Newbie needs help with stovetop

[rio]

Hello all!

I'm new here. I've been checking out these forums for quite some time, getting some valuable information.

A little while ago I was in Barcelona, and the first day I walked into a café and ordered a coffee, and (to my surprise) what I got was a single espresso. Needless to say, I'm obsessed now.

Anyway, I got me two moka stovetop machines (2 oz and 8 oz 'junior express'), and brought from europe a can of pre-ground Lavazza (It says 'Espresso' on the front so I assumed it's espresso ground).

With the small machine, I can get a fairly good tasting moka. However, when I try it with the bigger one, it comes out very strong and bitter, and looks like it's a little burned. Also, it looks as thought the water has a hard time getting through the coffee, because at the beginning it comes out in small thinck chunks, and at no point does the moka come out at a constant rate.

Should I put less coffee in it? The salesperson insisted that I always fill it up completely. Is it possible that this grind is not suited for this moka maker? I've been careful not to pack the coffee in. Anyway, thanks for your help!

 

[doubleR]

The ground Lavazza is pretty fine. You might want to experiment by putting less coffee in the filter. Even though you're not packing it, the grind is so fine that the quantity may be too much for the machine to handle.

 

[KS]

The Lavazza may be too fine. There are Italian coffee companies that make a grind specifically for moka pots and they'll usually have a little picture of the moka pot on the bag (Kili Caffe for example). You do need to use the proper amount of coffee and water for the pot, so the sales person is right about having it full --but not packed. Make sure that you are using medium heat.