seasoned.
  • A pot scrubbed or washed with strong detergent.

Try

  • Make and throw away a few pots of coffee. Seasoning a pot.
  • Rinse with hot water only from now on.
Grounds in the cupPot

Likely causes

  • The grind is too fine.
  • The filter plate is damaged or the gasket is not holding it.

Try

  • Grind a little coarser.
  • Check the filter plate and replace it with the gasket if it is bent or torn.
Weak and wateryTaste

Likely causes

  • Water above the valve.
  • Too little coffee in the basket.
  • Old, stale coffee.

Try

  • Fill only to just below the valve.
  • Fill the basket level to the top.
  • Open a fresh bag and keep it sealed.

When to stop

If the valve hisses steam and no coffee appears, take the pot off the heat at once. Let it cool completely before unscrewing it; a hot pot is still under pressure. Then find out why: almost always a fine grind or a pressed bed.

If the valve does not move, or water has dried out on the flame, check the pot carefully before using it again.

Change one thing at a time

Heat, grind and the moment you take the pot off all change the taste. Change one of them, brew, taste, and only then change the next. The timer helps keep the rest the same.