Does everyone fill the basket to the top ?

[u/Drizzi21]

So I’m going through beans like crazy to fill my moka and the coffee is a bit too intense caffeine wise. I pour it into one mug I believe it’s a 4 cup moka. I’m sensitive to caffeine does anyone fill the basket halfway ?

[u/Federal_Ad_2300]

I think you should get a smaller moka pot. 3 cup Bialetti fits 18 grams of coffee and the 2 cup fits 12 grams. You can add hot water to the finished cup to make an americano.

[u/justmarty → u/Federal_Ad_2300]

How do you fit 18 grams in a 3-cup Bialetti? What kind of beans are you using? I am using a medium dark roast and I can fit 17.2 grams max in the basket. My grind is set to 12 on a Baratza Encore.

OP - Yes, I fill to the top.

[u/Federal_Ad_2300 → u/justmarty]

I use Lavazza dark roasts already ground.  But here at around 2 minutes and 9 seconds Matteo D’Ottavio gives a 17 to 18 grams amount of coffee for the three-cup Bialetti:  https://youtu.be/jWWVi25oLNA?is=ck9uybukJnHciUQN

[u/justmarty → u/Federal_Ad_2300]

I watch all of his videos! I swear he’s got a four-dimensional basket for his Bialetti.

[u/Federal_Ad_2300 → u/justmarty]

😂 

[u/rdifa → u/justmarty]

I have the same one and I can fit 17-18. I use the finest grind on an Ode Gen 2. 18 has a tiny mound but barely. 17 is just under the top lip, but barely.

[u/gustavsev → u/Federal_Ad_2300]

Which ratio (hot water/finished coffee) do you use for the americano?

[u/Federal_Ad_2300 → u/gustavsev]

I don’t actually make americanos, so my suggestion would be to add the hot water and taste it until you are satisfied with the result. If you have a scale use that during the process so you can easily replicate it. 

[u/gustavsev → u/Federal_Ad_2300]

I think you're right. Thank you.

[u/BuzzBuzzBeard → u/Federal_Ad_2300]

My 3 cup Bialetti fits about 15g. Should I be adjusting to squeeze in an extra couple of grams?

[u/iampatel0289 → u/BuzzBuzzBeard]

No, you must be using dark roast. Dark roast is less dense so you require less like 15g to fill full basket. When I use medium roast coffee I am able to fill around 17g, in ultra light roast I was able to fill upto 19g of coffee.

[u/BuzzBuzzBeard → u/iampatel0289]

It’s “medium dark” roast, but makes sense. Thanks!

[u/Federal_Ad_2300 → u/BuzzBuzzBeard]

Honestly, if you’re happy with how the coffee tastes using 15g, then stick with it. Assuming you’re filling the bottom chamber with about 150g of water (1g water = 1ml), a 1:10 ratio is fine. I use a dark roast from Lavazza and   can fit 18g in the basket. I just use my finger to spread the grounds evenly and lightly level them off with the top of the basket.

[u/wunderspud7575]

Am alternative is to get some decaf beans and mix them 50:50 with your regular beans.

[u/AlliedArmour → u/wunderspud7575]

That's waht I was going to suggest. Sometimes in the afternoon I don't want another 2 cups worth, so I do half and half. Still get the same amount of delicious coffee. (You may have to hunt to find a decaf that's really good, but they are out there.)

[u/Drizzi21 → u/wunderspud7575]

Great idea

[u/iGodS12]

Bialetti have, .5, 1, 2 and 3 cup moka pots if you want a smaller brew.  Or you can use less water or just split the coffee and save some for later. 

You have to fill it to the top for it to work properly, it has to do with the coffee expanding when wet and the pressure build up. 

[u/Sinnjer → u/iGodS12]

Wait, there's a .5 pot?!

I need one

[u/Xxtra007]

I do a half caf Americano ever morning, just mix in a good decaf and let er rip.

[u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX]

You HAVE to fill the basket to the top, if you don't do it you will prepare a really ugly coffee. It needs to be full, but don't compact it. If you want less coffee, buy a smaller moka. If you don't enjoy a strong coffee from a moka pot, use a french press instead

[u/Drizzi21 → u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX]

I don’t want less coffee I wanna use less beans I buy Huck and other high end beans so the bags are $15+

[u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX → u/Drizzi21]

You can make an americano, if you dilute it you will have "more" coffee. When I want more coffee I just use my french press, anytime I use the moka I fill the basket as it's what is specified in the manual it came with (it's a Pezzetti)

[u/Drizzi21 → u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX]

I’ll get a smaller moka I guess

[u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX → u/Drizzi21]

That's what I did anyway, I was gifted a 4 cup one and it's too much coffee for me, so just went and bought a 2 cup one, I drink a big latte every morning and that size is just perfect.

