Adventures in Brewing Coffee at Home

This past year I've grown into such a coffee person, but coffee is expensive and my $3.50 Americano from Starbucks was not doing my bank account any favors. I've had a Keurig in my apartment all year, which I've used off and on, but it doesn't brew the best tasting cup of coffee and I wanted to try something different. Enter, the moka pot. 


I got my moka pot from Target, but you can get cheap ones on Amazon. Moka pots come in tons of different sizes, but I have a six cup that works well for me. 

Moka pots are the lazy girl's way to brew espresso without an actual espresso machine. Technically, you can't call this espresso because it doesn't use enough pressure during the extraction, but it is a stronger coffee than other brewing methods will give you. You fill the bottom chamber with water, place the filter with a couple spoonfuls of grounds in, screw on the top, and place on the stove for 6 minutes. It is so easy, relatively fast, and tastes so good. 

Depending on the day, I'll drink the full six cups or I'll put half of it in the fridge to save for the next day. My favorite way do drink my coffee is pouring the freshly brewed "espresso" over a large cup of ice. The ice dilutes the coffee a little and makes it more palatable, just like the Americanos that I know and love. Sometimes I'll add a splash of creamer or milk, other times I'll add a splenda, and other days I'll drink it black. 

Does this replace my Starbucks? Right now, I'd probably say yes. This is definitely my favorite replacement for the iced americans and iced coffees that I would order from Starbucks, but once Fall and Winter roll around, I could still see myself hitting up SB for the seasonal drinks. 

Let me know in the comments if you brew your coffee at home or if you buy it at a cafe! Also let me know your favorite brewing method! I didn't want a french press because I'm too lazy to grind my own coffee and the pour over method seemed like too much work, but I'm interested in hearing what works for you! 
-Sienna