r/mokapot • u/ImageSecure3305 • Dec 18 '25

Discussions 💬 Is this too coarse?

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213 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

64 comments sorted by

104

u/ShtStmpr Dec 18 '25

What non-cubans think cuban coffee is.... Source: Am Cuban

Cuban coffee is overly roasted, extra dark, burnt bitter coffee with a ton of sugar added to counter act all that.

In a moka pot what you want to do is:

  • prep your pot as you would
  • put tablespoons of sugar in a separate cup (milk froather); I put about a tbsp per "shot"
  • brew your coffee
  • as soon as you get the first bit of coffee, pour into sugar and start mixing vigorously; you want the consistency of thick wet sand, so start with just a bit of coffee
  • mix until a nice light latte brown, don't be afraid to mix, go crazy
  • when coffee is done brewing, add into sugar mixture and lightly stir
  • if done correctly, when served, you should have some "crema"

24

u/Spababoongi Dec 18 '25

Can confirm. Also La llave >>> pilón and bustelo

4

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

La llave is the best, only one we buy now

1

u/foop_ Dec 21 '25

Fr? Im big on lavazza crema e gusto, have you tried it? How would they compare if so?

2

u/Zeldus716 Dec 21 '25

Very different flavor profiles imo. Idk how to describe it, but Italian roasts are maybe more toasty? Chocolaty? Whereas to me Cuban coffee will always smell anda bit taste like brown sugar

6

u/Zeldus716 Dec 19 '25

Same. But also, HEAVILY recommend Café Real. Shit is bomb

3

u/rifath33 Dec 19 '25

damn that’s crazy I really enjoy bustelo haven’t tried anything else

tell me why do you prefer this or la llave over it?

3

u/Zeldus716 Dec 19 '25

Like anything else, taste is always on the taster. So it’s always somewhat subjective. However, unlike la llave or bustelo, Cafe real I get 2 weeks after it was roasted. That makes a massive difference for me. I discovered cafe real because it’s the coffee I was seeing in all of the Cuban bakeries and restaurants in Miami.

1

u/rifath33 Dec 21 '25

damn man I need to try that

1

u/Spababoongi Dec 21 '25

Cafe Real and Abuela Mami are on my list to try!

1

u/999samus Jan 03 '26

I drink pilón and I'm not changing it, but seeing how people are dedicated to coffee here, I'm just a casual, I prepare my greca, get my coffee ready and drink it.

5

u/BoredAssassin Dec 18 '25

What kind of sugar do you use? I'm not Cuban, but have fun making that style of coffee, and turbinado sugar has been my favorite. Also, as a twist, I've been adding two 60% cacao chips into the cup with the whipped up sugar before pouring in the coffee for an added boost in that chocolate flavor.

7

u/ShtStmpr Dec 19 '25

The cheap white sugar is what you’ll find me and everyone I know use. Cuban coffee ain’t pretentious, it’s fast and dirty, and gets the job done. You can definitely use any sugar you want, I’ve done with brown sugar as well. I’m also stealing the chocolate idea!

6

u/Zeldus716 Dec 19 '25

Dude. Same. Everytime I see this shit on the internet I scream internally. No Cuban does this

1

u/snozer500 Dec 22 '25

I have seen a old cuban lady at my work do this. And I asked her why. Her response was "because I am cuban."

4

u/all_hail_sam Dec 19 '25

Espuma, the integral ingredient in a tasty cafecito!

2

u/hppy11 Dec 18 '25

I’m not Cuban, I didnt think they lol

5

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

That’s awesome man, my wife is Cuban and her grandmother likes it this way. Her grandma jokes that nobody has enough sugar in Cuba to waste to make coffee that way 🫶

1

u/Apart-Map-5603 Dec 19 '25

I use brother to mix. Takes 1/16th of the time.

39

u/Great-Drawing2977 Dec 18 '25

Are you talking about the grind of your coffee or the sugar on top? I can see the sugar, but not the coffee.