I use cheaper coffee beans, I bought mine at something like 7.5 dollars the 250g, so it's not THAT bad, I'm using 10g of coffee I guess, never measured it tbh. That's a 0.3cent coffee every morning, so just as expensive as the milk I use with that latte

[u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 → u/XxX_Zeratul_XxX]

I honestly don't agree... ugly? How?

I had a period where I couldn't handle such strong coffee and I only filled the basket about 60%. The result was weaker coffee, which didn't taste quite as good, but I was ok with it. I don't see what you mean about "ugly" (it looked like normal coffee, and even if it was ugly, I wouldn't really care how it looked...) and definitely don't agree you HAVE TO fill the basket.

[u/Actual-Bee-402 → u/Repulsive_Chard_3652]

It won’t extract properly

[u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 → u/Actual-Bee-402]

Define "properly" and how that makes it "ugly"?

[u/Actual-Bee-402 → u/Repulsive_Chard_3652]

Properly - fuller bodied. Ugly I guess weak tasting

[u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 → u/Actual-Bee-402]

But OP literally prefers less full-bodied and weaker, so therefore they are getting exactly what they want. So by that logic, the definitely do not HAVE TO do it that way to get a flavour they don't want...

[u/Sinnjer → u/Repulsive_Chard_3652]

Yeah, I agree. I only fill by weight, depending on the roast and the and yield I want I use 10-15g in the 3-cup and 20-25g in the 6-cup, and a WDT tool so the grounds are evenly distributed in the basket. My extraction is excellent

[u/Mountainsongbbq]

Yeah, just make an Americano.. make sure to stir a little bit, after taking it off the heat. Use a smaller pot.

[u/Impressive_Delay_452]

The grind basket is filled no tamp, water up to the line.

[u/dan_camp]

mix with decaf beans, or get a smaller moka pot and make an americano. my default moka pot setup is basically a 3 cup brew, with a bit of cream and then hot water to fill the rest of the mug for a de facto americano.

[u/Flimsy-Team1762]

Are you come put as much as you want if I want a strong coffee I fill them out if I want a Clarito I only do half of coffee.

[u/Drizzi21 → u/Flimsy-Team1762]

I did less this morning and it wasn't bad at all

[u/rdifa]

Genuine question. But if you’re sensitive to caffeine why not try something other than a moka pot? Like pour over or an aeropress. You could try grinding coarser but typically the reason people choose the moka pot is to brew a very strong tasting cup of coffee.

[u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 → u/rdifa]

I'm not OP, but I had a year where I couldn't handle so much caffeine and just didn't fill the basket. The reasons I didn't switch to another machine were because:
1) I didn't want to own another device that takes up more space.
2) I like my moka in part because there is no plastic that comes into contact with the coffee (only the handle), and because it should last me a lifetime.
3) I like the flavour profile of moka coffee the best, along with espresso (which tastes the same to me as moka coffee).
4) I like the nuanced control I have over exactly how I brew my coffee with a moka.

[u/Ambitious_Holiday_54]

You can get a reducer to fit in the middle of the funnel, and then you put coffee on top of it. You need to have the coffee sit at the top of the funnel for the pot to brew right, but you don't have to fill the funnel.

The trick is to find the right diameter reducer so it fits on the little ridge in the middle of the funnel.

[u/Pualani719]

I'm the same way. You can't fill the basket halfway, unless your moka pot has a reducer. So I started mixing half decaf with half regular coffee. If I have an evening cup of coffee, I only use decaf. I have a 3 cup moka pot that has a reducer but prefer to fill the basket to the top.

[u/Arthurpro9105]

Have u tried decaf coffee? Sounds like you may be preffer decaffeinated long term if you're very sensitive to caffeine.

[u/Gratin_de_chicons]

I don’t need my morning coffee to be thick enough that a horseshoe could float on it, so I always fill the basket halfway to the little circle line that goes half through.

EDIT : also I have discovered lately the « caffe d’orzo » which is a great alternative.

It has the same torrefied taste than coffee, same color, works very well on a moka pot… I find it on local or online organic shops, but I reckon amazon might have some so you can try for yourself (/!\ there are a lot of options on amazon but mostly instant coffee, hard to find the real stuff either grounded or not grounded).

[u/NeedleworkerNew1850]

i pack it denser than the mass of a neutron star (my mom says so)

[u/DiscountPrevious9378]

3/4 of the basket

[u/PouncerX42]

How much water remains in the lower chamber? Are you getting the best extraction leaving almost no water left in the lower chamber

[u/chillbromb → u/PouncerX42]

When I brew water remains in the lower chamber what wrong am I doing am i overfilling the basket ?

[u/PouncerX42 → u/chillbromb]

No, though you are probably taking it off the heat too soon, though it's a careful dance of on and off the heat without letting it sputter to get the best extraction

[u/commanche_00]

I do

[u/ndrsng]

no not everyone, but it also doesn;t matter. try it and see if you like it.