Friday, November 29, 2013

Bialetti Brikka 4-Cup Stovetop Percolator



Makes a GREAT cup of mocha.
I actually bought this for my wife for her birthday - but I think I enjoy it more then she does.

I know that this doesn't make "true" espresso but it comes mighty close in my opinion (i'm not much of a connoisseur, but I do love a good cup). In fact this is better then most any other espressos i've had! I love the coffee this thing produces! The first night I ended up drinking 6 shots of 'espresso' made with fresh Baba Budan beans and I still wanted more! I couldn't do it though because it was 1:00 in the morning and I was wide awake from drinking so much coffee.

Here are a few tips for you...

Make sure you have a Burr grinder. You want a fine grind (but not too fine) to get the most out of your coffee. Burr grinders can be quite the investment but well worth it. You will need a Burr grinder for any espresso machine anyways.

Make sure you have cups close by. This thing will suddenly shoot out coffee and if you're not quick enough you might...

fantastic
I have both the 4-cup and 2-cup Brikkas, and I use both regularly. The last time I checked online a few months ago, both were available in North America.

They both can make an equally delicious espresso with a nice crema on top. It doesn't matter which one you use in my experience. You just have to have faith and keep trying them before giving up.

They are both "high maintenance" coffee pots compared to regular espresso pots. You can't just dump water & coffee in them and leave them on the stove for 5 minutes while you do something else. Brikkas are like fine pieces of art that need to be handled and pampered in special ways. Everything is a delicate balance, and you have to baby sit them during the whole process. But once you get the knack of it, you will get consistent results...and trust me, it is worth the effort. Here are 5 tips:

1) Just before assembling your pot with coffee, make sure the valve is not stuck. Jiggle it up and down a few...

Better with Brikka : )
The Bialetti Brikka makes the best Italian style espresso I've had outside of Italy - the flavor and texture will take you back to the piazza cafes. Add some warm milk and froth for a perfect cappucino (I bought the Nissan/Frabosk milk frother as well). I found the directions and method easy - with room for a little flexibility with amounts of water, coffee, etc. for your own individual taste. Making the espresso is fun - I love waiting for the "whooosh" telling me the delicious crema is almost ready to pour into my cup. Clean up is easy, and the coffee tastes better each time I use the Brikka. One of my best purchases for the kitchen.

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