A success story told by IMS Filtri
Fill the bottom chamber with water, add fine-ground coffee, heat the pot on a stovetop, and slowly percolate a bold coffee that sips somewhere between espresso and drip.
For an Italian, there’s nothing quite as enticing and comforting as the sound of the moka gurgling on the stove. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee whirling from the kitchen down the hallway and into the bedroom is enough to get anyone out of bed. It works better than any alarm clock.
There’s much to love about this humble device: it’s cheaper than an espresso machine, easy to use, and can brew in little time, with little effort. It’s also pretty to keep in full display in the kitchen. And it is now able to give you a memorable experience for your taste and senses––finally. Thanks to brands like IMS Filtri with a centenary tradition in coffee making.
Here’s how the famous “macchinetta”, as we’re all used to calling it, has become, over the years, an all-Italian tradition that has in fact infected and conquered the rest of the world.
The best coffee? In the morning, in your pajamas
In Italy we drink coffee at home as soon as we get out of bed. In slippers, with pajamas or in a robe: it’s the best “buongiorno” ever. What about you?
Most people today seem to prefer the bean roasted in the Italian way, ”squeezed” in the Italian way and brewed in the Italian way. Yes, moka pots are reaching overseas markets and palates, as far as China and Thailand. In Spain, for example, it’s known as cafetera de fuego, while in Brazil they call it cafeteira de rosca. In Cuba almost everyone owns a cafetera, very popular for making café cubano—a hot, sweet drink made by whisking sugar into the first few drops of coffee before adding the rest.
What about Thailand? Well, back in 2016, Emanuele Monti, CEO of IMS, went to a bar named LOVE MOKA where they used to serve coffee right with a moka. It ignited a spark. It was stunning, because just few years before this kind of machines could only be admired in museums like MOMA in New York, or were used as cool props at home––with flowers inside. The buzz was spreading out of Italy’s borders. And that’s when IMS decided to focus on the rise of this “peculiar” brewing method.
A myth debunked… over the years
Moka was invented in the early 1930s by Alfonso Bialetti, an Italian engineer and metalworker, as an easy and affordable way to make coffee at home, in a time when coffee was exclusively consumed at coffeehouses. He came up with the idea by watching washerwomen doing laundry. They used a tub with a tube in the center that distributed hot water and soap on the clothes. That boiling pressure was replicated inside the small aluminium coffee pot. Genius.
But if you have ever used a traditional moka you know it may be tricky. Have you tasted that burnt, metallic smack in your mouth and had that “Oh no! Let’s have coffee at the bar” moment? You must keep an eye on the stove or you might end up with these overly-extracted flavors.
And then it makes a small, concentrated shot of coffee. Is that an espresso? Is that the filter coffee people are used to? Some even think it does not always produce an even extraction.
This is all part of that rustic charm. And it’s all in the past. You’ll be thrilled to know that today with a few tricks and tips you can avoid that sinking feeling. IMS will show you that with the right recipe, its new materials and your desired dose, a moka can make an excellent coffee indeed. Even if you don’t know the last thing on grinds and you pour water way over the valve.
The long road to excellence
Aware of its potential, IMS started producing high quality filters for this innovative coffee pot from its very beginning, in 1946: they were made of stainless steel with the same technology used for espresso machines, and were a huge piece of the new revolutionary filtering system the founder Nullo Dandolo Monti was developing at the time. Regrettably, these filters have been replaced by cheaper aluminum ones with punched holes over the years.[Ritorno a capo del testo]
4 generations later, curiosity keeps pushing IMS towards innovation.
With IMS’ new creative laboratory called E&B lab (Espresso & brewing Lab), knowing the macchinetta could become more than a niche product for experts, the company managed to evolve it to a design masterpiece suitable for everyone, starting from a little, hidden but crucial tool––the filter––and launching the innovative line of Competition Moka Filters.[Ritorno a capo del testo]
Advanced filter, advanced flavors
Since the early 40s a lot of water has flowed through IMS’ filters. Just try the new Competition Filter with your moka (we are sure you have one at home) and compare your cup with past results. All those years of research and coffee expertise make this big a difference in taste.
It has a stainless steel, photo-etched membrane with a 200 μm filtering capacity, pierced with more and smaller holes than a traditional one (0.2 mm Vs 0.8 mm). This allows for better retention of fine coffee particles and results in a cleaner, more balanced, less bitter coffee. And no worries, that pleasant acidity hint is kept safe in your cup.
It also reduces the pressure of water, which prevents damage to your coffee while in the basket. The puck isn’t so squeezed and its hard parts can breath during the brewing. Check it out right after shutting off the stove: it’s nice and firm, with no craters or soggy areas. When you spread it on a napkin, it’s moist throughout but not sopping wet.
This filter has no rivals.
Who said the moka pot never changed over time?
Having such an improved filter meant that all the other traditional products needed an upgrade as well. So the IMS experts went on a quest to find a moka that could make the best out of this gem of engineering, for better extraction and bigger flavor.
Noticing the big gap in the market they put all their efforts in creating a coffee pot––totally handcrafted in Italy. Simple yet effective. Lightweight yet sturdy. Affordable yet stylish. Easy to use, unlike traditional espresso machines. And forgiving.
Experts worked relentlessly with a talented Italian craftsman and dug deep into new materials for a better handling. Thousands of tests were made on temperature and pressure. They weighed water and puck. In and out. Over and over. And while baristas usually insert a thermometer in the pot to be sure not to reach the boil, IMS experts used 2 probes instead, one in the coffee and 1 in the water. They found the ideal recipe not to burn your moka.
Indulge with earthy chocolaty notes, try different grinds, experiment with timings, pay attention to water quantity and check pressures. You’ll pull a sharp and strong coffee. An intensely-flavored brew of exceptional body and richness. Very close to a real espresso. In less than 3 minutes.
The revolution in a ritual
But the evolution of the moka doesn’t stop with the Classic. Have you seen how beautiful the new Globe Moka Pot by IMS is? Looks like it’s from the future.
Exclusive design and deep Italian know-how come together to create a revolutionary coffee maker with a modern glass server. Light your stove, let the magic happen and admire the coffe flow from the chamber straight into the glass with the perfect temperature and balance.
And wait, is that the famous “crema” we see over the coffee you’ve just brewed? You made it.
It’s always impressive to see them in action. And when you taste the quality, the body, the boldness they sputters out you are quite happy to pay top dollar for this culinary experience.
In a coffee shop or in your kitchen, you can’t really wash away that warm and familiar feeling in your mouth. And in your belly.
There’s something about moka
The moment you look at your calendar and you are astonished by all the days marked as moka competitions: that’s when you realize there’s an ever growing interest in this little Italian coffee machine.
Latte art, cocktail spirit, tasting, green coffee, roasting, Aeropress contests, all bring coffee lovers together. Fun places where you can share your knowledge, showcase your skills and compare the results of your moka pot brews.
A trip to Italy with all of your senses
Wether you’re from Naples and living abroad or you go to Rome for a visit, you are fully aware of the aromas and flavors flowing along the streets in Italy. Wether it’s a quick coffee at a bar counter or an “eternal” cup at a friend’s place, you are won over. Want to relive that burst of energy again? Buy a moka and travel back to Italy just with your senses. This “macchinetta” has a pull that espresso machines will never ever have.
The E&B Lab mokas and filters are here to take advantage of the best blends and give you a real taste of the “Bel Paese”. Anywhere you are.
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