The Prismo doesn't really increase the pressure in the chamber you can have by that much.
Not just human either, the aeropress' plastic isn't built to withstand high pressures and it's going to buckle, to say nothing of whatever you put the press on.
Hoffman measured the prismo at 1.3 bars after adding a paper filter to the metal filter.
- the recipe itself is wrong, however I assume you're using the same recipe you got success with in italy, though that requires that the devices are the same kind (e.g. stovetop v electric) and powered the same way
- the device itself is broken
- the coffee you're using is different enough that the recipe doesn't work, or possibly the coffee you get at home is completely unsuitable for moka (wrong roasting, wrong grind size, ...)
Maybe consider watching James Hoffman's moka series for an intro? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl1Zot3qiJ-w...
If you pour the maximum amount of water that fits inside, then your coffee will brew close to the boiling point of water, which is too hot and makes the coffee bitter.
If you pour less amount of water, then the coffee brews at a lower temperature.
The principle is that the coffee is pushed out by both the steam and the expanding trapped air inside the moka pot. The more expanding trapped air you have there, the less pressure you need from steam, so the coffee starts brewing earlier.
I've tried different recipes, different beans, etc. Right now I'm on Illy espresso (got some on sale).
I hear your suggestions :-). The beans in Italy were basically beans in a tin, open to the air. But it was Italian air, Venetian salt seasoned air, and I was on vacation. Could've been that.
As you've already tried multiple things and covered the basics, I would suggest trying to find some sort of coffee enthusiast group around, or maybe a bit of a fancy / hipster coffee shop, with someone who knows their way around a moka pot who could help you diagnose the issue (whether it's in the device or its usage).
Seems a shame to have had a good experience, and to have bought a moka pot, and to not get joy out of it.
The wines at the tasting in the winery are always amazing… and then you get home and open a bottle and it’s… meh.
The key issues were
* clean after every use (just with water)
* don't fill too much water, the water will touch the coffee for too long and make it sour, aim for just below the pressure valve
* don't tamp down the coffee grounds, just fill to the line
* dont have too fine a grind on the coffee
it sounds like a lot but I'm making great coffee now, i couldn't figure out the aeropress somehow
With an espresso grind, the moka pot will struggle to push water through and you'll have a very bitter coffee because it'll be way over-extracted. Is that what you experience?