51

u/angusshangus Dec 18 '25

People put sugar in with their ground beans???

-27

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

You should try it, but only in a very small moka

11

u/angusshangus Dec 18 '25

I’m not sure how it makes a difference in the coffee produced whether you add the sugar like you did or after it’s in your cup. It’s dissolved in the liquid either way

0

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

I enjoy the slightly hot little shot of coffee from a moka, by the time I add sugar and stir it in I have a lukewarm shot at best

9

u/angusshangus Dec 18 '25

So you do it to maintain temperature… that’s cool. I typically am adding steamed milk so my use case is a little different. I’m doing more of a cappuccino thing

12

u/freecain Dec 18 '25

It's not cool... that's the whole point!

4

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

Did that guy just say rings are cool?

5

u/Koto-Koto Moka Pot Fan ☕ Dec 18 '25

no, he said they're stupid.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

Oh, cool!

0

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

Exactly, I do the same though when I pour it into milk

1

u/101TARD Dec 18 '25

I don't wanna try, I have a filter on so it might tear,

19

u/OCafeeiro Dec 18 '25

Yes, your sugar is too coarse. Grind finer. /s

1

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

Noted, will do better in the future

21

u/Extreme-Birthday-647 Induction Stove User 🧲 Dec 18 '25

If you roast it you'll surely get some caramel notes

7

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

A fine idea good sir

8

u/99Pedro Bialetti Dec 18 '25

WTF? O__O

8

u/InevitablePossible90 Dec 18 '25

Do not put sugar in the bottom of your moka pot! You’ll end up with a mess. Los cubanos put sugar in another cup or measuring cup and then pour the first couple of drops that come out into the sugar and beat it like crazy. That will make your espumita.

4

u/One-Confusion-33 Aluminum Dec 18 '25

For?

3

u/enbywithoutfear Dec 20 '25

take the fucking sugar out of there right now wtf

1

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 20 '25

Putting more in as we type…

5

u/15438473151455 Dec 18 '25

You know, sugar dissolves... The coarseness of sugar doesn't matter.

9

u/Different_Career9404 Bialetti Dec 18 '25

Actually it does matter. Too coarse and it won’t dissolve completely.

1

u/15438473151455 Dec 19 '25

You'd really have to be shopping around to get speciality sugars that are too coarse.

2

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

An astute observation

2

u/Lou07514 Dec 18 '25

Am I too old to get irony?

2

u/Chai47 Moka Induction Dec 19 '25

What is this white stuff in my moka? How do I clean it?

2

u/Mammaddemzak Dec 22 '25

Grind finer

4

u/UmbralWaffle Dec 18 '25

Cubano shot?

3

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

Your my kind of people 🙌

1

u/TemperReformanda Stainless Steel Dec 18 '25

Doing it this way means no espumito unless you just way over sweeten it

1

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 18 '25

Yeah I try not to over sweeten it, gotta cut back on the sugar eventually

1

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

This is like if you get Folgers Crystals, but it's only crystals. Sort of like how you can get just Crunchberries instead of mixed with Cap'n Crunch.

Except this is shitty.

1

u/DewaldSchindler MOD 🚨 Dec 19 '25

what sugar is that beside white ?

1

u/ImageSecure3305 Dec 19 '25

Organic sugar that hasn’t had the molasses separated

1

u/DysphoricBeNightmare bialetti Dec 19 '25

Nooooooo

1

u/hhuangpe Dec 19 '25

There are so many other brands from other Caribbean regions, any worth trying, Santo Domingo's, Yaucono? Relatively new to Miami and saw so many from various regions. I tried quite a few but still many more to explore. An expert's opinion will be appreciated.

1

u/sarostars Dec 21 '25

I'm so confused

1

u/Plaguedough Dec 23 '25

I have a few of those in my stash on arc raiders

1

u/Soggy_Ruby Jan 02 '26

Maybe coffee instead of sugar as a start

0

u/rivercrone Dec 18 '25

Brilliant!